I, Claudius : From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius, Born 10 B.C., Murdered and Deified A.D. 54 (Vintage International) by Robert Graves Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of I, Claudius : From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius, Born 10 B.C., Murdered and Deified A.D. 54 (Vintage International)
Book Review: History as only Robert Graves could write it
Summary: 5 Stars
I got started on ancient Roman history by watching the BBC series "I Claudius". Then I found this book and read it. Absolutely fabulous! Graves' scholarship is astounding, and the writing is so contemporary that you will look twice when you read the publication dates in the front of the book. A "must read" for anyone who likes history.Book Review: Historical fiction at it's finest!
Summary: 5 Stars
A classic must-read for any history fan. One of the great booksBook Review: Republic vs. Empire
Summary: 5 Stars
Graves writes with the sparse, absolutely precise prose of a Latin scholar. This alone makes it worthy of recommendation; the style 'classic' on its own.
Claudius is an engaging figure. Born with a number of physical birth defects, he survives in the rarified and frequently lethal atmosphere of the imperial court. He lived in the time of the great Augustus, the brutal and lacivious Tiberius and the totally mad Caligula. The malicious thread of Livia, Augustus' consort and a woman who was surely an early incarnation of Lucretia Borgia, runs through the three reigns. With a host of engaging cameos, the book is essentially describing a tragedy, the slow descent of the first true superpower of the West into self-destruction.
If you accept that the USA is the sole remaining superpower, then many of the horrors and follies of the recent past and present are illuminated through this book. For the desparate attempts to regain the Eagles of the Roman regiments lost in Germany, read the rebuilding of the US Armed Forces after Vietnam. Meditate on the real dangers to freedom when a state is perceived by its citizens as the best. Notice how the power of the chief executive is always increasing, and always more ill-used. And how an appetite for spectacle and violence can keep even an educated population subjugated and uncaring of the worst excesses of the ruling elite. This book is really, really important. It is probably the most accessible discussion of power and how a Republic can turn into an Empire. And how an Empire can tear itself apart.Book Review: One of the best historical fiction novels
Summary: 5 Stars
Robert Graves brilliantly walks the reader through the dangerous intrigues of the Roman Empire, and makes it seem so real and fresh that it's hard to believe that it all really happened 2000 years ago. This book sets the standard for all historical fiction -- and it's a tough act to followBook Review: Claudius: A historians delight
Summary: 5 Stars
This book will draw in any history major or lover of documentries. Graves takes the dry subject of Roman sucessionand turns it into a real page-turner. Not only will you enjoy a wonderful told story of the not-so-stupid Claudius' accidental rise to power but you get a behind the scene look at the people who made history. Graves heavily researched this book with historic documents so the book is accurate and educational. Graves makes learning history humorous and fun.