Western studies tend to view Byzantine philosophy either as a minor offshoot of western European thought, or a handy storehouse for documents and ideas until they are needed. A scholar of philosophy (Aristotle U. of Thessaloniki), Tatakis (1896-1996) finds the view limiting, pointing out that during the Roman period, few Greeks learned Latin but Romans were not considered educated without a founding in Greek, and that Byzantine Christianity has its own trajectory unconcerned with how it deviates from western orthodoxy. He covers the period from early Christianity to the end of Byzantium. Moutafakis (philosophy, Cleveland State U.) translates the French La Philosophie Byzantine published by Presses Universitaires de France in 1949. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)