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Thomas (independent scholar) has produced a comprehensive edition of Cicero's Brutus, an immensely important work for the understanding of Roman oratory during the Republic. The work is also a valuable document for Roman history since it includes discussions of over 200 Roman orators, many of whom are otherwise poorly known. Surprisingly, Thomas's work is the first comprehensive study of the 107 extant manuscripts of this text. After a brief introduction, the work falls into two parts. Part 1 is an exhaustive discussion of the manuscripts and transmission of the Brutus. This is highly technical work, and many readers may shy away from it; they do so at their own risk. Thomas provides many valuable insights into not only the text of the Brutus but also the transmission of ancient works in general. Part 2 contains the bulk of the book: the Latin text and Thomas's commentary, which, it should be noted, deals only with textual matters. Readers interested in the people mentioned and issues raised in the dialogue must turn elsewhere for guidance. Four appendixes and 11 figures round out a volume that will become indispensable for students of Roman oratory.Summing Up: Essential. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals.

Usher (Univ. of Vermont) presents a fascinating distillation of the moral wisdom expressed by the classical writers of ancient Greece and Rome about living "according to nature." Assembling a kind of literary banquet discussing the topic of "living in a dying world," Usher offers deep insights into nature's exemplary instruction, touching on such classical authors as Heraclitus, Plato, Diogenes, Aristotle, and Lucretius but also such contemporary authors as Latour, Callicott, and Oxman. The symposium-like interchange of quoted opinions, juxtaposed time periods, and divergent philosophical orientations makes for inspired reading as King Lear bumps into Justus Liebig, Marx bumps into Thoreau, and Ruskin is included on the same team as Bataille. Chapters flow by quickly, but compelling sections demand to be read and discussed multiple times. Well-positioned illustrations punctuate the arid philosophy with witty references to ecological graphs shaped like hockey sticks and "Seneca curves" that crystallize the concepts visually. Scholarly notes are kept to a minimum but are helpful additions for readers wanting more information. In addition to college courses in philosophy and the humanities, this wonderful book would make a great first-year seminar or book club title.Summing Up: Essential. All readership levels.