Born in Macedonia, Alexander spent his childhood envious of his father's conquests. He watched his father head off to great battles and read of Greek heroes who were remembered forever for their bravery. All the while, he wished that he too could become a hero in history. With the sudden death of his father, Alexander received his chance to become the hero that he always dreamed of being. Consolidating Greece and raising an army, he prepared for conquests in the Persian Empire. Through barren deserts and snowy mountain peaks, his men marched as they sought total conquest of the Great King's empire. When the empire had finally been won and the Great King eliminated, Alexander was not prepared to give up his dreams quite yet. While his men were ready to return to their homeland and enjoy their booty, Alexander wanted more. He dreamed of riding elephants into war in India, fighting desert tribes and taking over the pyramids of Egypt. In short, only conquering the entire known world would be enough for his limitless ambition. It would only be the reluctance of his men or the admonitions of his general, Parmenion, who would hold Alexander back from achieving his dreams. By the age of 32, Alexander managed to accrue one of the largest empires that the world had ever seen. With a genius for administration and a rash, courageous approach to warfare, he conquered each land that he came across always in search of an answer to the question: what's next? In his book entitled Alexander The Great: The Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire author Phillip J. Smith magically takes you back to this specific time period and gives you a historically accurate picture of Alexander The Great and his incomparable Macedonian Empire.