Green, P. (1991). Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 BC: a historical biography. Berkeley: University of California Press. (Original work published in 1974)Peter Green's book, Alexander of Macedon, takes us on a journey through ancient Macedonia, from the early beginnings of Alexander's life until his controversial death. This material is a revision and expansion of Green's book, "Alexander the Great," originally published in 1970. In this detailed narrative of Alexander the Great, Green helps the reader better understand Alexander's life and the world in which he grew up . Green begins this historical biography of Alexander's father, Philip II of Macedon, and how he came to power. Green, a classical scholar, unlike many of his colleagues who paint Alexander as a romantic figure, seeking a united world, paints Alexander as an ambitious, powerful tyrant. In the very first chapter, Green states that Alexander was “a genius; the product of its environment. What Alexander was, Philip and Macedon largely made…” This is what Green proposes in his historical biography. The author's thesis argues that Alexander became who he was based on the society in which he grew up. Green describes Alexander's environment as “noisy, clamorous professional soldiers, who rode or drank or fought or fornicated” (p. 40). These were the male role models he had in his life and his father was no different. He was also surrounded by war planning and strategy, betrayals and conspiracies. The author believes that his mother Olympias, so popularly known for poisoning the mind of young Alexander against Philip, is nothing more than a psychological myth. Alexander and Olympias did not turn against Philip until 338 BC, when Alexander... center of card... and went on through the years. Although the book offers notes and references, maps, and a key to abbreviations, I believe this narrative is more appropriate for an academic audience or readers with knowledge of the ancient world. As someone who is not fully knowledgeable about classical studies, I was able to easily understand the author's writing. It was difficult for me to find any errors in this book. Perhaps the only weakness of the book is the lack of better maps. Otherwise, Green does an exemplary job of explaining who the people are, the dates when things happened, and how he believes things happened, as well as the opinions of other historians. Ultimately, Peter Green's Alexander of Macedon portrays Alexander as I always imagined him to be "a true genius as a field commander: perhaps, all things considered, the most incomparable general the world has ever seen" (p... 487).