Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Cleopatra: A Life

Recently, I finished a superb book: Cleopatra: A Life, by Stacy Schiff.  The New York Times Book Review named it the Best Book of the Year - and I can see why. 

Here's my Goodreads review:


If I didn't know better, I would say that Stacy Schiff is a historian!  This book is an amazing read.  Schiff mainly draws upon ancient historians Plutarch and Dio to form this captivating portrait of the last pharaoh of Egypt.

As a trained historian, I'm vastly impressed by Schiff's ability to draw upon so many sources, all the while remaining critical.  After all, there are so many questions regarding Cleopatra!  Schiff's writing is superb - fluid yet matter-of-fact.  The portraits of ancient Rome and Alexandria that she paints are wonderful! 

This is a great read for anyone interested in ancient history!

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