Robert Graves

The intractable experience of the First World War is digested by Graves' poetic imagination into literature. At the same time, it is one of the most candid self portraits ever drawn, while containing vivid portraits of his close friends.

The politics of empire-building and the hypocrisies, back-stabbings, and corruptions of Rome's first family come to light. First published in 1934, the book retains a marvelously modern and often comic tone, and is written in the form of Claudius' autobiography. This is gripping stuff, read by one of our finest actors, who also starred as Claudius in the classic television series.