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: Quite unexpectedly Good
Summary: 4 Stars
Usually I hate historical fiction preferring my history to be history and fiction to be fiction, but this book confounded me because I loved it. It was a good overview of the first five Caesars but I kept wondering what was fiction and what was truth {don't say I didn't warn you}. But soon into it, the ambivalence quieted and it was just a good gripping tale. Your family does wonder when you go around muttering about Livia and Caligula and the stupidity of Augustus but that is the effect it has, almost like a soap opera. It so inspired me that I have ordered the sequel along with a few other books of the same era but somehow, I know this one will be hard to top. It is a winner if one can get over the insistance on separating history from fiction. But what the hey, you only live once, so try it.Book Review: From historian to emperor
Summary: 5 Stars
I, Claudius: From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius is an account of the life of Tiberius Claudius and, as the title has stated in a self-explanatory manner, is written in the form of Claudius's autobiography. Claudius narrates events relevant to the Roman Empire and his family from about 4 BC all the way to his crowning in 41 AD. While the book stands as one of the modern classics of historical fiction, references to characters, events, places, and architectural structure are factual.Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus (10 BC-54 AD) was a member of the royal Julian House: son of Drusus and Antonia, grandson of Augustus (Octavian) and Lavia, down the line of Julius Caesar. Fate had destined Claudius to be a loner in the Julian House, alienated and was deprived of all opportunities for advancement. His family, even his mother Atonia, who only took care of his practical needs but did not love him, despised him as a weakling and dismissed him as an idiot. Not only was the family ashamed of his stammering, it consistently feared of Claudius's committing a solecism upon which the public would comment. Claudius's closest companions included his tutor Athenodorus who encouraged him to become a historian and his own brother Germanius, who never stopped defending his brother .
Though eventually Claudius became the family priest, Claudius still felt most keenly the family's disappointment in him and the slights he met everywhere. Under the tutelage of Pollio and encouragement of Athenodorus, Claudius gathered materials for a life of his father and grandfather, the poisoning of whom had greatly perplexed and haunted Claudius.
Pollio's advice to Claudius had been proved sound and perspicacious throughout the tempestuous years as Claudius survived the intrigues, manipulation, bitter contention for power, lampoons, caprices and poisonings that marked the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius (uncle of Claudius whom Livia contrived to enthrone at the expense of ridding her great-grandsons), and the mad, capricious Caligula. Always a great disappointment to his mother, ironically, it was Claudius's half-wit, feebleness, temerity, and outward incompetence that saved him from the conspiracy, murder, the wickedness, the sufferings, and the wrath that had so ineluctably befallen his brother Germanicus, his nephews Nero, Drusus, and Gemellas.
I, Claudius tells the amazing tale of one man's exaltation from a historian to the emperor, a tale that magnifies Claudius's loyalty to his friends, his loyalty to his cruel family, his loyalty to Rome, and his loyalty to the truth (and defending of the truth) and how the virtue had rewarded him with the greatest honor and done him justice for the slights he had met all his life. The account celebrates Claudius's untroubled spirit and power of discernment in all his duties, both human and sacred. The characters are delineated to the full etch and nuance which lend verisimilitude of the historical period. The book is one of the most fun, interesting, behuiling book I have read that I almost reads like history.
2004 (37) ? MY
Book Review: painful. couldn't get past page 50. What book was I reading?
Summary: 1 Stars
Not the same book as everyone else, I guess. My entire book club had the same experience- we had to skip this month's meeting because none of us could get through this book. Very disappointing- and it wasn't just me, although we all seem outvoted by those who consider this one of the classics of all time. Maybe it's a guy's book? A history buff's book? I'm a summa cum laude Ivy League English major and I just hated it. To each his own.Book Review: Magnificent!
Summary: 5 Stars
Never dull (amazingly) -- brilliant, fast-paced and deliciously scandalous. Exactly the sort of book to get a reluctant/apprehensive reader interested in the classics(...)Book Review: What a great surprise!
Summary: 4 Stars
***One of the TWO best books I read in 2003***
My favorite author, George R. R. Martin, recommended this book on his website, so I grabbed the audiobook off the shelf at the library. It, in turn, grabbed my attention right away. It was excellent! I've never found myself making up so many excuses to go driving!
I can tell that Martin was inspired by this book. Tyrion, one of his most famous characters from A GAME OF THRONES (an amazing fantasy novel), most certainly was based in part on Claudius, for they are rather similar.
Of course, it also helped that I am a huge fan of the Roman Empire: Historical fiction novels, History Channel, Roman History classes in college, or whatever I can get my eyes and ears on. So I guess this book was simply up my alley, and I would heartily recommend it to anyone with similar interests.
-Next in the series is Claudius the God, and I plan on reading it soon.
-Also, if you consider yourself a true fan of this book, you owe it to yourself to get your hands on a copy of the 1975 Masterpiece Theater Miniseries of I CLAUDIUS, produced by the BBC. You might think its a little corny or outdated, but you should definitely give it a try. I found it at the library, and tore through all 7 tapes recklessly, and ended up quite entertained. Go for it!