Books by Honor Cargill-Martin
“Messalina, the wife of the Roman emperor Claudius, was not so lucky, going down in the history books as a debauched adulteress. In Messalina: A Story of Empire, Slander and Adultery, PhD student Honor Cargill-Martin makes a valiant attempt to restore her reputation, though it’s hard going as little is known about her, beyond that she was a young (perhaps very young) bride.” Read more...
Notable Nonfiction of Early Summer 2023
Sophie Roell, Journalist
Interviews where books by Honor Cargill-Martin were recommended
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1
The Death of Stalin
by Sheila Fitzpatrick -
2
Native Nations: A Millennium in North America
by Kathleen DuVal -
3
Augustus The Strong: A Study in Artistic Greatness and Political Fiasco
by Tim Blanning -
4
Battleground: 10 Conflicts that Explain the New Middle East
by Christopher Phillips -
5
The Shortest History of Austria
by Nicholas T. Parsons -
6
The Greek Revolution and the Violent Birth of Nationalism
by Yanni Kotsonis
New History Books
New History Books
It’s a golden age for historical writing, as well-researched and sometimes quite specialist books by historians are written in an engaging style for a broad audience. On our new history books list, we keep track of some of the books coming out by Five Books interviewees and frequently recommended authors. We’re also scanning catalogues and highlighting interesting new history books being published that come to our attention.
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1
The Rise and Fall of Athens: Nine Greek Lives
by Plutarch -
2
Pericles of Athens
by Vincent Azoulay -
3
Socrates in Love: The Making of a Philosopher
by Armand D'Angour -
4
Nemesis: Alcibiades and the Fall of Athens
by David Stuttard -
5
Agricola
by Harold Mattingly, James Rives & Tacitus -
6
The Twelve Caesars
by Suetonius and Robert Graves (translator)
Biographies of Ancient Greeks and Romans
Biographies of Ancient Greeks and Romans
The art of biography has been a work in progress down the millennia. These days, leaders are no longer celebrated for the number of enemies killed in war, nor are we as impressed with territorial conquests. Here’s a roundup of all the biographies recommended on Five Books about ancient Greeks and Romans, from contemporary accounts to more recent works.
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1
The Russo-Ukrainian War
by Serhii Plokhy -
2
King: A Life
by Jonathan Eig -
3
Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials
by Marion Gibson -
4
How to Flourish: An Ancient Guide to Living Well
by Aristotle & Susan Sauvé Meyer (translator) -
5
Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity
by Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson
Notable Nonfiction of Early Summer 2023, recommended by Sophie Roell
Notable Nonfiction of Early Summer 2023, recommended by Sophie Roell
As high summer hits the northern hemisphere, Sophie Roell, editor of Five Books, takes a look at the many nonfiction books published over the last three months. With so many books coming out that are both readable and written by people who know what they’re talking about, reading remains one of the most enjoyable ways to make sense of the world around us.