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A review by bookwhimsy2
I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo
0.0
It has taken me a while to write this review because this is one of my most disliked books of the year so far. Part of the problem is that this is a book written for men who think of the Roman Empire every day. The version of Roman history most of those people think about is the history of great men and their great deeds. As a historian, I find this history to be the least interesting.
On top of that, I have taught a course on the history of ancient civilizations and the modern world. I have spent a lot of time thinking about the version of Roman history that most people attach themselves to and why. As a result, "I Am Rome," to me, feeds on the worst versions of this history and the erroneous ways in which we seek to attach ourselves to that history.
There is nothing in "I Am Rome" that interests me, and there is nothing to learn that you can't get from a Wikipedia article on Julius Ceasar. There is a readership for this, and I am sure the book will find those readers. It just was not for me.
I read an Advanced Readers Copy that was gifted to me via NetGalley.
On top of that, I have taught a course on the history of ancient civilizations and the modern world. I have spent a lot of time thinking about the version of Roman history that most people attach themselves to and why. As a result, "I Am Rome," to me, feeds on the worst versions of this history and the erroneous ways in which we seek to attach ourselves to that history.
There is nothing in "I Am Rome" that interests me, and there is nothing to learn that you can't get from a Wikipedia article on Julius Ceasar. There is a readership for this, and I am sure the book will find those readers. It just was not for me.
I read an Advanced Readers Copy that was gifted to me via NetGalley.