Breathing new life into the writings of the West's first historian, The Essential Herodotus combines balanced selections of his work with succinct commentary and notes. The first collection of its kind, this volume presents Herodotus's well-known writings on politics and war alongside his research on folk traditions, foreign cultures, and natural wonders. William A. Johnson's clear and lively translations make the original texts accessible in all their richness. Ideal for novices and historians alike, The Essential Herodotus reminds a 21st-century audience why these texts have stood the test of time.