Augustus

by John Williams

In Augustus, American novelist John Williams (1922-1994), author of Stoner, tells the story of Octavian, nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar, who would go on to become the first Roman emperor. It’s a beautiful book, written in the form of letters, journal entries and memoirs. On the front cover of the Vintage edition a quote from the Washington Post hails the book as “The finest historical novel ever written by an American.” If you’re at all interested in Augustus, the book is unmissable.