AugustusAugustus
Score Classic
What it's about
In 44 BC, Julius Caesar is assassinated, and his nineteen-year-old great-nephew Octavius learns he's been named Caesar's heir. Over the next decades, he defeats his rivals, including Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and becomes Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. John Williams tells the story entirely through letters, diaries, memoirs and documents written by the people around him, and finally Augustus himself, so that each voice shows a different man.
Why it's worth reading
It shared the National Book Award, and Williams, the author of Stoner, is now recognized as one of the great American novelists. It's a brilliant study of power and its cost.
You'll love it if you liked
Wolf Hall
The Name of the Rose
All the King's MenGood to know
The many letter-writers can be hard to keep straight at first. A list of characters helps.
By the numbers
- Readers86 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics63 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller18 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by John Williams
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The Souls of Black Folk
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Quick answers
Is Augustus worth reading?
Yes. It shared the National Book Award, and Williams, the author of Stoner, is now recognized as one of the great American novelists. It ranks #319 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 81.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Augustus about?
In 44 BC, Julius Caesar is assassinated, and his nineteen-year-old great-nephew Octavius learns he's been named Caesar's heir. Over the next decades, he defeats his rivals, including Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and becomes Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. John Williams tells the story entirely through letters, diaries, memoirs and documents written by the people around him, and finally Augustus himself, so that each voice shows a different man.
How long does it take to read Augustus?
About 8 hours (336 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Augustus won?
National Book Award (Fiction) winner (1973).
What should I read after Augustus?
If you liked it, try Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco or All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren.