Augustus

The Life of Rome's First Emperor

By: Anthony Everitt

Narrated by: John Curless

Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Historian Anthony Everitt earned widespread critical acclaim for his best-selling biography of Cicero. Now, with Augustus, he delivers his second spellbinding account of a Roman icon whose legacy has echoed through the ages.

Caesar Augustus has been called history's greatest emperor. It was said he found Rome made of clay and left it made of marble. With a senator for a father and Julius Caesar for a great-uncle, he ascended the ranks of Roman society with breathtaking speed. His courage in battle is still questioned, yet his political savvy was second to none. He had a lifelong rival in Mark Antony and a 51-year companion in his wife, Livia. And his influence extended perhaps further than that of any ruler who has ever lived.

Drawing on the available information, while making a handful of his own groundbreaking assertions, Everitt brings the real Augustus to vivid life in this fascinating narrative.

©2006 Anthony Everitt (P)2006 Recorded Books LLC

Critic reviews

"This familiar story is fresh again in this lively retelling." (Publishers Weekly)
"Everitt's writing is so crisp and so lively he brings both Rome and Augustus to life in this magnificent work, a must-read for anyone interested in classical times." (Booklist)

Augustus By Anthony Everitt

Good audio. Clear speaker, well read. I would definately recommend to anyone interested Roman history.

mesmerizing

you will listen to it over and over again, addictive

Good but not Great.

An interesting read that tells about the life and times of the man who stamped out the embers of republican rule at Rome and established autocratic rule cloaked in traditional and republican mores. Although the read is informative and narrative compelling, a reader interested in an in-depth study the culture and politics of Rome during the period may feel short-changed.

Interesting listen

Would you listen to Augustus again? Why?

I don't think it was a particularly inspiring audio performance, but it wasn't awful.

Would you be willing to try another book from Anthony Everitt? Why or why not?

Probably not. His tone changed greatly from chapter to chapter, which I thought was a little annoying. It was obviously recorded over a long period of time in little chunks. Also, at times he seemed to get very tired & his enunciation was degraded.

Any additional comments?

I didn't know much about Augustus before I listened to this, so I did learn a lot.

about sums it up

it seems to be an up to date kind of book on the matter. if things weren't clear cut in history the author told you. You heard every side and then the most likely but he always gives you every angel without bias yet his conclusions seem accurate. good book.

Great for the historically inclined

Highly detailed, accurate, and interesting. The narrator was optimal for the work, the story in itself is intrinsically interesting, and it all actually happened. Highly recommended

Brilliant storytelling.

This is a must read for fans of Romes first Emperor. I highly recommend this book to any roman history nerd.

Interesting to hear about a man with many flaws

Interesting to hear about a man with many flaws accomplish so much in his lifetime

Historical fiction at its best!

A historical fiction writer myself, I am in awe of the research and also of the well written book. Congrats! I look forward to your next book.
John Curless was an excellent choice.

Outstanding!

If you liked HBO's Rome series than you will love this book. The stories time frame pretty much is the same as the 2yr HBO series. Starts with Octavian as a boy and continues as he evolves into Augustus Caeser. The narrator was also fantastic. Letter grade A plus from this listener.