Bethany Hughes’ "The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" was like a time-traveling adventure, mixing cool historical facts with personal perspective. She doesn’t just talk about the pyramids or the magical Hanging Gardens—she paints a picture of the people who lived back then, too. She dives deep into the cultures that built these wonders (which I loved). My personal favorite part was this song found near one of the sites that reads, “while you live, shine, have no grief at all”— I love this! Even though this book is packed with historical facts, it’s actually a blast for anyone who loves a good story, whether you’re a hardcore history buff or just curious about the past. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

A terrific survey of some of the most incredible structures you’ll never see.

Reading about the ancient wonders always makes me a little sad, as six of the seven are no longer extant and some we don’t even have reliable imagery of, but a good writer and historian can bring them to life and let you imagine them as they were meant to be seen, and Hughes does a lovely job of that.

This is intended as a general survey of all seven and in some cases I felt like I wanted more information, but Hughes does a great job of making the book accessible for those who know nothing about the seven ancient wonders coming and also provides some excellent detail for those with a bit more background on the subject.

There’s a particularly interesting discussion on the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to that end: Did it even exist? It is just a poetic concept or might we perhaps have the location slightly wrong? Fascinating stuff.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World explores history's most wondrous monuments and what exactly that means. This book is more than a historical account; it's an exploration of humanity's desire to leave a lasting legacy. By exploring them sequentially, Hughes invites readers to immerse themselves in the historical context of these ancient sites, offering a profound reflection on our shared past and what it means to make a mark on the world.