Product Description
Considered an idiot because of his physical infirmities, Claudius survived the intrigues and poisonings of the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and the Mad Caligula to become emperor in 41 A.D. A masterpiece.

Amazon.com Review
Having never seen the famous 1970s television series based on Graves' historical novel of ancient Rome and being generally uneducated about matters both ancient and Roman, I wasn't prepared for such an engaging book. But it's a ripping good read, this fictional autobiography set in the Roman Empire's days of glory and decadence. As a history lesson, it's fabulous; as a novel it's also wonderful. Best is Claudius himself, the stutterer who let everyone think he was an idiot (to avoid getting poisoned) but who reveals himself in the narrative to be a wry and likable observer. His story continues in Claudius the God.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 160 reviews)

Good Read...

I am 100% satisfied with my purchase. It's a remarkable 1st person character study of a man who crept in the back door to become the Emperor of Rome.
September 30, 2008

If you like your history lite then I, Claudius is your book.

If you like your history lite then I, Claudius is your book. Written as an autobiography of the life of Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, who became Emperor of Rome in 41 A.D., I, Claudius is actually historical fiction. As such, there seems to be no way to measure the accuracy of the accounts given in this first part of Graves's two-part series.

Nevertheless, I, Claudius is interesting - it reads like a novel - and reveals the sordid details of the lives and times of the Royal family from Augustus until the time when Claudius ascended to the throne.
July 05, 2008

Totally awesome

"I Claudius" was the first book that convinced me that history could be engrossing. Ridiculously fun to read - it delivers a thrill on a level with the first time you saw "The Mikado", heard the Saint-Saens cello concerto, Callas singing 'Casta Diva'. You get the picture.

It is a stroke of genius for Graves to choose Claudius, the drooling 'halfwit' among the Caesars, overlooked and ridiculed by his more ambitious relatives, as his mouthpiece. In a voice that is irresistibly gossipy and remarkably shrewd, he draws us in and makes the history completely and spellbindingly real. It's a stunning accomplishment.

This book, its sequel, and the extraordinary BBC adaptation for television, are high on the list of life's great pleasures.
April 29, 2008

Mad But Interesting

There's not much I can say here or desire to say here that hasn't been covered by the other reviewers. Just to reiterate though: The character of Livia, as presented here in Graves's novel, is NOT based on any sound scholarship, new or otherwise. It's true that she COULD have poisoned her way to power as depicted here. But bear in mind that Claudius himself COULD have just as well done so himself, with this first person narration serving as a cover up. - Be it remembered that Claudius (the actual emperor) did write an actual first person Autobiography, now lost to us. - Who knows what ulterior motives he might have harboured in doing so? In any event, altogether too many untimely deaths of all sorts pile up to attribute to any one person. It also seems clear to me that Graves, in describing the Germans, was certainly drawing a parallel to the Germans he fought against in WWI.

But, laying historical accuracy to one side, this is a clever and interesting read. It is not, to my mind, the masterpiece some reviewers here make it out to be. But I enjoyed it. The impression one has on closing the book and reflecting on the murders, mayhem and madness that occur on almost every page leaves one feeling about the book as Claudius felt about the last, ebrious conversation he had with Livia:

"The conversation was like the sort one has in dreams - mad but interesting."

April 24, 2008

Not that impressed

I hate to be the one bad apple in the bunch, but to be honest, I was expecting great things from this book given all of the fabulous reviews. Perhaps because I've been pampered with books like Philippa Greggory's THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL or THE RED TENT, I expected a read that would be quick, with snappy dialogue and luscious settings. What I got instead was something that felt very much dated, and very boring. Of course, this is just my opinion, and I see that many others here have different ones. But for fans of Greggory-style writing, I would give this a pass.
April 23, 2008

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

Claudius the God: And His Wife Messalina
by Robert Graves

I, Claudius
Directed by Herbert Wise
Starring Derek Jacobi, Siân Phillips, Flora Robson, Emlyn Williams, Eileen Corbett
Image Entertainment

The Twelve Caesars (Penguin Classics)
by Suetonius
by Michael Grant, Michael Grant, Robert Graves

Augustus: A Novel
by John Edward Williams

Darkness at Noon: A Novel
by Arthur Koestler