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Cleopatra
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(+ Listopia) Cleopatra: A Life / Stacy Schiff. 3 stars
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Think there are probably better cleopatra books out there. She interests me too, but thanks to you, I will pass on this version.
I looked at some of the other reviews for this, and many of them also seem to be lukewarm about it.
Amy - You know we have similar takes on books, so don't read it. I also rated it 3 stars and was bored the entire book. I'm pretty sure I read it for a PBT tag, otherwise I would have chucked it.
This doesn’t sound at all promising. It seems weird and frustrating that she would be a secondary figure in a book that’s supposedly about her life. Even if her story has to be told through sources about the men (understandable) the focus should surely still be her.
Lady Linda, you know you remain my muse on all things literary.... I follow you closely like a lovesick stalker in the most library - like sense imaginable. Hope that gives you a laugh in the afternoon.
Amy wrote: "Lady Linda, you know you remain my muse on all things literary.... I follow you closely like a lovesick stalker in the most library - like sense imaginable. Hope that gives you a laugh in the after..."
Okay Amy this made me laugh out loud, in public when I read this!! So I hope that Lady Linda laughed out loud as well.:) What is so funny I am the same with you. You have opened my life up to some amazing books.
Okay Amy this made me laugh out loud, in public when I read this!! So I hope that Lady Linda laughed out loud as well.:) What is so funny I am the same with you. You have opened my life up to some amazing books.
What’s going to be really fun is getting to read new one’s together. You’re going to read We Were the Lucky One’s with Jason and I late summer, early fall, right? This falls in between His Magesty’s Dragon, the Power, and Circe in mid fall....
Amy wrote: "What’s going to be really fun is getting to read new one’s together. You’re going to read We Were the Lucky One’s with Jason and I late summer, early fall, right? This falls in between His Magesty’..."
Well I am now!! I'm not sure I knew about this but I would love to!
Well I am now!! I'm not sure I knew about this but I would love to!
I didn't care much for this book either. I found it a chore to read and almost didn’t finish it. I normally enjoy non-fiction, but this book took what, to me, is an interesting topic and turned it into something akin to a textbook or thesis.
Joy D wrote: "I didn't care much for this book either. I found it a chore to read and almost didn’t finish it. I normally enjoy non-fiction, but this book took what, to me, is an interesting topic and turned it ..."Yeah, I think you've stated it well.
Amy wrote: "What’s going to be really fun is getting to read new one’s together. You’re going to read We Were the Lucky One’s with Jason and I late summer, early fall, right? This falls in between His Magesty’..."I might join on on We Were the Lucky Ones.
There is a really lovely song performed on Britain's Got Talent, that brought me to tears. The title is The Lucky Ones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkwA7...
Lady Linda you are on my list! I would love to read this with you. What a perfect group.
Amy wrote: "... I follow you closely like a lovesick stalker in the most library - like sense imaginable. Hope that gives you a laugh in the after..."I laughed out loud!
3 stars
Cleopatra ruled Egypt as queen for 22 years within the 50 years before the common era (BCE). She was a strong and smart woman.
Women were pretty much equal in this time and place – at least in Egypt, though not necessarily in Rome or elsewhere at the time. Unfortunately, though, there is not a lot of contemporary/primary source material on Cleopatra. Also unfortunately for me, I do prefer reading about historical women, not men. This book (by necessity, I think) told mostly of the men who ruled at the time of Cleopatra (Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Octavius…) and for purposes of trying to recreate her life, it feels like she’s an afterthought in the book, always where she is and what she’s doing in relation to these ruling men. Because of that, I tended to lose some interest in the book. It’s too bad, because I really don’t know much about her. I know a bit more now, and I’m still rating it “ok”, but I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t more about her.