Mary Beard, a renowned classics scholar, shares intriguing insights in her book, Talking Classics. Growing up in an English village, Beard recalls her first London visit in 1960 with her mother. This visit sparked her lifelong interest in the past when a museum curator unlocked a display case to reveal a 4,000-year-old piece of bread, sparking a sense of ‘thauma’ or wonder in her young mind.

Beard’s book is a compilation of four lectures delivered at the University of Chicago in 2023. Her engaging style combines humorous anecdotes with deep questions about the ancient world. She challenges the conventional reverence for classical studies, urging readers to reconsider the impact and misuse of classical architecture by figures like Mussolini. Despite this, Beard highlights the transformative power of classics, referencing influential figures like Marx and Mandela who embraced classical ideas.

The central question in her work is: ‘What was it like to be there?’ This pursuit of understanding drives many contemporary retellings of ancient stories, such as The Song of Achilles and Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey. Beard warns us of the unfamiliarity and complexity of the classical world, with its alien views on identity and self-perception.

Beard argues that the skills gained from studying classics, particularly the ability to ‘read difficult things,’ are crucial in a world rife with misinformation and conspiracy. Her book, much like the ancient bread that intrigued her as a child, offers substantial content for readers to consider and digest.