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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
Not the book to read if you're looking for a Caesar biography heavy on cultural/social commentary. More than half of this book is spent on a thorough (aka "tedious") examination of the Gallic wars and Caesar's various military campaigns before and during the civil war. Goldsworthy describes Caesar's battle strategies in depth and returns often to discussions of Caesar's relationship with his soldiers. It's all good though because this shit is endlessly fascinating and Goldsworthy's affection for Caesar really shines through.
The other half of the book is spent characterizing Caesar's capabilities as a politician (the section on his first consulship is juicy) and untangling his various political alliances.
The other half of the book is spent characterizing Caesar's capabilities as a politician (the section on his first consulship is juicy) and untangling his various political alliances.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Very much enjoyed this. Fun to read, maintains a neutral tone, and I like how the author sets the goal of only evaluating the life of Caesar and doesn't discuss the events after his death in great detail.
informative
slow-paced
An excellent delve into the life of Gaius Julius Caesar. This is a definitive work, a masterpiece of character, history and narrative.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
What a fantastic scholastic work! Presented as an attempt to reconstruct the events of Caesar's life, Goldsworthy succeeds magnificently. By no means is this an easy read or intended for a casual reader. That is not to say that this book is not accessible, I would only recommend this to someone with more than a passing intrest in Roman history.
This book demands and earns your attention and time. Meticulous research and a professorial style culminate in a not always easy to read but always rewarding experince.
As a student of history, but having little exposure to this time period, I am glad to have started with this extraordinary biography.
This book demands and earns your attention and time. Meticulous research and a professorial style culminate in a not always easy to read but always rewarding experince.
As a student of history, but having little exposure to this time period, I am glad to have started with this extraordinary biography.
slow-paced
It took me literal years to get around to this but man, is it worth the wait. Goldsworthy is an academic who writes well, which makes for a solidly researched yet engaging text. He resolutely sticks to Caesar’s life, with a short history of the 30 years before it for context, then ends immediately following the assassination. Even with that, and even with some judicious skimming, this is not a short book. But it gives a very good look at standard academic consensus on Caesar’s life, which is invaluable.
Enthralling recount of the life of one of history's “Great Men”. Goldsworthy does a phenomenal jobs as usual in drawing the reader into the times and scenes of this turbulent period of history. His precise style of storytelling makes it easy for the reader to concentrate on the protagonist with just enough historical references and documentation. Great job.