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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
Libro che mi sento di consigliare a chiunque abbia interesse per la storia egizia e romana: oltre alla storia di Cleopatra, un personaggio su cui è stata fatta molta letteratura nel bene o nel male, sono ricostruite anche le vicende che in quegli anni sconvolsero Roma. Dalle Idi di Marzo alla Battaglia di Azio, viene tutto raccontato con grande accuratezza senza però risultare tedioso. Cleopatra è un personaggio così moderno da affascinare ancora ai giorni nostri; è una donna scaltra, colta, attraente, troppo per i suoi tempi. L’unica cosa che non ho apprezzato sono i numerosi...punti...di...sospensione: se da una parte ricreano il ritmo delle sue trasmissioni televisive, tanto che sembra di sentire la sua voce mentre si legge, dall’altra sono piuttosto irritanti. Nel complesso è stata una lettura molto interessante.
informative
slow-paced
Ugh. The writing itself is pretty terrible: ellipsis after ellipsis after ellipsis, bullet-pointed lists, the word “moreover” appearing more times than I could possibly count. Felt like reading a transcript from a mediocre made-for-TV “documentary.” At first thought perhaps just a clunky translation, but no translation could be this bad. The narrative is all over the place, and worst, speculative soft porny episodes are woven throughout. Don’t get me wrong, I’m here for a cleopatra romance if I know that’s what I’m getting into, but not when it’s masquerading as history, and especially not when it’s so nauseatingly written as if the only thing she had going for her was her good looks.
E.g, this drawn-out bath scene: “she goes slowly down the steps into the tub. The reflection of her naked, swaying body is perfect and very sensual, but only for a moment before shattering into a thousand fluid shards, created by the ripples in the water as she enters it. First her calves disappear, then her harmonious thighs. Her hips and stomach slide elegantly into the tub, as though slipping on a new garment. She stops for a moment when her breasts brush against the surface, allowing the water to embrace her gently.” Harmonious thighs?!?
Or e.g., this imagined reunion of cleopatra and mark antony: “cleopatra, running to him, breathless, into that intense, much awaited embrace. His hands slink into the queen’s colorful garments as his muscular arms envelop her slender body like the branches of an old oak tree. We can imagine her perfume wrapping around them both, her golden crown falling to the floor while their minds melt into a lingering, intense kiss as smoldering as the flames of the desire setting their bodies alight. There’s no need for words; it’s the silence that speaks, as do the hands and eyes. But it’s the kisses that speak above all, first to the lips, then to the neck, then to the chest, stripped, offering a panting breath, while the mouth of one who has waited so long lands in the skin and kisses slide gently, writing the invisible words of a love poem only the heart understands.”
Gaaaaaaaaaaah! If it’s gonna be a bad romance, at least make it a decently written bad romance!
E.g, this drawn-out bath scene: “she goes slowly down the steps into the tub. The reflection of her naked, swaying body is perfect and very sensual, but only for a moment before shattering into a thousand fluid shards, created by the ripples in the water as she enters it. First her calves disappear, then her harmonious thighs. Her hips and stomach slide elegantly into the tub, as though slipping on a new garment. She stops for a moment when her breasts brush against the surface, allowing the water to embrace her gently.” Harmonious thighs?!?
Or e.g., this imagined reunion of cleopatra and mark antony: “cleopatra, running to him, breathless, into that intense, much awaited embrace. His hands slink into the queen’s colorful garments as his muscular arms envelop her slender body like the branches of an old oak tree. We can imagine her perfume wrapping around them both, her golden crown falling to the floor while their minds melt into a lingering, intense kiss as smoldering as the flames of the desire setting their bodies alight. There’s no need for words; it’s the silence that speaks, as do the hands and eyes. But it’s the kisses that speak above all, first to the lips, then to the neck, then to the chest, stripped, offering a panting breath, while the mouth of one who has waited so long lands in the skin and kisses slide gently, writing the invisible words of a love poem only the heart understands.”
Gaaaaaaaaaaah! If it’s gonna be a bad romance, at least make it a decently written bad romance!
informative
slow-paced
A metà fra un saggio storico, una biografia e un romanzo, è una ricostruzione fedele ma suggestiva della storia della più famosa e intrigante Regina d’Egitto, l’enigmatica Cleopatra VII, dalla morte di Giulio Cesare fino al suo suicidio dopo la famosa battaglia d’Azio, nel 31 a.C., concentrandosi sul suo rapporto con Antonio, ma anche e soprattutto sulle grandi qualità di questa donna, sull’intelligenza, la cultura, le capacità politiche e il carisma che la resero una dei più importanti personaggi del suo tempo e della Storia.
informative
fast-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Als liefhebber van geschiedenis en monarchieën kwam dit boek op mijn pad. Zulke boeken moet ik gewoon lezen. Het is altijd plezierig kennis te vergaren. Ik had er hoge verwachtingen van. Om maar meteen met de deur in huis te vallen, het was een beetje tegenvallend. Het was moeilijk in te komen en eigenlijk bleef dat het hele boek zo.
De personages bleven erg oppervlakkig en daardoor was er geen band mee op te bouwen. Cleopatra voor de meeste van ons zeker niet onbekend. Het boek neemt ons mee van haar verblijf in Rome, waar ze aanwezig is wanneer Caesar wordt vermoord, tot haar val. Het komt allemaal voorbij.
Echter, de titel Cleopatra vind ik wat misleidend want ze speelt in het boek meer een bijrol dan een hoofdrol. Het eerste gedeelte handelt grotendeels over Julius Caesar en de jacht op hem. De enige connectie die er dan met Cleopatra is, dat Cleopatra op dat moment in Rome verblijft.
Een ander groot gedeelte handelt over de handel en wandel van Marcus Antonius, waarin Cleopatra een iets grote bijrol speelt. Het enige wat deze mannen verbind is de relatie die men had met Cleopatra.
Er is natuurlijk weinig bewaard gebleven over en van Cleopatra, dat maakt het moeilijker om haar leven te beschrijven. Misschien is het daarom dat de auteur ons vraagt iets voor te stellen.. Daar wringt bij mij een beetje de schoen. Bepaalde gebeurtenissen voorstellen en dan opschrijven. Wie vertelt mij dat het ook echt zo gebeurd is? Het is hoe de Auteur het zich voorstelt. Het kan dus ook pure fictie zijn. Erg jammer want voor mij moeten geschiedenisboeken iets zijn waardoor je je kennis uitbreidt. Het enige wat er bijgeleerd wordt is de info over Oorlogen en slagvelden die in die tijd plaats vonden.
Het boek bevat vele kleuren foto’s, dat maakt het nog wat aantrekkelijk. Helaas was dit boek dus niet wat ik ervan verwacht had.
De personages bleven erg oppervlakkig en daardoor was er geen band mee op te bouwen. Cleopatra voor de meeste van ons zeker niet onbekend. Het boek neemt ons mee van haar verblijf in Rome, waar ze aanwezig is wanneer Caesar wordt vermoord, tot haar val. Het komt allemaal voorbij.
Echter, de titel Cleopatra vind ik wat misleidend want ze speelt in het boek meer een bijrol dan een hoofdrol. Het eerste gedeelte handelt grotendeels over Julius Caesar en de jacht op hem. De enige connectie die er dan met Cleopatra is, dat Cleopatra op dat moment in Rome verblijft.
Een ander groot gedeelte handelt over de handel en wandel van Marcus Antonius, waarin Cleopatra een iets grote bijrol speelt. Het enige wat deze mannen verbind is de relatie die men had met Cleopatra.
Er is natuurlijk weinig bewaard gebleven over en van Cleopatra, dat maakt het moeilijker om haar leven te beschrijven. Misschien is het daarom dat de auteur ons vraagt iets voor te stellen.. Daar wringt bij mij een beetje de schoen. Bepaalde gebeurtenissen voorstellen en dan opschrijven. Wie vertelt mij dat het ook echt zo gebeurd is? Het is hoe de Auteur het zich voorstelt. Het kan dus ook pure fictie zijn. Erg jammer want voor mij moeten geschiedenisboeken iets zijn waardoor je je kennis uitbreidt. Het enige wat er bijgeleerd wordt is de info over Oorlogen en slagvelden die in die tijd plaats vonden.
Het boek bevat vele kleuren foto’s, dat maakt het nog wat aantrekkelijk. Helaas was dit boek dus niet wat ik ervan verwacht had.
Mi ritrovo un poco combattuto nel dover valutare questo libro di Alberto Angela.
Non perché non sia una bella lettura, o interessante. Ma perché da un titolo come questo ci si aspetta un libro su Cleopatra, sulla sua vita. E si, essendo un libro di Angela, ci si aspetta anche una bella immersione nel suo tempo, nei suoi luoghi, nelle abitudini che avevano i suoi contemporanei, le loro credenze, le loro vite.
Ma principalmente mi aspetterei di leggere di Cleopatra.
Ecco, Cleopatra è spettatrice non pagante per più di un quarto del libro, dedicato invece a sviscerare quanto potrebbe essere successo a Roma per le fatidiche Idi di marzo.
Quindi iniziamo con questa lunga (e interessante, eh, per quanto dolorosa) disanima di chi faceva cosa, perché e in che modo, in quel giorno che vede la morte di Giulio Cesare.
Da qui assistiamo poi al rapido rientro in patria di Cleopatra, "ospite" di Cesare a Roma. Veloce excursus su come ci sia finita e su quale fosse la situazione dell'Egitto al suo tempo.
Poi si torna a Roma, al secondo triumvirato, a Ottaviano e Marco Antonio.
Solo con Marco Antonio, finalmente, torna in scena Cleopatra, fino alla loro morte ad Alessandria.
Ecco, sembra più protagonista la narrazione del periodo del secondo triumvirato che non la regina d'Egitto.
Apprezzabile la ricostruzione di cosa facessero in quel periodo i vari personaggi, così come molte cose riguardanti Cleopatra stessa (non avevo idea che in realtà noi oggi non si sappia niente di certo su quale fosse il suo aspetto fisico, a causa della distruzione sistematica di ogni sua raffigurazione), ma sono rimasto un poco deluso dalla preponderanza della Storia rispetto alla vita della pseudo-protagonista.
Non perché non sia una bella lettura, o interessante. Ma perché da un titolo come questo ci si aspetta un libro su Cleopatra, sulla sua vita. E si, essendo un libro di Angela, ci si aspetta anche una bella immersione nel suo tempo, nei suoi luoghi, nelle abitudini che avevano i suoi contemporanei, le loro credenze, le loro vite.
Ma principalmente mi aspetterei di leggere di Cleopatra.
Ecco, Cleopatra è spettatrice non pagante per più di un quarto del libro, dedicato invece a sviscerare quanto potrebbe essere successo a Roma per le fatidiche Idi di marzo.
Quindi iniziamo con questa lunga (e interessante, eh, per quanto dolorosa) disanima di chi faceva cosa, perché e in che modo, in quel giorno che vede la morte di Giulio Cesare.
Da qui assistiamo poi al rapido rientro in patria di Cleopatra, "ospite" di Cesare a Roma. Veloce excursus su come ci sia finita e su quale fosse la situazione dell'Egitto al suo tempo.
Poi si torna a Roma, al secondo triumvirato, a Ottaviano e Marco Antonio.
Solo con Marco Antonio, finalmente, torna in scena Cleopatra, fino alla loro morte ad Alessandria.
Ecco, sembra più protagonista la narrazione del periodo del secondo triumvirato che non la regina d'Egitto.
Apprezzabile la ricostruzione di cosa facessero in quel periodo i vari personaggi, così come molte cose riguardanti Cleopatra stessa (non avevo idea che in realtà noi oggi non si sappia niente di certo su quale fosse il suo aspetto fisico, a causa della distruzione sistematica di ogni sua raffigurazione), ma sono rimasto un poco deluso dalla preponderanza della Storia rispetto alla vita della pseudo-protagonista.
This was interesting. I mean, it's Cleopatra who had such a fascinating life.
I just didn't like the way it was written. It was like "How would you feel in this situation" "Let's imagine Cleopatra seducing someone with her body and voice." "Let's imagine Cleopatra runs into the arms of Antony, before they start making out." "Cleopatra must be sitting and thinking in this room about something from her past." The last line would've been alright if it was fiction, but it's non fiction. Just weird imo and no, I do not want to imagine how sexy Cleopatra was and I don't want to imagine her sex life either. I am interested in her brain and her life, not her body. Her intelligence and charisma was a few of her strongest weapons. I wish it was written very differently and didn't have such a fiction slant to it. Also, the info seemed very surface, there is so much more that could've been touched on, but wasn't. Even the most brilliant parts of her life wasn't delved into deeply and seemed to just skim the surface.
It was a shame, I mean, it's Cleopatra. She was an enigma who lived such an interesting life. She is brilliant and electrifying who has captured our imaginations for 2000 years. Not many people from that era can claim the same. I mean, you hear some stuff and you're just surprised it actually happened. Sometimes her life seemed like it was a made up dramatic movie. She is captivating and enchanting, who deserves better than this book. I was really disappointed.
It's a shame.
I just didn't like the way it was written. It was like "How would you feel in this situation" "Let's imagine Cleopatra seducing someone with her body and voice." "Let's imagine Cleopatra runs into the arms of Antony, before they start making out." "Cleopatra must be sitting and thinking in this room about something from her past." The last line would've been alright if it was fiction, but it's non fiction. Just weird imo and no, I do not want to imagine how sexy Cleopatra was and I don't want to imagine her sex life either. I am interested in her brain and her life, not her body. Her intelligence and charisma was a few of her strongest weapons. I wish it was written very differently and didn't have such a fiction slant to it. Also, the info seemed very surface, there is so much more that could've been touched on, but wasn't. Even the most brilliant parts of her life wasn't delved into deeply and seemed to just skim the surface.
It was a shame, I mean, it's Cleopatra. She was an enigma who lived such an interesting life. She is brilliant and electrifying who has captured our imaginations for 2000 years. Not many people from that era can claim the same. I mean, you hear some stuff and you're just surprised it actually happened. Sometimes her life seemed like it was a made up dramatic movie. She is captivating and enchanting, who deserves better than this book. I was really disappointed.
It's a shame.