NOTICE: (Updated March 5, 2010)

Beginning December 19, 2009, Books 'N Border Collies will be posting but only intermittently while I pursue personal goals. I plan to share some reading I'm doing, but there will be no reviews. I will, however, be sharing my exploration of vegetarian cooking and the cookbooks and websites I use to educate myself. I hope you enjoy it!

Lezlie



Thursday, July 24, 2008

I, CLAUDIUS

by Robert Graves



All the splendor and corruption of ancient Rome come to life in Robert Graves' masterpiece, I, Claudius : From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius. From the pomp and paranoia of the Emperor Augustus to the excesses and depravity of Caligula, secrets are spilled from behind the walls of palaces and prisons alike as Claudius writes his history of the Roman Empire as he lived it. And what a life it was!

What I loved most about this book was the way the narrative came off as almost chatty, like Claudius was your pal filling you in on all the scandalous gossip. I, Claudius completely lacks the pretentious air about it that often surrounds books of this sort. Though the reviews I'm reading say it doesn't measure up to it's predecessor, I'm off to order Claudius the God right now. I don't think I'm quite ready to say goodbye to him.



6 comments:

Tasha said...

Pomp and paranoia, excess and depravity - I'll have to read this book.

Lezlie said...

Charley ~ Four ingredients I always look for in a good book. Enjoy! :-)

Lezlie

Shelley said...

I have been wondering if this book is any good since I watched the series on video a while back. I think I'll give it a go!

Lezlie said...

Chain Reader ~ I hope you like it as much as I did. I need to watch the PBS series. It has been highly recommended to my by a number of people.

L.

Teddy Rose said...

Great reveiw Lezlie! I added this to my TBR.

Lezlie said...

Thanks, Teddy! I hope you like it.

Lezlie