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Xerxes: A Persian Life
Xerxes, Great King of the Persian Empire from 486–465 B.C., has gone down in history as an angry tyrant full of insane ambition. The stand of Leonidas and the 300 against his army at Thermopylae is a byword for courage, while the failure of Xerxes’ expedition has overshadowed all the other achievements of his twenty-two-year reign.
In this lively and comprehensive new biography, Richard Stoneman shows how Xerxes, despite sympathetic treatment by the contemporary Greek writers Aeschylus and Herodotus, had his reputation destroyed by later Greek writers and by the propaganda of Alexander the Great. Stoneman draws on the latest research in Achaemenid studies and archaeology to present the ruler from the Persian perspective. This illuminating volume does not whitewash Xerxes’ failings but sets against them such triumphs as the architectural splendor of Persepolis and a consideration of Xerxes’ religious commitments. What emerges is a nuanced portrait of a man who ruled a vast and multicultural empire which the Greek communities of the West saw as the antithesis of their own values.
In this lively and comprehensive new biography, Richard Stoneman shows how Xerxes, despite sympathetic treatment by the contemporary Greek writers Aeschylus and Herodotus, had his reputation destroyed by later Greek writers and by the propaganda of Alexander the Great. Stoneman draws on the latest research in Achaemenid studies and archaeology to present the ruler from the Persian perspective. This illuminating volume does not whitewash Xerxes’ failings but sets against them such triumphs as the architectural splendor of Persepolis and a consideration of Xerxes’ religious commitments. What emerges is a nuanced portrait of a man who ruled a vast and multicultural empire which the Greek communities of the West saw as the antithesis of their own values.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2015
6 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Richard Stoneman
68 books18 followers"I was born just a few miles from Exeter and have been an Honorary Fellow in the department since 1996. I spent thirty years as a classics editor, most of those years for Routledge; since retiring from that role in 2006, and returning from London to live in Devon, I have been taking an active part in university affairs, including teaching, research and a planned conference.
The core of my research interests has been the continuity of the Greek world and Greek tradition up to the present day. I have written anthologies and travel guides reflecting this interest. Since the early 1980s the main focus of my research has been Alexander the Great, especially in later legend. I have recently participated in several international conferences on the Ancient Novel and on Philip and Alexander. I am currently writing a biography of Xerxes and a study of Megasthenes.
Besides Latin and Greek, my languages include fluent German and adequate French, Italian and Modern Greek. I am taking classes in Turkish and Persian.
I am also Chairman of Westminster Classic Tours (www.westminsterclassictours.com), a company which runs gület tours to classical sites around the Turkish coast and Greek Islands.
In 2009 I was appointed Consulting Editor in Classics to I.B. Tauris Publishers in London, and am actively seeking new authors for their classics programme, and for the series I edit, 'Understanding Classics'.
In 2010 I organised a conference at Exeter University, in conjunction with the Institute of Arab and islamic Studies, on 'The Alexander Romance in Persia and the East'. There were delegates from every continent."
The core of my research interests has been the continuity of the Greek world and Greek tradition up to the present day. I have written anthologies and travel guides reflecting this interest. Since the early 1980s the main focus of my research has been Alexander the Great, especially in later legend. I have recently participated in several international conferences on the Ancient Novel and on Philip and Alexander. I am currently writing a biography of Xerxes and a study of Megasthenes.
Besides Latin and Greek, my languages include fluent German and adequate French, Italian and Modern Greek. I am taking classes in Turkish and Persian.
I am also Chairman of Westminster Classic Tours (www.westminsterclassictours.com), a company which runs gület tours to classical sites around the Turkish coast and Greek Islands.
In 2009 I was appointed Consulting Editor in Classics to I.B. Tauris Publishers in London, and am actively seeking new authors for their classics programme, and for the series I edit, 'Understanding Classics'.
In 2010 I organised a conference at Exeter University, in conjunction with the Institute of Arab and islamic Studies, on 'The Alexander Romance in Persia and the East'. There were delegates from every continent."
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 13, 2015
3.5 stars
Stoneman's book perfectly illustrates the difficulty in providing a biography of an historical figure who has left so little of himself. Without doubt, this work has been comprehensively researched, and it is to Stoneman's credit that endnotes are made available to detail the evidence used. Still, it seemed to me that the weight of the evidence was not focused on Xerxes, or his specific period of rule. For example, the chapter on the religion of Xerxes gives a substantial discussion of the origins and rise of Zoroastrianism, the Magi, religion under Darius I, then Xerxes' own role. On my kindle, this meant in a chapter of 40 pages, only 4 were on Xerxes specifically.
Now, this is not entirely the criticism it seems. The material that Stoneman has provided is fascinating. It creates a extensive picture of Stoneman's secondary title 'Persian Life'. Nevertheless, it is a striking illustration of the limits of source evidence for Xerxes himself and perhaps extends beyond the limits of what can be termed his biography. It is the depiction of a man through his environment and the events in which he was involved, rather than through himself. It is difficult to separate Xerxes the man from Xerxes the ruler. What it does do successfully is attack the idea of the man through the lens of Greek perception and prejudice.
Stoneman writes with a very engaging style, with clear, modern language. He makes reference to historial examples and comparisons from wide ranging periods, which were always interesting, even if I wasn't always sure of their relevence (e.g. Persian cruelty to modern American incidents of torture). In any case, they served to place the Persian Empire as part of a world history, away from ideas of the East/West divide or the separateness of 'Orientalism'.
All in all, a very intriguing and compelling book that serves as a good introduction to the period in which Xerxes lived.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Yale University Press for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Stoneman's book perfectly illustrates the difficulty in providing a biography of an historical figure who has left so little of himself. Without doubt, this work has been comprehensively researched, and it is to Stoneman's credit that endnotes are made available to detail the evidence used. Still, it seemed to me that the weight of the evidence was not focused on Xerxes, or his specific period of rule. For example, the chapter on the religion of Xerxes gives a substantial discussion of the origins and rise of Zoroastrianism, the Magi, religion under Darius I, then Xerxes' own role. On my kindle, this meant in a chapter of 40 pages, only 4 were on Xerxes specifically.
Now, this is not entirely the criticism it seems. The material that Stoneman has provided is fascinating. It creates a extensive picture of Stoneman's secondary title 'Persian Life'. Nevertheless, it is a striking illustration of the limits of source evidence for Xerxes himself and perhaps extends beyond the limits of what can be termed his biography. It is the depiction of a man through his environment and the events in which he was involved, rather than through himself. It is difficult to separate Xerxes the man from Xerxes the ruler. What it does do successfully is attack the idea of the man through the lens of Greek perception and prejudice.
Stoneman writes with a very engaging style, with clear, modern language. He makes reference to historial examples and comparisons from wide ranging periods, which were always interesting, even if I wasn't always sure of their relevence (e.g. Persian cruelty to modern American incidents of torture). In any case, they served to place the Persian Empire as part of a world history, away from ideas of the East/West divide or the separateness of 'Orientalism'.
All in all, a very intriguing and compelling book that serves as a good introduction to the period in which Xerxes lived.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Yale University Press for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2015
Don't you just love it when something is published that ties in with a new enthusiasm? Stoneman's biography of Xerxes (apparently the first biography of a Persian ruler of this period since Plutarch) was published at the perfect time for me. It's a rich, well-written book bristling with anecdotes and information that help to give a more rounded picture of a man too often dismissed as a tree-loving tyrant. Aimed at a general readership, this is a good place to start for anyone in a similar position to myself: keen to know more, but not a classical historian or archaeologist, and unable to tackle the Greek and Latin sources for themselves. There are errors and inconsistencies, and Stoneman doesn't always explain enough - but it provides a great foundation for understanding more about the period, and leaves you (well, me anyway) itching to hurry off and read more. Slightly flawed perhaps, but utterly fascinating.
For a full review, please see my blog:
http://theidlewoman.blogspot.co.uk/20...
For a full review, please see my blog:
http://theidlewoman.blogspot.co.uk/20...
March 16, 2017
Xerxes is one of those names that anyone interested in history knows. But what do most of us know about him? Personally, I knew him as a Persian King who invaded Greece, ultimately losing the war, and also had an image in my mind of his relief in stone, as depicted on the cover of this book. That was about it.
Richard Stoneman sets out in this book to add some meat to these bones, but starts with a large caveat. He admits that what knowledge we have of Xerxes is very limited, and nearly all of it is filtered through later writers - mostly Greek - who had good reason to view him with their own biases. The result of this is that Xerxes has had a very bad press!
He does two things in this work; first, he gives us the known details of Xerxes life. These are often contradictory and confused, and he spends a lot of time trying to determine the relative merit of different sources. Secondly, he weaves these meagre details into a fuller description of Persia at the time, using some of this to help him make sense of the life of the man.
The first problem is even working out the family tree which resulted in Xerxes. The Achaemenid dynasty, of which he was a part, were written out of history by their successors, leaving a great deal of confusion. Various sources seem to use different names for the same person, or the same names for different people, and it is almost impossible to disentangle a lot of this at this distance. It is still not wholly possible to determine the correct names and dates for various Persian rulers, and separating myth from reality is difficult. In Greek history - mainly Herodotus - Xerxes is seen as a weak King, taking bad advice, always making the wrong decisions, and largely destroyed by his own arrogance (hubris, a Greek favourite). Others see him as cruel, lost to lust and pettiness. But much that we see in Greek writing is actually just an example of how the Greeks saw themselves, and others around them.
As an example, when Xerxes returns to Persia after the campaign in Greece, Greek writers portray him as running away, rather than perhaps dying in battle as a Greek hero might. But from a Persian perspective, it would be seen very differently. The King was vital to the very existence of the state; like his father (Darius I) and Darius III (150 years later after losing to Alexander) it was the Kings duty to survive, not to die for a cause. As long as the King lived, so did the Persian Empire.
The book is full of such contradictory sources, and the author spends much of his time trying to disentangle them. He also uses later depictions of Xerxes in art and literature as a starting point; basically saying that many of these authors had the few known facts, and then used their own interpretations of these to create their view of the man. He then asks how realistic these views were. Although this is interesting, I'm not sure it works in the context of having so few certain facts to start with.
Although we don't end up with a rounded picture of Xerxes the man, we do get a much better feel for some of his actions. Traditionally, a Persian King was expected to match the feats of his father and earlier predecessors. His invasion of Greece should be seen in this light; he did it not because he was warlike or reckless, but because he needed to as a proof of his greatness. Although he returned home after some setbacks, he did achieve his stated goal - which was to burn Athens to the ground - so in his eyes, and those of his people, he had succeeded.
Aside from Xerxes himself, there is a lot to hold your interest. The chapter on religion is fascinating, covering Zoroastrianism and its earlier incarnations. It is very complex, but gave me a much better understanding of the faith and its origins. The chapters recounting the Greek invasion are logical, well thought out and detailed. The chapter about the building and meaning of Persepolis - started by his father Darius, but largely built by Xerxes - is also rich in detail.
When I picked this book up, I didn't expect a detailed, comprehensive biography of the subject, because I knew that the detail simply isn't available. However, the author does succeed in giving a framework of Xerxes' life, around which he hangs a lot of interesting material about Persia at the time he was it's King. I suspect it's the closest we're likely to get to understanding the man, unless a lot of new material appears from the archaeological record.
Richard Stoneman sets out in this book to add some meat to these bones, but starts with a large caveat. He admits that what knowledge we have of Xerxes is very limited, and nearly all of it is filtered through later writers - mostly Greek - who had good reason to view him with their own biases. The result of this is that Xerxes has had a very bad press!
He does two things in this work; first, he gives us the known details of Xerxes life. These are often contradictory and confused, and he spends a lot of time trying to determine the relative merit of different sources. Secondly, he weaves these meagre details into a fuller description of Persia at the time, using some of this to help him make sense of the life of the man.
The first problem is even working out the family tree which resulted in Xerxes. The Achaemenid dynasty, of which he was a part, were written out of history by their successors, leaving a great deal of confusion. Various sources seem to use different names for the same person, or the same names for different people, and it is almost impossible to disentangle a lot of this at this distance. It is still not wholly possible to determine the correct names and dates for various Persian rulers, and separating myth from reality is difficult. In Greek history - mainly Herodotus - Xerxes is seen as a weak King, taking bad advice, always making the wrong decisions, and largely destroyed by his own arrogance (hubris, a Greek favourite). Others see him as cruel, lost to lust and pettiness. But much that we see in Greek writing is actually just an example of how the Greeks saw themselves, and others around them.
As an example, when Xerxes returns to Persia after the campaign in Greece, Greek writers portray him as running away, rather than perhaps dying in battle as a Greek hero might. But from a Persian perspective, it would be seen very differently. The King was vital to the very existence of the state; like his father (Darius I) and Darius III (150 years later after losing to Alexander) it was the Kings duty to survive, not to die for a cause. As long as the King lived, so did the Persian Empire.
The book is full of such contradictory sources, and the author spends much of his time trying to disentangle them. He also uses later depictions of Xerxes in art and literature as a starting point; basically saying that many of these authors had the few known facts, and then used their own interpretations of these to create their view of the man. He then asks how realistic these views were. Although this is interesting, I'm not sure it works in the context of having so few certain facts to start with.
Although we don't end up with a rounded picture of Xerxes the man, we do get a much better feel for some of his actions. Traditionally, a Persian King was expected to match the feats of his father and earlier predecessors. His invasion of Greece should be seen in this light; he did it not because he was warlike or reckless, but because he needed to as a proof of his greatness. Although he returned home after some setbacks, he did achieve his stated goal - which was to burn Athens to the ground - so in his eyes, and those of his people, he had succeeded.
Aside from Xerxes himself, there is a lot to hold your interest. The chapter on religion is fascinating, covering Zoroastrianism and its earlier incarnations. It is very complex, but gave me a much better understanding of the faith and its origins. The chapters recounting the Greek invasion are logical, well thought out and detailed. The chapter about the building and meaning of Persepolis - started by his father Darius, but largely built by Xerxes - is also rich in detail.
When I picked this book up, I didn't expect a detailed, comprehensive biography of the subject, because I knew that the detail simply isn't available. However, the author does succeed in giving a framework of Xerxes' life, around which he hangs a lot of interesting material about Persia at the time he was it's King. I suspect it's the closest we're likely to get to understanding the man, unless a lot of new material appears from the archaeological record.
October 2, 2015
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
On a tour of Iran just over a decade ago we visited some historical monuments such as Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam, but the main emphasis was on the cultural, religious and artistic aspects of Iran, and not much information was given to us about the pre-Islamic history of Persia. I was keen to find out more about Xerxes and the empire that built such an amazing palace as Persepolis, and thought this book would be a good place to start.
I soon discovered that very little is definitively known about Xerxes and his time. There is much conjecture, myth, and numerous interpretations, and this book tries to make some sense of it all, and to provide a well-researched best guess as to who Xerxes was, and what he achieved in his life.
This is not an easy book to read cover to cover. One big problem is that it tries to do too much. Not just Xerxes, but the whole Achaemenid dynasty is dealt with (and contrasted with other dynasties both Persian and western - including the Windsors!), plus relevant books of the bible, ancient Greek literature, art, economics, religion, etc, etc .... Also each person (or place) seems to have numerous names and different characteristics depending on the language of the source. While that is great for a scholarly reference text (which I suspect this is meant to be), it is very difficult for an interested person without a classical history education to come to grips with. There is so much in this book that is truly fascinating, and I keep coming across little side roads that I want to go down, but to really understand this book would take me years.
The author deserves praise for such a detailed and thoroughly researched book, which I am sure will become a classic in its field. However, I wish that the author could write another book on Xerxes, pared down and more focussed for less scholarly reader. All the information is clearly there, but it is just difficult for an amateur to assimilate in this form.
On a tour of Iran just over a decade ago we visited some historical monuments such as Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam, but the main emphasis was on the cultural, religious and artistic aspects of Iran, and not much information was given to us about the pre-Islamic history of Persia. I was keen to find out more about Xerxes and the empire that built such an amazing palace as Persepolis, and thought this book would be a good place to start.
I soon discovered that very little is definitively known about Xerxes and his time. There is much conjecture, myth, and numerous interpretations, and this book tries to make some sense of it all, and to provide a well-researched best guess as to who Xerxes was, and what he achieved in his life.
This is not an easy book to read cover to cover. One big problem is that it tries to do too much. Not just Xerxes, but the whole Achaemenid dynasty is dealt with (and contrasted with other dynasties both Persian and western - including the Windsors!), plus relevant books of the bible, ancient Greek literature, art, economics, religion, etc, etc .... Also each person (or place) seems to have numerous names and different characteristics depending on the language of the source. While that is great for a scholarly reference text (which I suspect this is meant to be), it is very difficult for an interested person without a classical history education to come to grips with. There is so much in this book that is truly fascinating, and I keep coming across little side roads that I want to go down, but to really understand this book would take me years.
The author deserves praise for such a detailed and thoroughly researched book, which I am sure will become a classic in its field. However, I wish that the author could write another book on Xerxes, pared down and more focussed for less scholarly reader. All the information is clearly there, but it is just difficult for an amateur to assimilate in this form.
August 19, 2021
A lot of details about the ancient Achaemenid/Persian empire, not so much about Xerxes himself. Not surprising, considering the time elapsed, and that most of the "facts" we "know" come from Greek writers, who were biased.
March 26, 2024
He’s the Ahasuerus of Esther, and is otherwise passed over in silence in the Hebrew Bible. He’s the ultimate bad guy of Herodotus’ Histories. You’d think we’d know a lot about the Achaemenid Persian king we call Xerxes, but there is much to be desired.
Richard Stoneman does the best he can with the resources available in Xerxes: A Persian Life (alley received as part of early review program). He has a great handle on the relevant resources available in Greek and the current state of archaeology. In this work he even strains by using far later Iranian tales, which in whatever details they perhaps retain about Xerxes, are garbled and intermixed with stories of later Parthian and perhaps even Sassanid kings, as well as later operas and plays written by Greeks and Europeans.
Xerxes is as much a biography of the Persian Empire as it is a story about Xerxes himself. The author well framed the life of Xerxes in terms of how his father Darius ascended to the throne and Darius’ adventures against the Scythians and the Greeks. The author suggests Xerxes was constantly haunted by the specter of his father and keeping up the family legacy.
The author considered what could be known of life in the Persian court and how Xerxes would have conducted himself within it. The author uses Herodotus’ narrative in order to set forth Xerxes’ campaign against the Greeks and tries his best to imagine the situation according to Xerxes’ perspective. It would be impossible to consider the Greek campaign an unmitigated success, and its failings may have bedeviled Xerxes for the rest of his life; but it was not a complete failure, for many people did submit to him, and he was able to destroy Athens.
The author shows how Xerxes otherwise seemed to invest his time and efforts in a major building program at Persepolis, which proves quite difficult to consider since the Greek records suggest Alexander the Great very specifically targeted the parts of Persepolis built by Xerxes for destruction.
Xerxes’ home life is considered as well as the assassination plot which led to his death. You’d think much more would be recorded about such a great and influential king. And yet we seem to know more about many kings before and after Xerxes than Xerxes himself.
While the author casts aspersions on the historical legitimacy of the book of Esther for many not insignificant reasons, ironically, it would seem the author of the book of Esther might well have best captured the personality and spirit of Xerxes and his court. He was a man who got whatever he wanted, for better or for worse, and who could be easily directed for all kinds of ends. His biggest mistake was his biggest exploit, making himself the ultimate enemy of the Greeks, leading to the erasure of most of his legacy.
Xerxes ascended to the throne without drama, and despite his assassination, the throne passed relatively smoothly to his son Artaxerxes (I). It was not much, but it was something. And we are all left to consider how such aspirations to greatness could lead to such vanity and futility.
Richard Stoneman does the best he can with the resources available in Xerxes: A Persian Life (alley received as part of early review program). He has a great handle on the relevant resources available in Greek and the current state of archaeology. In this work he even strains by using far later Iranian tales, which in whatever details they perhaps retain about Xerxes, are garbled and intermixed with stories of later Parthian and perhaps even Sassanid kings, as well as later operas and plays written by Greeks and Europeans.
Xerxes is as much a biography of the Persian Empire as it is a story about Xerxes himself. The author well framed the life of Xerxes in terms of how his father Darius ascended to the throne and Darius’ adventures against the Scythians and the Greeks. The author suggests Xerxes was constantly haunted by the specter of his father and keeping up the family legacy.
The author considered what could be known of life in the Persian court and how Xerxes would have conducted himself within it. The author uses Herodotus’ narrative in order to set forth Xerxes’ campaign against the Greeks and tries his best to imagine the situation according to Xerxes’ perspective. It would be impossible to consider the Greek campaign an unmitigated success, and its failings may have bedeviled Xerxes for the rest of his life; but it was not a complete failure, for many people did submit to him, and he was able to destroy Athens.
The author shows how Xerxes otherwise seemed to invest his time and efforts in a major building program at Persepolis, which proves quite difficult to consider since the Greek records suggest Alexander the Great very specifically targeted the parts of Persepolis built by Xerxes for destruction.
Xerxes’ home life is considered as well as the assassination plot which led to his death. You’d think much more would be recorded about such a great and influential king. And yet we seem to know more about many kings before and after Xerxes than Xerxes himself.
While the author casts aspersions on the historical legitimacy of the book of Esther for many not insignificant reasons, ironically, it would seem the author of the book of Esther might well have best captured the personality and spirit of Xerxes and his court. He was a man who got whatever he wanted, for better or for worse, and who could be easily directed for all kinds of ends. His biggest mistake was his biggest exploit, making himself the ultimate enemy of the Greeks, leading to the erasure of most of his legacy.
Xerxes ascended to the throne without drama, and despite his assassination, the throne passed relatively smoothly to his son Artaxerxes (I). It was not much, but it was something. And we are all left to consider how such aspirations to greatness could lead to such vanity and futility.
December 17, 2024
ok so i actually didn’t finish this book, i read abt half of it in part for personal enjoyment but largely in part as revision for my ancient history exam, but from what i read i found this biography mostly okay. i think it’s a noble effort to piece together the life of a man from disparate and wildly conflicting perspectives and missing evidence, but as stoneman himself acknowledges, it’s not a resolute picture of xerxes, but rather relays the breadth of what we do know and what we may infer. i think it’s fine for the most part but certainly not the most compelling biography i’ve read, not even of xerxes. personally i quite like bridges and dandamaev’s writings on xerxes, but stoneman is fine enough.
i did however find much vindication in seeing a quote from this book appear in my final exam :P
i did however find much vindication in seeing a quote from this book appear in my final exam :P
September 14, 2023
2.75 stars ⭐️⭐️✨
A readable book but looks at the history of Persia at the time and what is understood about how the upper echelons of society would have lived. It has a bit on Xerxes himself but not as much as I thought there might have been for having the name in the title.
A readable book but looks at the history of Persia at the time and what is understood about how the upper echelons of society would have lived. It has a bit on Xerxes himself but not as much as I thought there might have been for having the name in the title.
October 18, 2024
Interesting how every myth and story is taken apart, cross referenced. It’s a forensic view of history that I kinda dig
November 4, 2016
Having just finished reading and reviewing another Net Galley book, Esther by Rebecca Kanner (fiction), I was immediately drawn to this historical biography of Xerxes. When I first started to look it over, I admit I thought I might be bored by it quickly. That's not what happened. Richard Stoneman's non-fiction biography of Xerxes is rich in detail and written without the usual loquacious ramblings that seem to have become a historical biography staple. There is no question that Stoneman did his homework, as Xerxes appears to have been meticulously researched.
What I loved the most – and pardon me if my love of historical women's fiction is showing – was the Family Romances chapter. Like most readers, I only knew of Xerxes from the stories of Queen Vashti, Queen Esther, and Mordecai. Stoneman does not quibble in his assessment of fact versus fiction, and while I won't tarnish the best part of his book with outright spoilers, the proof is in the puddin' when it comes to his delivery of some very serious, very interesting contradictions. I enjoyed this biography, but have a feeling readers looking for something to solidify what they have believed their whole lives might not have as great of an appreciation for it.
I'd like to thank Net Galley and the publisher Yale University Press, who furnished an ARC of this book for my honest opinion, which this certainly is.
What I loved the most – and pardon me if my love of historical women's fiction is showing – was the Family Romances chapter. Like most readers, I only knew of Xerxes from the stories of Queen Vashti, Queen Esther, and Mordecai. Stoneman does not quibble in his assessment of fact versus fiction, and while I won't tarnish the best part of his book with outright spoilers, the proof is in the puddin' when it comes to his delivery of some very serious, very interesting contradictions. I enjoyed this biography, but have a feeling readers looking for something to solidify what they have believed their whole lives might not have as great of an appreciation for it.
I'd like to thank Net Galley and the publisher Yale University Press, who furnished an ARC of this book for my honest opinion, which this certainly is.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews