Augustus by John Williams, is an epistolary account of the life of perhaps the greatest emperor of Ancient Rome. Born as Gaius Octavius he lived from Augustus by John Williams, is an epistolary account of the life of perhaps the greatest emperor of Ancient Rome. Born as Gaius Octavius he lived from 63 BCE � 14 CE. He ruled between 27 BCE � 14 CE. This book commences when Octavius was a boy, and the first letter is from Julius Caesar to Octavius’s mother, Atia � ordering her to send the boy to the military college at Apollonia.
We not only read the letters of people involved and close to the life of Augustus, we also read their memoirs, poems and official documents. The majority of these written accounts are by everyone other than Augustus. This way we see, how the world perceives the man. It is fascinating. Giants, such as Caesar, Agrippa, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Piso, Seneca, Horace, Virgil and my favourite (swoon) Julia, Augustus’s daughter.
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Augustus…………�.oh, err, I mean � the Beautiful, Julia the Elder ♥️
Notwithstanding the superb writing of Williams, at one stage I was a wee bit concerned this was more a story about Julia than Augustus. But John Williams eventually addresses this superbly, and this book well and truly deserves the title. Augustus’s wife, Livia is superbly cast as the pantomime villain, ably supported by her unpopular son, Tiberius.
If you have even the slightest bit of interest in this period of history, I strongly recommend you read this. It is a deeply immersive account of the man responsible for creating the Roman Imperial System. You will get a feel for how he did this. You will also see how his contemporaries feel and think about him (friend and foe), and importantly, you will take away some insight into the great man himself � how he lived, thought and loved. You may even reflect on your own life and loves � as I did.
These letters/writings, like any historical fiction, are based on real events and much is taken from real historical events. But they are fictional � like all good historical fiction, which breathes life into fascinating characters of the past � this is a brilliant way to learn about history.
The only slight misgiving I have is, the book does not cover the huge amount of changes Augustus implemented, to give the Senate and other officials the belief they still ran the show, when in fact he was the man in charge. He manhandled them with kid gloves � allowing for some atrocities of course. However, this book is not supposed to be a dry account of how good an administrator and leader he was � it is intended to be about him, the man. Other books serve that purpose.
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Augustus was a man of his time, and a colossus of antiquity.
5 Stars
My enjoyment of this book was increased many times over by fellow buddy readers Emperor Dave (who ran the group) and fellow Plebians Lisa and Debi � all threw around perspectives that always seem to pass me by and made this experience so much richer.
Set sometime in the 1960s this story is about two couples - Sally & Richard and, Jerry & Ruth. There are affairs, much conflict and insoluble problemsSet sometime in the 1960s this story is about two couples - Sally & Richard and, Jerry & Ruth. There are affairs, much conflict and insoluble problems. This satire, was okay to start with, but it wore on me after a while. It really did. My least favourite of my Updike reads.
Jerry and Sally have sex. Jerry says he loves Sally. Ruth and Richard have sex. Sally plays both sides (Richard and Jerry) Richard calls Sally names. Jerry acts appallingly to Ruth. Jerry can't decide who to be with. Richard threatens Jerry. Ruth puts up with heaps of crap from Jerry.
Rinse and repeat.
But what made this for me was The A Team - a wonderful buddy read with Lisa, Jennifer, Davey, Canders, Diane, Ebba, Laysee and Jeannie. The conversations are still going - and it's wonderful!!
As expected, Updike and this book, proved to be a polarising experience.
Think, the espionage version of Yes Minister, with a dash of Dad’s Army thrown in, and you’ll be somewhere near Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene. ThThink, the espionage version of Yes Minister, with a dash of Dad’s Army thrown in, and you’ll be somewhere near Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene. This is a satirical farce about the British Secret Service (MI6), and it’s very funny.
Our hapless protagonist is a vacuum cleaner salesman called Wormald. He was living in Havana during the terrible days of the oppressive Batista regime in the 1950s. This was just before the revolution led by Fidel Castro. Fertile ground for secret service agents of many nationalities.
I went into this one blind, and after a recent read of Greene’s (The Power and the Glory), which was way too Catholicky for me, this one surprised me. Immediately, one could detect this was going to be funny. Wormald was a quiet, unassuming sort � obsessed about his product and trying to sell the new model - The Atomic Pile. However, due to a turn of unexpected events, he was recruited by MI6 as an operative, and was expected to recruit a team of local agents to provide intelligence to London on the dangerous situation in Cuba.
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A Miele 1950s Vacuum Cleaner, looks a bit racy I reckon. Vacuum Cleaners make an appearance more than once in the plot of this story
Wormald (what a name hey?) was hopeless and easily pushed around, and his way of ‘doing things� will surprise you. So surprising, in fact, his own situation, and the mess he created just seemed to get worse and worse. His handler, an upper-class twit called Hawthorne thought Wormald was an excellent operative, due to the reports he was sending back and the team he had assembled, this view was shared by the stuffy Chief of MI6.
There’s not only laughs here, there’s also suspense, menace, thrills, and a touch of romance.
There’s one particularly nasty actor here � Havana Police Captain Segura. He possesses a legendary wallet made of human skin � you know the sort. After explaining to our hero that there is a class distinction between who one can torture or not, Segura said:
”Dear Mr Wormald, surely you realise there are some people who expect to be tortured and others who would be outraged at the idea. One never tortures except by a kind of mutual agreement�.
If you chose this book, you won't regret it. It is fast-paced, easy to read and funny. Highly recommended.
4 Stars
Many thanks to my buddy reader Davey (Boy) Marsland � he was good fun throughout, provided one or two perspectives that passed me by, and was the ideal companion for this one.
The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark is the best of the three novels I have read by this author, the first two falling a bit flat.
We follow the The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark is the best of the three novels I have read by this author, the first two falling a bit flat.
We follow the lives, loves and dramas of a group of young girls residing in a house in London in 1945 � just after the end of WWII. This house was opened during WWI for women of “slender means� who needed to relocate to London to work. This group had the name “May of Tuck Club,� some reference to the person who created the place.
There is a second timeline involved involving a man called Nicholas Farringdon � and he does add a bit of interest to the story (he was also a frequent visitor to the May of Tuck Club in 1945. He loved Seline (who is described as some sort of beautiful, purring lolling thing), but Jane loves him too � you know, the usual story. There are other girls worth knowing such as Jane, who works for a publisher and was given the job of getting to know and influence author Farringdon, Nancy Riddle who was inflicted with a Midlands accent (I can say that because I am from the Midlands of the UK � it is often said “Silence is a better accent than a Midlands accent), there’s also a mad girl called Pauline Fox � and quite a few other young ladies.
The dynamics between the girls was what you’d expect � loves and romances, also arguments and a bit of bitching (about things like wallpaper). There were also some funny interchanges with the three old spinsters of the group � who have ‘stayed on� and ‘stayed single.� “Greggie� the bossiest one was an interesting sort.
The issue I have had with Spark’s previous (and this) work is the humour. Yes, it’s amusing but to me � not terribly hilarious. As I explained to my buddy readers, Jennifer, and Lisa � I find the old (60’s, 70’s) UK humour a bit corny by and large. This was written in 1963 (my birth year incidentally, in both normal time and spacetime), and I remember the classic comedies of the time. The “Carry on Movies� and the like � just a but light, lacking satire, darkness, and wickedness. The stuff makes me really laugh out loud � think Sedaris, Gervais, Larry David etc.
But what made this book for me, as compared to the previous two, was the drama. We have significant drama and it aint all pleasant. There was suspense and sadness. So, I liked that � and I am still thinking about the book � so it says something.
Oh, and there was also Seline, this was my mind’s eye of this beautiful woman. Often said to be ‘lolling� around or referring to one quote “Selina, furled like a long soft sash, in her chair, came to Nicholas in a gratuitous flow�
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I know this is a picture of the stunning Joanna Lumley from the 1960s � but you get the picture? Why wouldn’t Nick Farringdon be besotted by her?
I noticed Spark made reference to the skinniness, stoutness or fatness of the girls � it seemed to be a running theme - maybe that was easy to talk about in the 1960s. I also believe the title has a triple meaning (but telling you my thoughts on that would be a spoiler � oh, and I might be wrong!).
This book is one of my all-time favourites, Stoner is one of my favourite characters (same as Pnin � even though they’re totally different). Williams This book is one of my all-time favourites, Stoner is one of my favourite characters (same as Pnin � even though they’re totally different). Williams is one of my favourite writers.
Stoner is a farm boy, in the early twentieth century Missouri. His parents are restrained (putting it mildly). No affection shown, little or no words � just toil from sun up to sun down. One day, father comes up with the decision to send William Stoner to the University of Missouri.
This surprisingly inspirational decision, changes everything for young Stoner. He eventually finds himself in the English department and enters the murky world of academia, the politics of jealousy, malice, and incredible workloads. I had no idea how brutal academia could be � I thought it would be like working in a florist, wearing slippers, skipping around with gentle adagios playing in the background!
I don’t think I have read a book with so many significant, impactful, and frankly � emotionally gruelling storylines. Each one is worthy of a standalone book. Without giving anything away � these include:
Stoner’s work at the University � with all of the internecine rivalries. Stoner’s marriage to Edith � this one will open your eyes. Stoner’s relationship with his daughter Grace. A romance that will sweep you off your feet. ………and more.
Stoner is a stoic man. He has such inner strength, you will fall in love with him. I’m certain of that. But you will be battered from pillar to pillar, his journey is not smooth. You will detest a couple of the characters too � I did, my buddy readers did. I think the words “hate� and “detest� were even used by us from time to time (not me though, see I’m not like that ...more
This story opens with two teenage daughters, Edie and Mae, moving from Louisiana to New York to stay with their absent father, Dennis. This, followingThis story opens with two teenage daughters, Edie and Mae, moving from Louisiana to New York to stay with their absent father, Dennis. This, following a suicide attempt by their mother, Marianne. Fourteen-year-old Mae is thrilled to be with Dad. However, Edie, the tricky sixteen-year-old, would rather stay back home to be close to her mum, who is in a psychiatric hospital. Edie cannot stand her Dad.
This story is about relationships. Toxic relationships. For example, Dennis (Dad) used Marianne (Mum) as his muse for his writing, so much so that he literally sucked the life force out of this hapless woman � and created an empty shell, a crazy woman � who lost herself completely. Then he left her and the kids. Dennis was and is a narcissistic bastard, and he made a habit of using people for his art. Something he was to repeat with friends and even one of his daughters. Marianne � due to her state of mind and behaviour - was impossible to live with, destroying relationships with family and friends, to the point of extinguishing any sympathy that may have been there initially. Despite that, I really felt for her.
The two sisters, constantly fought, jealousy seemed to define their relationship, not helped by Mae being ‘pro-Dad� and Edie being ‘pro-Mum.� However, Mum seemed to favour Mae, and Edie spent her time trying to win her Mum’s affection. Do you get the picture? It's not an uncommon theme, perhaps?
There are numerous characters in this story � Dennis� sister Rose, who is clearly not a fan of Marriane. The power of attorney of Marianne, an old family friend � who is clearly ‘over her,� love interest of Edie Charlie � a neighbour of Dad (oh she also has Marcus), Dennis� new beau Amanda � who’s definitely ‘one beer short of a six-pack’…�.and others.
The story moves backwards and forwards in time from the civil rights movement in the 1960s � when Dennis and Marianne first met (they were really in love), to the 1990s and later. The author moves between characters using first-person narration. This made the whole deal more intimate, visceral even. I loved this � I was hooked from the very first page. I could not stop thinking about the characters. How can one not? Jumping in and out of the skin of all these characters.
My word, there were dramas. Ugly fish abound.
If you are after jealousy, toxic relationships, family dramas, madness, suicide, narcissism, sex scenes, and a handful of bombshell happenings � this one is for you!
A word on my buddy reader, she made this 5-star read even more enjoyable for me. I loved (and was embarrassed by�) the way she thought about plotlines I was incapable of conjuring up myself, she fired some great questions around too, she was ‘all-in� and got excited, and we had a laugh � thanks Antoinette!
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