The sixth century was an era of personalities and uprisings. It was the
time of Xenophanes, Cyrus, Solon the lawmaker, Sappho, the Budda,
Aeschylus, Pythagoras, Confucius, Lao-tzu and Nebuchadnezzar; it was the
era of prose re-awakenings and the exploration of rational thought.
George Woodcock's The Marvellous Century, brings the era and the
personalities to life as he explores the literature, the philosophy, the
politics, the sciences. He documents the writing of the Upanishads,
pursues the thought of the Greek astronomer and philosopher Thales,
traces the emergence of atomic theories in India, the emergence of
geography, geology and physics as disciplines, and monitors the
economics of the central Asia silk trade. He reflects upon the great
religions--Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism and Modern Judaism--all
of whom had their roots in the sixth century, and discusses how, and
why, so much that was vital to our civilization came into being during
this era. The Marvellous Century is a century of history in one volume,
filled with characters, events, romance, and intrigue. It is a
fascinating journey that allows us to experience the beauty, savagery
and all-encompassing impact of the 6th century B.C., a century
characterized by a cluster of events that changed irrevocably the way
humans looked upon the universe and even upon themselves.
