The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

An Extraordinary New Journey Through History's Greatest Treasures

By: Bettany Hughes

Narrated by: Bettany Hughes

An immersive, awe-inspiring tour of the ancient sites that kindle our imagination and afford us a glimpse into our shared history

“This fascinating book is brimming with stories of people and places, all told with Bettany’s natural sense of wonder and adventure.” —Simon Sebag Montefiore, New York Times bestselling author of The World

For millennia, the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World have been known for their aesthetic sublimity, ingenious engineering, and sheer, audacious magnitude: The Great Pyramids of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis, the Statue of Zeus, the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse at Alexandria. Echoing down time, each of these persists in our imagination as an emblem of the glory of antiquity, but beneath the familiar images is a surprising, revelatory history. Guiding us through it is historian Bettany Hughes, who has traveled to each of the sites to uncover the latest archaeological discoveries and bring these monuments and the distinct cultures that built them back to breathtaking life. Spellbinding and full of insight, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is a journey into the indomitable ambition and creativity of the human spirit.

Re-creating the time of the monument

She did not just write an engineering treatise on building the monument. Or the appearance of the monument. She talked about the people and the events surrounding the construction of the monument. even the lingering influence of the monument for centuries after construction. This was a monument love affair.

Much more than just the seven wonders

Loved the many stories connected to each site both very old and recent. Bettany’s enthusiasm is contagious.

Great overview with lots of additional history

Excellent accounts of each of the ancient wonders, narrated wonderfully by the author. The author as narrator doesn't always work, but Hughes did a fine job here. Highly recommended for history lovers.

Excellent reading

I love the vivid descriptions and the historical context. History comes alive among stories and imagination.

wonderful wonders

Pull up a set of earphones and journey to highpoints of human efforts and learn something, a lot of somethings actually.