On to Mt TBR it goes.

On to the shelves.

To the finder of this book -
Please let me know it is in safe hands by journalling that you have caught it, you are under no obligation to read it and Bookcrossing is completely anonymous.

Always enjoy novels by R Harris & this one is no exception. It covers the life of Cicero, the famous Roman Consul who was one of the greatest orators of all time. Covered is his election as Consul of Rome and his rise to political power including his successes as a lawyer, including his trial against Verres, the corrupt Roman governor.

On to the shelves.

The first book in the Cicero trilogy, of all the great figures of the Roman world, none was more fascinating or charismatic than Marcus Cicero, the greatest orator of all time, who at the age of twenty-seven was determined to attain imperium--supreme power in the state. At his side was the everpresent Tiro, the confidential secretary and slave, whose celebrated biography of his master was lost in the Dark Ages. Imperium is the re-creation of Tiro's vanished masterpiece, recounting in vivid detail the story of Cicero's extraordinary quest for glory.
The tale continues in Lustrum.

I did Latin at school and Cicero s one of those we had to translate. This gives me more about the great orator and shows me some of the details leading up to the end of the Republic. It is interesting that 20th century Italy is not very different from the first century BC.

Release #248 for 2021...

I'll wait for the other 2 in the trilogy before reading this one.

I really liked this one. Based on documents that have survived from ancient Rome, Harris turned it into a very believable story. About to start on the next one.

At todays meetup.

Pretty excited to have come across the full trilogy at the meetup! Now to get round to reading them, although knowing Harris, they are probably totally absorbing and unputdownable.
UPDATE 30/12/2022 this didn't grab me as much as I expected, maybe because it is a bit of a slow start? Lots of explanations around Rome and its political system which is essential but a bit tedious for anyone already familiar with it (having said that I needed a refresher, it's been a few decades!). The pace picks up mid-book with the arrival of Caesar, Pompey and Crassus on the scene. Harris has done an excellent job of writing Rome and its protagonists in a modern way. Not sure whether to release now or wait until I read the lot, which might be a while!

This is my second failed attempt at releasing this book. Maybe it just wants to stay with me a bit longer, so back on the Ready to be Released shelf it goes!

To be released at the monthly meetup.