Cicero and Genghis Khan
For light reading, I enjoy historical novels. I found Robert Harris's Pompeii a good read, so his latest title Imperium caught my eye in Waterstones a week or two ago. When I read the blurb and found that it told the story of Cicero's rise to become Consul, I could not resist it. The narrative is put in the mouth of Tiro, Cicero's amanuensis. I recommend it if you like this sort of thing.
One I have just started is Conn Iggulden's Wolf of the Plains. Apparently this is the first in what is to be a series of books about Temujin, better known as Genghis Khan. My detractors might want to suggest that I would find the protagonist a bit left-wing for my tastes - in return I upbraid them for their lack of due cultural relativism. (I was amused to discover that in addition to his historical novels, Iggulden is the co-author of the best-selling "Dangerous Book for Boys.")
One niggle about Imperium: as with most best-selling hardbacks, the pages are glued rather than sewn. Hutchinson have managed to produce a real turkey with this one - the pages fall out all over the place.
Harper Collins, the publisher of Iggulden's book have done a better job. It is not properly bound but the pages do not drop into your soup when you try to to read and eat your lunch at the same time.
One I have just started is Conn Iggulden's Wolf of the Plains. Apparently this is the first in what is to be a series of books about Temujin, better known as Genghis Khan. My detractors might want to suggest that I would find the protagonist a bit left-wing for my tastes - in return I upbraid them for their lack of due cultural relativism. (I was amused to discover that in addition to his historical novels, Iggulden is the co-author of the best-selling "Dangerous Book for Boys.")
One niggle about Imperium: as with most best-selling hardbacks, the pages are glued rather than sewn. Hutchinson have managed to produce a real turkey with this one - the pages fall out all over the place.
Harper Collins, the publisher of Iggulden's book have done a better job. It is not properly bound but the pages do not drop into your soup when you try to to read and eat your lunch at the same time.
