Nov 02, 2010 as stacy schiff describes it in a captivating new biography, cleopatras meeting with julius caesar was a singular, shuddering moment, when two civilizations, passing in different. Nov 01, 2010 a pulitzer prizewinning biographer presents a swift, sympathetic life of one of historys most maligned and legendary women. As author stacy schiff points out, its as if our only information about napoleon came from 19thcentury british historians. Jul 22, 2011 l uscious and scrupulous is a difficult combination to pull off, but stacy schiff does so in her life of cleopatra. A life by stacy schiff in chm, epub, fb2 download ebook. Cleopatra has through history set the minds of so many great artists aflame. Offering fresh perspectives on the controversial queen, schiff revises cleopatras licentious image and presents in its stead a portrait of a multifaceted leadera savvy statesperson and capable administrator who was.
In addition, she has a tartness to match the standards of cleos handmaiden. It should be noted that cr and his ghostwriter offer the sole contemporary accounts of the war. This is a book full of living, savage, thriving, laughing, dying people. One of the new york times 10 best books of 2010 her palace shimmered. Now in paperback history in the hands of stacy schiff is invariably full of life, light, shadow, surprise, clarity of insight, and so it is again and then some in her latest work, the witches. Stacy schiff penetrates an ancient thicket of personalities and propaganda to reconstruct the macedonianegyptian queen cleopatra in all her. Stacy schiff boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order, a generation before the birth of christ. Stacy schiffs cleopatra proves that she was a steely master of realpolitik at home, in war, and grand strategy, says. Cleopatra was queen of a large, rich, highly sophisticated country for more than 20 years, yet almost everything we know about her comes from a legend created by her most deadly enemy, the roman emperor augustus. Stacy schiff explains how the salem witch trials began duration. If you want to hilarious books, lots of novels, tale, jokes, and more.
Stacy schiff her palace shimmered with onyx, garnet, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. While still for the most part an interpretation, her book draws a portrait of cleopatra that youve never seen before. A pulitzer prizewinning biographer presents a swift, sympathetic life of one of historys most maligned and legendary women. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize and the ambassador book award. L uscious and scrupulous is a difficult combination to pull off, but stacy schiff does so in her life of cleopatra. Dec 31, 2011 famous long before she was notorious, cleopatra has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A life, winner of the penjacqueline bograd weld award for biography. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Above all else, cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious. Stacy madeleine schiff born october 26, 1961 is an american nonfiction author residing in new york. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points, if you have not read the book.
She takes a story that has been told countless times and meticulously shows how that picture we all have of cleopatra, the last ptolemaic queen, has been influenced and changed over the centuries and what might be the truth underneath all. The cleopatra of pop culture is very different from the cleopatra of history, who we dont actually know that much about. Her palace shimmered with onyx and gold but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Famous long before she was notorious, cleopatra has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Stacy schiff doesnt just tell you, history book style, how the ancients behaved. Stacy schiff writes, it is not difficult to understand why caesar became history, cleopatra a legend page 5. Schiff uses cleopatras first stab at international diplomacy, in 48 bc, to spotlight several key facts. Cleopatra by stacy schiff an 80drachma bronze coin minted in alexandria. You think 21st century culture is celebrityobsessed. The title of this book is cleopatra and it was written by stacy schiff. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points, if.
My favorite is i cleopatra which was published in the seventies and i really look to that book as being the gold standard of all things cleopatra. Cleopatra s origin, her education, financial situation as well as the people she met shed light on why it was and still is so difficult to think of. The pulitzer prizewinning biographer brings to life the most intrigui. Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. I finished this book feeling dazzled not just by cleopatra but by the brilliance of schiff s recreation and analysis of her. Cleopatra reintroduced the metal, long out of production and to which she added denominational marks. Cleopatra by stacy schiff i have thoughts on books. A life i found this book to be good but not exceptional.
Discuss the role of subjectivity in historical records. Stacy schiff boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death. Part of that is that i have read so many books on cleopatra. Ive written about hypatia, the lady philosopher of alexandria. Cleopatra reintroduced the metal, long out of production and. A life by stacy schiff a new and important biography of the misunderstood final queen of egypt. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, 2005, etc. Vladimir nabokov, stacy schiff revealed a woman who was more creative. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation, the national endowment for the. Rich in detail, epic in scope, schiffs is a luminous, deeply. Cleopatra, stacy schiffs muchacclaimed biography, sheds new light on one of historys most misunderstood monarchs.
I walked those ebony doors and onyx floors with her as she painted the scenes and expounded the tricky customs, laws. Nov 07, 2010 stacy schiff penetrates an ancient thicket of personalities and propaganda to reconstruct the macedonianegyptian queen cleopatra in all her ambition, audacity and formidable intelligence. 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 a generation before the birth of christ. Stacy schiff is an american pulitzer prize winning author and historian, as well as a guest columnist for the new york times. A life by stacy schiff, an evocative retelling of the intriguing life of cleopatra. Stacy schiff writes, it is not difficult to understand why caesar became history.
Ideally, as stacy schiff observes in her magnificent recreation of both an extraordinary woman, and her times, our sense of cleopatra would be. How does schiff factor that subjectivity into her account. Buy online stacy schiff brings to life one of the most intriguing women in the history of the world. The main characters of this history, biography story are cleopatra. Empress galla placidia and her niece pulcheria who both ruled rome in its waning days. After a dense first few chapters, cleopatra becomes an absorbing look at a woman remembered more often for the things that she wasnt. Along the way, cleopatras supple personality and the drama of her circumstances have been lost. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation, the national endowment for the humanities, and the. Oct 31, 2011 stacy schiff explains how the salem witch trials began duration. Rich in detail, epic in scope, schiff s is a luminous reconstruction of a dazzling life. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws.
Stacy schiff brings to life one of the most intriguing women in the history of the world. Above all else, cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator. The pulitzer prizewinning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world. Also this book is difficult to get intoat least at. As author stacy schiff points out, its as if our only information about napoleon. Cleopatra en espanol by stacy schiff nook book ebook. Nov 07, 2010 schiff uses cleopatras first stab at international diplomacy, in 48 bc, to spotlight several key facts. Michelangelo, tiepolo, and elizabeth taylor put a face to her name. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation, the national endowment for the humanities. Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize, the ambassador award in american studies, and the gilbert chinard prize of the institut francais damerique. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 302 pages and is available in hardcover format. New yorker contributor schiff a great improvisation. As stacy schiff describes it in a captivating new biography, cleopatras meeting with julius caesar was a singular, shuddering moment, when two civilizations, passing in different.
Used items may not include supplementary materials such as cds or access codes. She puts you there and shows you with both eloquence and care. No one is better on auletes and his travails than mary sianidavies, especially her ptolemy xii auletes and the romans, historia 46 1997. Schiff, born in adams, massachusetts, is a graduate of phillips academy andover preparatory school, and earned her b. One of the new york times 10 best books of 2010 her palace shimmered with onyx and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. The depth in which stacy schiff took her book is incredible, both in scope as well as in narrative prowess. Along the way, cleopatra s supple personality and the drama of her circumstances have been lost. Cleopatra a life stacy schiff cleopatra a life stacy schiff if you ally compulsion such a referred cleopatra a life stacy schiff ebook that will pay for you worth, acquire the no question best seller from us currently from several preferred authors.
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