Cleopatra

A Life

By: Stacy Schiff

Narrated by: Robin Miles

Length: 14 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt.

Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Above all else, Cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator.

Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world. She was married twice, each time to a brother. She waged a brutal civil war against the first when both were teenagers. She poisoned the second. Ultimately she dispensed with an ambitious sister as well; incest and assassination were family specialties. Cleopatra appears to have had sex with only two men. They happen, however, to have been Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, among the most prominent Romans of the day. Both were married to other women. Cleopatra had a child with Caesar and—after his murder—three more with his protégé. Already she was the wealthiest ruler in the Mediterranean; the relationship with Antony confirmed her status as the most influential woman of the age. The two would together attempt to forge a new empire, in an alliance that spelled their ends. Cleopatra has lodged herself in our imaginations ever since.

Famous long before she was notorious, Cleopatra has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Shakespeare and Shaw put words in her mouth. Michelangelo, Tiepolo, and Elizabeth Taylor put a face to her name. Along the way, Cleopatra's supple personality and the drama of her circumstances have been lost. In a masterly return to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff here boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order. Rich in detail, epic in scope, Schiff 's is a luminous, deeply original reconstruction of a dazzling life.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2010 Stacy Schiff (P)2010 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Stacy Schiff does a rare thing: She gives us a book we'd miss if it didn't exist."—Wall Street Journal

"A masterpiece."—Daily Beast

"Captivating...Ms. Schiff strips away the accretions of myth that have built up around the Egyptian queen and plucks off the imaginative embroiderings of Shakespeare, Shaw and Elizabeth Taylor. In doing so, she gives us a cinematic portrait of a historical figure far more complex and compelling than any fictional creation, and a wide, panning, panoramic picture of her world."—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

Not "just" a Biography!

This book is no mere biography of Cleopatra's life. The author paints a vivid portrait of the end of the Hellenistic Period. For to understand Cleopatra's life you need to understand the places she went, the people she knew, and the times she inhabited; Cleopatra was as much a product of her times as the times were a product of her life. Stacy Shift interweaves fact with narrative flawlessly and engages the reader with such rich language that at moments I forgot I was reading non-fiction. Robin Miles narration is both relaxing yet filled with passion. This was my second time listening to the book and I will most likely be listening a third time in the near future! It is simply that fabulous!

A Great Story Well Told

Although I knew the end before I began, the story leading up to the Battle of Actaeon and the results kept me at the edge of my seat. This book transported me back to the time before Christ, to Alexandria and it’s magic, and Rome, it’s final master.
Cleopatra was an amazing woman any time, but it’s astounding to think she lived so long ago. The descriptions of her surroundings in the Ptolomic civilization are vivid and incredible. We can only imagine the beauty and sophistication of ancient Alexandria, it’s hundreds of theaters, library, arts and architecture. The glittering city was even lit at night.
Cleopatra and Mark Antony’s love affair is one for the ages, and it seems this absolute love led to the downfall of Antony, and then of his lover, Cleopatra. This book is a must read, to learn about the woman who inspired changes in women’s roles and even the lifestyle of Rome. Cleopatra left her thumbprint all over the ancient world. I’m sorry the book is now done. On to Shakespeare now, to read his take on the times and loves of this great woman.

Cleopatra

Enjoyed the Audible version - so convenient for listening just about everywhere. Also, I find my comprehension increases with Audible.

A history of a fascinating woman

This was a fascinating history of a woman most of us would recognize even without the wonderful Elizabeth Taylor. I enjoyed this and learned quite a few things about Cleopatra that I hadn't known. Worth a listen or read whether your a history buff or just curious.

great story but felt it could have been shorter

This is a great story about the many perceptions of Cleopatra and how misconstrued her story is throughout history, and still, to this day. Cleopatra had many great victories, was smart, strong, and an incredible leader. The author does a great job of depicting Cleopatra's accomplishments as well as noting many numerous Scholars who wrote about her and how different eachs "opinions" were about her.

I enjoyed this book and learned a lot about Cleopatra's life and those who were in it such a Caesar and Antony, but I definitely think it could have been much shorter and still had the same impact. It's worth the read to really understand how her history has been written not by facts, but by the many male-perceived opinions.

Great read

I enjoyed the relevance to the modern era and what a great woman she was.

An important corrective

Fascinating, erudite, a delight to listen to the story of this incredible historical figure, who was responsible herself for creating an incredible history. Highly recommend as a listening experience. Probably equally good in black and white.

Amazing Story

I didn't know that much about Cleopatra, so I picked this up. Stacy Schiff writes in a gripping style that captivates, educates, and entertains. Her story is based on sources of the time as well as more modern archaeology and research into the life of this fascinating enigma of a woman. While listening, I had to keep reminding myself that this was real, as her style made it conversational and almost gossipy. She sticks to the facts, and tells the unvarnished truth. This book is for anyone who wants to know more about Cleopatra, other than what you learned in history class. You will not be disappointed!

Best Cleopatra Book Ever

I love the sources she sites, the differing opinions used, and all the ways we are invited to view Cleopatra. In depth, intriguing (even though the story is familiar), always interesting, this version of such a multifaceted personality comes to life in logical ways. (Not the over romantic movie versions.)

The narrator’s voice is pleasant and easy to listen to.

I’ll definitely be listening to this one again!

Wow. This is an amazing work.

I always wanted to learn about Cleopatra. I feel fortunate to not have watched Elizabeth Taylor movies etc. This work presents an amazing woman. I feel young women should learn about the “more real” Cleopatra. I do wish we could know more about her. I wonder if it would be possible to learn how she was schooled in speaking and presentation and strategy. Although her end is disappointing to me, her entire life is amazing. The narrator is excellent. This definitely reads like a novel much of the time. Truth is more fantastic than fiction here. Loved it. Grateful for the research and presentation. Highly recommend.