I, Claudius - Classic Collection CD – Audiobook, Unabridged

Robert Graves

‎Blackstone Audiobooks, Inc.

2008

2 páginas

4m

ISBN-13: 9781433213816

I, Claudius -- From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius. Born 10 B.C. Murdered and Deified A.D. 54 -- Considered an idiot because of his physical infirmities, Claudius survives palace intrigues, poisonings and social dismissal, during the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius and the 'Mad' Caligula, to become emperor of Rome in A.D. 41, after the assassination of Caligula... This masterpiece of historical fiction is written as an autobiographical memoir. -- I, Cladius - CD audio edition / Blackstone Audio Inc. -- Amazon Customers [Verified Purchase] Reviews -- By Charles Reid on February 1, 2011: "I enjoyed The I Claudius Cd's Immensely. In Fact I could not stop listening to them,I went righi through them in 3 days. Anyone who enjoyed the book or has a problem reading Should get the cd's". |...| By Steven Brandt @ Audiobook-Heaven on September 18, 2013: "I, Claudius is a stunning piece of historical fiction written in 1934 by British author Robert Graves. Claudius' narrative provides an inside look at the Roman empire, from the time of Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, to Caligula's death in 41 AD. The arc of the story covers the Roman emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius.

If you're unsure of the significance of I, Claudius, consider the following: the Modern Library ranked I, Claudius 14th on it's list of the 100 best English language novels of the 20th century in 1998. In 2005, Time Magazine chose I, Claudius as one of the 100 best English language novels from 1923 to present. Those are some pretty high credentials indeed.

I, Claudius tells the story, in autobiographical form, of a man born into the ruling family of Rome, but who was always overlooked and cast aside. Claudius had a stutter, a limp, and various nervous ticks that led people to believe he was feebleminded. This worked in Claudius' favor as he survived the plague of assassinations that befell his family; no one believed him to be worth killing. He surprised them all when he eventually became emperor and proved himself to be an intelligent and effective ruler.

Frederick Davidson is a good narrator, but it was hard for me to really like him. That's not his fault though. In American television and movies, the uptight and snobbish characters, especially waiters and hotel managers, always seem to affect a particular kind of British accent that I do not know the proper name for. Davidson had that kind of accent and I found it very difficult not to stereotype him.

FUN FACT: While reading I, Claudius, I learned that the Latin word "Caesar" means "a fine head of hair." |...| ===Editorial Reviews: "One must admire the skill with which Mr. Graves has caught the coyness of a rather whimsical old man and maintained this tone unwearingly to the last page....Mr. Graves has simply given an ingenious and painstaking imitation of a historical work translated from the Latin." -- Graham Greene, Spectator, 10/04/1934. |...| "The whole reads like a genuine human document. It gives an elaborate picture of Roman life in its brilliance and decadence, not only reconstructed with the resources of scholarship and a disciplined imagination but as seen through shrewd and generous eyes." -- Times Literary Supplement, 05/10/1934.

Resenhas (14)

4 (Muito bom)

Releitura

Acabei de ler este livro pela terceira vez. Curioso como nossa percepção dos fatos muda com o passar dos anos. A primeira vez era adolescente, interessado nas partes mais picantes da vida dos imperadores romanos. Decepção. Livro histórico, muito bem escrito, mas nada escandaloso ou obsceno. Acabei trocando-o em um sebo.
Anos depois, já adulto, tive vontade de relê-lo. Comprei-o novamente e que diferença: uma biografia rica e interessante, de uma personagem subestimada e obscurecida pelos excessos de seu antecessor (Calígula) e sucessor (Nero).
Agora, motivado pelo interesse de minha esposa, acabei de relê-lo pela terceira vez, como preâmbulo para - finalmente - ler a continuação Claudius, o Deus, e Messalina.
Para quem gosta de biografias históricas, o livro é altamente recomendado. Bem escrito, necessita apenas de atenção aos nomes (muitos são repetidos) e ao parentesco entre as personagens (muitos casamentos e geralmente entre parentes). E uma constatação: as mulheres romanas ficavam mesmo em segundo plano? Não é o que parece, pois grande parte dos destinos do Império deve-se às 'respeitáveis' matronas...