Here in the reading rooms, we list and briefly review several references which have helped to shape our views on the history of the Greek constellations.
Many of them books you might want to check out from a local library.
Some you might want to add to your own bookshelves.
We also provide a number of pdf files (see below), and links to outside websites.
The History Room
Here, we cite some recent works which shaped our understanding of the history of the AEgean in the Bronze Age and Iron Age.
Here we find copies of Ptolemy’s work, in Greek and in Latin and in German, and related works in English.
The Greek Mythology Lounge
Here we describe some volumes you might want to add to your bookshelf, along with links to several on-line resources of Greek myth and history.
On PDF Files:
In the course of our investigations, we have collected pdf copies of a number of books from on-line collections of various libraries. We’ve made many of these available in our reading rooms.
It’s our understanding that the items we post are in the public domain, and free for distribution.
Many are copies of older texts, long out of copyright, scanned and posted by librarians.
Several are reprints from academic journals, which are presented for scholarly purposes.
We don’t charge visitors for access to these files.
We have lawyers who make us say stuff like this.
We hate to be a bother, but if you’d like to support what we do here,
please click on the ‘donate’ button.
The library is open to all, free of charge.
Voluntary donations help us keep it that way.
* * * * * * * * *
Bookshelves, Libraries, Bookstores
Most of the books we discuss in these rooms are volumes that we’ve added to our own bookshelves.
We encourage you to take a look,
maybe even add a few to your own collection.
In all cases, we suggest that you try before you buy.
Visit your local public library, to investigate titles of interest,
And whatever else you chance upon.
Libraries are wonderful places for exploring.
An online algorithm can help you find items
based on the search terms you enter;
but wandering the aisles of a good library
can suggest new search terms.
Even better, libraries are staffed by librarians.
And in our experience, librarians are among
the nicest and the smartest people around.
If you want some suggestions on searching the catalog, ask your librarian.
If there’s a particular book you want which your local library
doesn’t have in their collection, ask your librarian;
you may be able to obtain a copy through an inter-library loan.
Support your local libraries.
Support your local librarians.
And support your local bookstores and booksellers.
If, having perused a text borrowed through your local library, you choose to add a particular volume to your own personal library, we encourage you to do so through a local bookstore.
Many of the texts we list are probably not on the shelves.
But any bookstore will be happy to place a special order for you.
Many will let you do so through their own websites . . . but we’d encourage you, where able,
to pay a visit to place an order,
and another visit to pick it up.
On each visit, take a look around to see
if anything else jumps off the shelf at you.
Don’t be shy about asking for help;
bookstore staff, as a rule,
are as pleasant and smart as librarians.
Just like a library, a good bookstore
can help you find things
you didn’t know you were looking for
There are, of course, on-line retailers who can deliver books and countless other items to your doorstep, without the need for you to step outside your home or speak to a human being.
Convenient. Efficient. Boring.
We encourage you to spend some time (and some money) at a local bookshop, if you can.
Support your favorite writers by buying their books.
Support your local booksellers by buying their books.
Constellation History
Algol