Otto J. Maenchen-Helfen (1894–1969)

As other reviewers have pointed the erudition is marvelous but the work was unfinished at the author's death. The book could certainly have used his hand to complete it. The first part of the manuscript was more or less complete but the second part was unfinished. Parts of it are polished but a great deal is little more than lists of names, objects, etc. with the author's notes attached.

The most noticeable theme, to my mind, is that very little is known of the Huns despite a lot of scholarly study. Despite many declarations of fact by the author almost everything is theory. The language, the looks, the religion of the Huns are not really known. Scholars scrabble among bits and fragments of archeology and the writings of enemies ignorant of their life.

As was stated in the foreword this is a book for scholars. However, the layman can gain a great deal from it but he must sift hard to do so. I recommend this book for reference more than for reading.… (más)