Caesar

Life of a Colossus

By: Adrian Goldsworthy

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

Length: 24 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Tracing the extraordinary trajectory of Julius Caesar's life, Adrian Goldsworthy covers not only the great Roman emperor's accomplishments as charismatic orator, conquering general, and powerful dictator but also lesser-known chapters. Ultimately, Goldsworthy realizes the full complexity of Caesar's character and shows why his political and military leadership continues to resonate some 2,000 years later. In this landmark biography, Goldsworthy examines Caesar as a military leader, as well as his other roles, and places his subject firmly within the context of Roman society in the first century B.C.

©2006 Adrian Goldsworthy (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"More compellingly than most biographies, Goldsworthy's exhaustive, lucid, elegantly written life makes its subject the embodiment of his age." ( Publishers Weekly)

Bought it, Downloaded it, Loved it

Would you consider the audio edition of Caesar to be better than the print version?

This is hard to say - I loved the print version and occasionally it is helpful for me to see the names in print to they are more familiar to me. The Romans had a habit of repeating names so sometimes (if you are not familiar with the history) it can get confusing.

However, being familiar with the history and having read the print version I found this to be a great way to revisit an old favorite.

What did you like best about this story?

My favorite thing about Adrian Goldsworthy as a writer is his attempt to put the facts down and let the reader draw his own conclusion. However, while this might sound very dry, he also frequently reminds the reader that Caesar, Pompey, and Cicero were all very real people. To provide an example of this, he mentions a letter between Cicero and Caesar after the death of Julia.

Cicero and Caesar were often against one another politically - in movies and tv shows it is very easy to simplify this as soft, well spoken orator for the republic against rugged, brash general with a crown on the mind. Yet AG frequently reminds the reader that outside of politics the two men were occasionally friends - or at least friendly enough that Cicero wrote a letter offering comfort when Caesar lost a beloved child just as he had.

Which scene was your favorite?

I find the early years of Caesar's political rise fascinating for some reason - but you cannot beat the battles. Especially the conquest of Gaul - it's just such a crazy story!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

nope - just a very solid book about ancient Rome.

Any additional comments?

I am an unabashed fan of Rome and this author - so you should keep that in mind when reading my review. I am not trying to write a fair review. This is a review intended for other people who like reading about the fall of the Roman Republic and are looking for new insights into a very interesting time period. If you know absolutely nothing about Rome I have no clue how you would react to this book!

Well written, interesting

Goes into a lot of detail and catch's your attention well. Better than most books about ancient Rome.

Wow There's a lot here

This book has a lot of information in a lot of detail. It's a fascinating walk into a different time and does a great job of explaining some of those differences in putting historical events into context. sometimes it leaves us wanting for more details or for information that just isn't there and it does so unapologetically and with an explanation as to how historians think. If you enjoy this time period and enjoy these sorts of histories then this will be a great book for you.

Very good, ending rushed

This book was narrated very well and the story was good. The only qualm I had was that the ending seemed rushed. We get it- spoiler alert- Caesar was assassinated. But for me, that part seemed quite rushed. Overall, great listen though!

One of my fav books ever

Would you consider the audio edition of Caesar to be better than the print version?

Audio is the best because the Narrator is 2nd to none

What did you like best about this story?

So exciting and amazing that one man did so much with his life.

What does Derek Perkins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He emphasizes point exactly right in my view

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Caesar had to reconnect with his army before all of Gaul fell to Vercingetorix

Any additional comments?

Such a great book! Love it so much

Amazing

I thought I knew all there was to know. Thank you Mr. Goldsworthy! Narration was exceptional.

Enjoyable History, Even for You, Brutus

Would you consider the audio edition of Caesar to be better than the print version?

No, but only because I like to underline and annotate my history books. That said, I've listened to a few history audiobooks like this, and this is clearly one of the best.

What did you like best about this story?

I like that it never got hung up on what came next, but treated each event in its proper context. Many historians fail in that regard on Caesar.

What about Derek Perkins’s performance did you like?

The voice is absolutely perfect for the subject. Very listenable, smooth, and entertaining.

More Than a Life Cut Short

Though most of us remember Julius Caesar as a man murdered by the senate before he really came to power, Caesar lived an accomplished life, surpassing the achievements of his peers. While not necessarily a man to lift as an exemplar, Caesar is a remarkable character of history. Adrian Goldsworthy delivers a very informative tome on the life of Caesar, expanding the portrait to include more than just his death. It is well worth the read for any student of history.
#AncientRome #History #Caesar #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

Dense, but great.

This is not a good book to read/listen to if you’re just getting into Roman History, as it’s so dense, and just machine-guns names, dates, and events at you. That turned me off of it when I first bought the hook a few years ago. However now, with a few years of reading done, and an increased ability to follow along, I thought it was great. Lots of new, interesting facts and ideas.

All Hail Caesar

If you love the man, you enjoy the book!! All Hail Caesar! What would the world be like without that murder?