"It's amazing what they don't teach you in school about the people of ancient Greek and Rome. Were they tall? Did they shave? Did they go on vacation? Did they believe in aliens? Garrett Ryan's endlessly eye-opening book made me feel like I didn't just know about the ancients, but that I actually knew them."
– Ken Jennings, writer and Jeopardy! champion
“Very easy to read and thoroughly researched, Garrett Ryan's book is packed full of fascinating nuggets of information. Ranging from the rough side of everyday life to the use of assassins and spies, and to some of the stranger beliefs held by its citizens, this book offers an intriguing and fresh approach to understanding the ancient world.” – Dr. Jerry Toner, Director of Studies in Classics at Churchill College, University of Cambridge
“Bursting with colorful anecdotes, stuffed with vivid details, and with a ’you are there’ immediacy, this highly entertaining, engagingly written book pairs a scholar's erudition with a lively sense of humor. Structured as answers to 36 common questions about Greek and Roman antiquity, this book covers everything from religion and politics to hobbies and pets. To the question, ‘Are you not entertained?,’ the answer is emphatically yes. Readers will effortlessly learn an amazing amount of accurate information about life in the ancient world along the way.”
–Prof. Gregory S. Aldrete, author of Daily Life in the Roman City
"Garrett Ryan pushes our understanding of Rome in new and wonderful directions. His book has less to say about emperors than it does about the ways they used their elephants – but that’s because it’s been written to help us understand how the Romans really thought, and what was actually important to them. And if you’ve ever wondered how the Romans treated their gladiators (surprisingly well), or what exactly prompted them to carve statues of the well-endowed god Priapus (to frighten birds), Ryan has the answers to those questions as well." – Mike Dash, author of Batavia’s Graveyard
NetGalley Review: 4 stars
Last updated on 05 Aug 2021
"My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Prometheus Books for an advanced copy of this history book.
Garrett Ryan in his book Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants: Frequently Asked Questions about the Ancient Greeks and Romans answers inquiries, with a little bit of Dad-Joke styling thrown in, about the times and happening of ancient Greece and Rome that people wanted to know but were afraid to ask. Or lacked a good classics teacher or historian to bother with their quest for trivia.
Broken into six categories, including Daily Life, Leisure, Society, Beliefs, Sports and Legacies, the question can be as simple as when did Romans wear togas and how, to were there professional athletes, and was divorce allowable. Answers range in length from a page, to more with plenty of information from classic texts, to current thought and studies, depending on the subject. The book is perfect to read straight through, or just to jump around in, depending on your mood, or if you like to learn a new fact everyday. The last third of the book is more historical , with sections on further research and sources, and a chronicle of the ancient world.
A very fun book, full of interesting facts and information. Perfect for a burgeoning classics student, a future Jeopardy contestant, or someone like myself likes to read books full of historical facts and information, that is as funny and well written as informative."—Dan O'Leary, bookseller
NetGalley Review: 5 stars
Last updated on 28 Aug 2021
"In quirky Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators and War Elephants Historian Garrett Ryan candidly answers questions you were itching to ask, and then some. As a frequent traveler to Rome, I was thrilled to read this informative, witty and educational book, complete with photographs and illustrations on one of my favourite subjects...ancient Roman and Greek life. It is broken down into six parts and within these parts are numerous short chapters.
Learn about innovative "pockets" in clothing, the ban on pants in Rome, painful shaving, pets of the wealthy, surgical instruments and procedures (including liposuction), trepanation, delectable elephant trunks, where the first cookbooks were created, the importance and ostentation of luxurious social gatherings, how time was tracked, wages, dangers (pretty much everything), ability to rent out public torturers if one was too squeamish, mythical beasts, curse tablets, pankration, exercise, swanky carriages, game tickets, "barley boys", inflatable ladders, fighting strategy using scorpions and burning feathers, language including definite and indefinite articles and the end of antiquity. There is so much more, too, as the book brims with fascinating bits. Though educational, you absorb information without studying if you know what I mean. It sticks as it's just so darned interesting!
Roman and Greek History fans truly ought to seek out this dynamite book. Be sure to read...and enjoy...the Appendix! When next in Rome I will definitely see things differently and can hardly wait.
My sincere thank you to Rowman & Littlefield and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this fun and riveting book."—Brenda Carleton, reviewer at Agora Books
NetGalley Review: 4 stars
Last updated on 29 Aug 2021
"This is a great little collection of essays that reads like an anthology of magazine columns about the daily lives of ancient Greeks and Romans. I think each topic was inspired by readers' question on a blog site where the author takes on history questions. The book does what it says - covers the events of the "extras" in the Greek and Roman movie, rather than dwelling on the big stars. Some of the chapters read like little stories, others just jump right in with the facts.
If I had to find a nit to pick, sometimes the author seems a little too accepting of ancient sources' literal truth. For example, a text that says so-and-so was eight feet tall is clearly wrong. Other times the author does caveat the ancient claims, and I will admit that saying "allegedly" with every statement would get a little old for the author and for the reader.
Given the large number of short topics, this isn't mean to be read in one or two sittings. This would be good as bathroom reading (no offense, Ryan!) or with more illustrations, as a coffee table book. In fact, that's my other nit There are a few public domain photos here and there, but a second edition could benefit from drawings of the different topics. Certainly there are still graphic artists illustrating books out there. Each chapter needs an illustration. That's the coffee table book I want to see.
I know it isn't this author's specialty, but the next book I want to see is the same kind of treatment of daily life in ancient Egypt."—Pablo Rodriguez, consumer reviewer
NetGalley Review: 5 stars
Last updated on 30 Aug 2021
"I loved this book. Garrett Ryan has created an easy-to-read masterpiece on ancient Greeks and Romans. He writes with a very conversational tone and great sense of humor, including some very clever passages that I would re-read. He discusses a broad range of issues from human sacrifice to why Greeks and Romans didn’t wear pants, supplemented with a good selection of graphics. I recommend starting the book with the appendix which is a short history of the classical world. Although many people will already have this knowledge, I didn’t and I found the appendix useful. The footnotes are great and a must-read. Ironically, it is in a footnote that Ryan suggests that readers check the footnotes for some great anecdotes. This is a wonderful book well worth reading. Thank you to Netgalley and Rowman & Littlefield for the advance reader copy."—Stephen Goldberg, consumer reviewer and freelance writer
NetGalley Review: 5 stars
Last updated on 04 Sep 2021
"Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants by Garrett Ryan is a free NetGalley ebook that I read into early September.
Ryan addresses oft-asked questions from Quora about the Greek and Roman ages: its thematic chapters address 4-6 questions each and there's much annotation for even more details. The stories are very in-the-moment and casual, yet quirky with Ryan setting a scene that offers some glimpses of familiarity and empathy, but other times sheer dismay and disgust."—Kristine Fisher, consumer reviewer
