Page 91 - All About History - Issue 53-17

Reviews

AMAZONS

The Real Warrior Women of the Ancient World

Author John Man Publisher Bantam Press
Price £20 Released Out now

or centuries, explorers, writers (and latterly formidable females who served the kings of
comic book fans) have been held in thrall Dahomey (in modern Benin) for 150 years,
by the Amazons, a mythic tribe of warrior incredible stories leap from the pages, with
women who fought on horseback, cut off Man sweeping from era to era, place to place,
F their right breasts to better shoot arrows but always giving time for the tales to flourish.
and killed male children to purify their ranks. Descriptions of burial mounds discovered
These tales have been rich ammunition for in Russia, Siberia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia —
the imaginations of many, despite the fact with many of the archaeological breakthroughs
that no evidence has come to light. Or so we in the 20th century — are exciting, the reader
think. Although the nation of Amazons spoken swept along by details of royal burials, young
of by the Ancient Greeks never materialised, women with clear battle wounds and the
real warrior women have walked the paths of famous Ice Maiden, or Ukok Princess.
history, and that is the subject of John Man’s Man’s narrative talents are evident
new book, which coincides with the latest throughout, manifesting in his ability to
screen incarnation of Wonder Woman. convincingly weave in all manner of figures
Man’s eminently readable and well- and events. We hear of explorers, artists
researched text begins with the myths, and playwrights, tribes past and present,
charting portrayals of the Greeks’ valiance in Russia’s World War II ‘Night Witches’, modern-
victory against these seasoned combatants — day mounted archers, and of course that
but the truth is even more tantalising. Amazonian icon Wonder Woman.
From horsewomen hailing from ‘Scythian’ This results in a delight of a book,
nomadic groups on the Eurasian Steppe, to illuminating and entertaining in equal measure.

CHURCHILL

A portrait of old Winnie like you’ve never seen
Certificate PG Director Jonathan Teplitzky Cast Brian Cox,
Miranda Richardson, John Slattery Released Out now

n Jonathan Teplitzky’s Churchill, narrative, much thriller-like tension is
the legendary prime minister’s derived from the short timescale and
experiences in the Great War loom frequent, sometimes bad-tempered,
over events transpiring in Britain in tête-à-têtes with Dwight Eisenhower,
I1944. Voted the Greatest Briton of Supreme Allied Commander.
all time in a 2002 BBC poll, Winston The casting of Brian Cox is
Churchill’s days as First Lord of the audacious and problematic. Physically,
Admiralty ended in disgrace and left he looks nothing like Churchill and
him with a consuming shame and his unmistakable Scottish burr is a
guilt. While the public persona — the stumbling block. Yet as one of the
hat, the Havana cigar and victory sign greatest living actors, Cox brings
— is as iconic as it gets, behind the nuance and warmth to a man who
scenes Winston was riddled with could easily be dismissed as an
depression, self-doubt and totally arrogant and petulant toff. Churchill
convinced Operation Overlord would may well have been “the man who’ll
be another Gallipoli. see us through” — to quote a working-
Alex von Tunzelmann’s smart class secretary who idolises her PM
screenplay is essentially a character — but Eisenhower’s view of the leader
study, set over three days in the run up is a bit more on the ball: while a public
to the D-Day landings. It’s an inspired relations asset, behind closed doors,
approach for a biopic. Rather than Winnie was on the verge of becoming
opting for the traditional cradle-to-grave a liability.
91