Following five major world changing super powers by spending time walking the streets of their main cities is a nice way to tour history. I gained many insights into the significant impact each empire had on their own times and subsequent generations. Wilson is a good writer, fine historian and excellent story teller. This is not an in depth history of each culture for 200 pages could never tell an adequate story of one of these cities let alone five. But within these pages the reader enjoys a world tour, a trip through time like a carriage ride in Central Park on a crisp fall evening daring a look at views of history like so many interesting quips from the driver. I came away from the book with not so many, "Oh I never heard that before!" but more reminders of how people, cultures and their main cities shape the world we inhabit and prod us to understand their influence on us.
A few notes of interest about Wilson's views on life will, I hope, encourage you to give this book a try. His view of the first city, Jerusalem was indeed very interesting. During King Solomon's reign he believes that the world was their play ground even over to the American continent in search of riches and trading partners. As I read the book I was once again reminded that ancient man was not as primitive as we always assume because they lacked some novel electronic or motorized gadget. Where they lacked in harnessing electricity they made up for in resourcefulness and industry. He continued to lure me in to his story by adding zingers such as ‘the Helen’ being a unit of feminine beauty and “in the long run, stupidity doesn’t work.”
His final words on liberty make for modern application and will allow this book this same liberty to reach modern minds who may indulge in seeing an aspect of history that may challenge many preconceptions. Jerusalem, the model of spiritual liberty reminds us that the city itself is not necessary for liberty. Athens' intellectual liberty encourages us to continue reaching for reason and logical answers in a day of self truth making. Rome with a reminder of the limitations of liberty is a neon sign of repetitious history does so because we forget that it does. London liberty of words lives on to this day as does its many words even in this book and this blog on this book. Finally New York, the liberty of commerce and trade it is indeed. The freedom to earn money, make a living, and do what we please with the money captures our interest and cautions our liberty in excesses and what we are going to allow to bridle our freedom. Stupidity does indeed wear out its welcome in due time.
"The truth will set you free," Jesus said, and if that is indeed the case, then allow this book the liberty to liberate your view of history. Will this book influence anyone in two generations? Probably not. Will these five cities influence anyone in two generations? Oh most certainly. A taste of liberty has a way of moving us off the porch and into the streets of freedom.
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