Augustus

By John Williams

Categories: Literature & Fiction

Augustus (1972) is a historical novel by John Williams, author of Stoner, about Octavian, who became Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. It is told entirely through invented letters, journals, memoirs and reports written by the people around him, including Cicero, Mark Antony, his friends and advisers, and his daughter Julia, with Augustus himself speaking only near the end. The book follows his rise after the murder of Julius Caesar and shows the personal cost of power.

Recommended by 1 person

• Ryan Holiday: “John Williams, who wrote Stoner, wrote a fictional memoir of Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, I loved this book.”