Duncan, I like that quote enough to give one of his books a try. Which do you think is his best?
Paul, my favorite Robert Graves book is his autobiography, Goodbye to All That. I enjoy his prose as well as his acerbic bitterness and contempt for a generation of superior officers and elites in his country who sipped tea in riding boots while clenching riding crops twisting their Kitchener mustaches and sweeping their hands across inaccurate maps condemning a generation to its death.
If you like Roman intrigue as well as want to learn about the lives of the famous Roman emperors, then I, Claudius is for you.
If you fancy yourself a fan of Lawrence of Arabia, then pick up Lawrence and the Arabs. (out of print)
I found all of these educational summits worth the ascent. In other words, they are not buried in the literary pit where one would find the DaVinci Code, trash Anne Rice novels of your choice, or any cattle feed recommended by Oprah and for sale at this very moment on the impulse rack of Walmarts across the world.
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Thanks for the recommendations. I recently watched the History Channel special on Hannibal. Before that I studied ancient Rome with my 7th grade son. 'I, Claudius' has now left the Amazon building for Westchester County. Keeping it company on the journey will be 'Good-Bye to All That'. The Metro North ride will be more interesting over the coming weeks.
Bravo Paul. I hope you like the climb. At least at the end of I, Claudius, when you put it down, you will be able to recall the correct order of the first emperors matched with personality and murderer as well thank yourself that you didn't live during that time.
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