While I would not suggest it as a textbook for college students, I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about one of the most fascinating figures in world history. Whatever shape the Roman Empire would have taken eventually, with Egypt’s independence secured, the polarization of East and West (with which we still struggle today) would not have been as severe.

As the Wall Street Journals reviewer put it, 'Schiff does a rare thing: She gives us a book wed miss if it didnt exist.' 4The New Yorkertermed the book 'a work of literature '5Simon Winchesterpredicted 'it will become a classic. Had Caesar not been assassinated or had Antony not been defeated by Octavian, Cleopatra would likely have played a major role in subsequent events. Her fourth book, Cleopatra: A Life, was published in 2010. Yet her brevity on the Roman side of the story might make it difficult for a general reader to grasp Cleopatra’s significance at this important juncture of Mediterranean history. Schiff does not dwell on the careers of Caesar, Antony or Octavian (the later emperor Augustus), as most historians do. Egypt, moreover, presented the Roman generals with vast riches that they desperately needed for their military campaigns. I can only hope that this book will help dispel that myth. The only trustworthy source on the matter makes it clear that Cleopatra was not the most beautiful woman of her age. She presents Cleopatra as an intelligent player in international politics, and makes it very clear that it was not for Cleopatra’s sexual allure that Julius Caesar and Mark Antony became intimately involved with her. It is an easy, pleasant read, filled with rich detail and descriptions. 'Cleopatra: A Life' (2010) by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff is meant for a general audience.

Cleopatra a life by stacy schiff