Has anyone else ever heard the comparisons made between the fall of the Roman Empire and what’s happening in the United States today? It’s a topic that’s been buzzing around, and it piqued my curiosity enough to pick up Edward Gibbon’s monumental work, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
First impressions? Wow. Holy intimidation. This tome is incredibly long and brimming with rich description and intricate detail. It’s the kind of book that could double as a makeshift dumbbell. Build those arms up while you learn about the cyclical nature of history.
Pro tip: I’m tackling it with the help of the Serial App. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s my favorite reading companion. The app delivers bite-sized portions of books each day, making even the most daunting reads manageable. For Gibbon’s masterpiece, they’ve broken it down into a whopping 300 sections. Yes, you read that right—300!
Check out the Serial App here: https://www.serialreader.org/
I’ve just started, but I’m already deeply invested. The parallels between ancient Rome and modern America are both eerie and fascinating. As I delve deeper, I’m excited to explore these connections and see where this literary journey takes me. I feel like a historian…might put on a toga later, we’ll see.
Stay tuned for more musings and discoveries as I navigate the rise and fall of history’s greatest empire.
You can read this for free on Serial (see above), listen to me read it on my new podcast (coming soon!) or if you want to go full historian, find a copy at a thrift store or splurge on yourself and purchase below (I earn a small commission as your book concierge).