Caesar: Life of a Colossus
by Adrian Goldsworthy
|
List Price: Our Price: $10.49 You Save: $9.51 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $7.03 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Caesar: Life of a Colossus
Book Review: A Superior Telling
Summary: 5 Stars
Prior to this Caesar biography we essentially had Shakespeare's version and, in modern times, Meier's as respectively the popular and definitive versions of Caesar's life. This new biography reminds us once and for all that Shakespeare's play is a dramatic butchery. And it makes by comparison Meier's version read like a dry text book bereft of the dramatic juice and blood that were in fact Caesar's life. As a coincidental aside, Goldsworthy lives up to his name as a biographical historian. It requires a master of both genres to weave together the complex political machinations and upheavals, ethnic infighting, cultural norms, economic compulsions, military dispositions, and personal ambitions in Caesar's Rome that helped form who he was as, ultimately, a man. As a fairly knowledgeable fan of Julius Caesar the historical figure I found this book enlightening. As a fan of Caesar the man, I found it completely enjoyable.Book Review: Pretentious
Summary: 3 Stars
I was looking for a basic grounding in Roman history and customs and Caesar's exploits in the 1st century BC. It came down to Freeman's and Goldsworthy's biographies. This one is 600 pages and Freeman's is 400 pages. In the end I decided to read both, beginning with Freeman.
Freeman's biography moved smoothly and succinctly along, pausing when appropriate to explore Roman mores and the rather strange (to the modern eye) interactions and motivations of Caesar, Pompey, Crassius, Cato and Cicero. It remained straightforward and interesting throughout with no pretense of originality or self-importance.
I was disappointed with Goldsworthy. He often seemed ponderous and verbose, as if trying to impress a scholar but offering a less well told story in an extra 200 pages.
Go with Freeman and skip Goldsworthy.
Book Review: An Interesting Read
Summary: 5 Stars
Andrian Goldsworthy paints a picture of Caesar as a reluctant dictator--a man who was only looking for the respect he deserved. When his opponents in the government forced his hand by trying to take away everything that he had worked hard for, then Caesar was left with no choice--destroy or be destroyed. Unlike other great conquerors, Caesar was very mild, often pardoning those who fought against him and even including them in his government. It seemed almost as if he were trying to offer chances to those who didn't give him any chances. It seems that it is this boost of reputation is what Caesar was really craving.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn about Caesar's life and how the politics of his day helped shape who he was as a person and how it influenced his actions.
Book Review: Caesar - Life of a Colossus
Summary: 5 Stars
Caesar: Life of a Colossus Superb. Adrian Goldsworthy turns history into a page-turning thriller that gives the reader an accurate, in-depth account of Julius Caesar, the great general who destroyed the Roman Republic and opened the era of the emperors who ruled Rome for the next 400-plus years. It inspired me to read a whole slew of histories about the Romans, incluidng Goldsworthy's intriguing "Roman Warfare" and highly readable books about the empire by famed historian Michael Grant. I just started Gibbon's "The Decline of the Roman Empire," an abridged 1300-page, Modern Library version edited by Han-Friedrich Muller. Hats off to Goldsworthy, who got me hooked on the Romans.Book Review: Brilliant!
Summary: 5 Stars
Veni, vidi, vici!
Goldsworthy provides a fast moving in depth read on a subject worthy of such an effort. Cicero would approve this balanced account I do believe.
The Roman Senate in its own thirst for power and the brutality of the end of Caesar as a man could not contain the legacy he left. Defeating a great man in his own city after he had defeated so many abroad is all too ironic. Caesar's efforts to bring honor and glory to Rome as well as himself, while deftly sharing the glory would appear to be a true ideal of citizenship for the people. I believe the conspirators missed the point and Rome was left to decide who was right...one man with power that served the people or the Senate who served themselves in the name of the people?