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Cleopatra and Nefertiti: Beyond Their Beauty and Seduction
Cleopatra and Nefertiti: Beyond Their Beauty and Seduction
Cleopatra and Nefertiti are both known for their beauty. They are also known for traits having to do with their womanhood: the men with whom they were romantically involved, their ability to seduce.
This book gets beneath this surface to give a more complete picture. Cleopatra was ambitious and smart, while Nefertiti was much more active in her husband’s reign than was usual for her time. Cleopatra’s alliances were much more than romances, but played major roles in the global politics of the time. She was poised, with Antony, to command a large portion of the Mediterranean world. For her part, Nefertiti played a key role in the worship of the Sun God Aten and a shocking switch from worshipping many gods to just one.
Michael Klein details the careers of these fascinating women and explores how many important events they were instrumental in. With thorough research, Cleopatra and Nefertiti: Beyond Their Beauty and Seduction will open your eyes to the strength and audacity of these two queens.
Gain insight into Cleopatra plotting against at least one of her siblings; how she won a bet against Antony; and Nefertiti driving her chariot down the streets of Egypt. You’ll come away with a new respect for these historical figures.
Cleopatra and Nefertiti are both known for their beauty. They are also known for traits having to do with their womanhood: the men with whom they were romantically involved, their ability to seduce.
This book gets beneath this surface to give a more complete picture. Cleopatra was ambitious and smart, while Nefertiti was much more active in her husband’s reign than was usual for her time. Cleopatra’s alliances were much more than romances, but played major roles in the global politics of the time. She was poised, with Antony, to command a large portion of the Mediterranean world. For her part, Nefertiti played a key role in the worship of the Sun God Aten and a shocking switch from worshipping many gods to just one.
Michael Klein details the careers of these fascinating women and explores how many important events they were instrumental in. With thorough research, Cleopatra and Nefertiti: Beyond Their Beauty and Seduction will open your eyes to the strength and audacity of these two queens.
Gain insight into Cleopatra plotting against at least one of her siblings; how she won a bet against Antony; and Nefertiti driving her chariot down the streets of Egypt. You’ll come away with a new respect for these historical figures.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 22, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 30, 2025
This is the first book I’ve ever read that provides a plethora of information on both queens, Cleopatra and queen Nefertiti.
I enjoyed reading this. I know much more about Cleopatra than I do about Nefertiti so it certainly did make for interesting reading. I also think the cover is absolutely dazzling as befitting to Queens of this stature.
I knew much of Cleopatra‘s history already because I’ve been reading about her since I was a small child. With Queen Nefertiti I’m still learning. In fact, I just read my third book on her life a couple of days ago.
And I found the book to be informative, and the writing was not dry at all. It’s a fairly short read, and I even learned some new things I didn’t know about the fiery Queen Cleopatra.
Some of the history presented in this book differs a little from what I’ve read in other books. For example, it is hinted in this book, that Cleopatra forced her brother, King Ptolemy, to take a backseat to her.
From what I’ve read in several other books, he was the one who forced her into exile, not wanting to rule with a Queen by his side
.
I’ve also read that there were plots against Cleopatra‘s life by her younger sister, although who knows how accurate that is. The Ptolemy family was known to be a bloody lot where many people came to untoward ends. So who really knows.
If there is one thing, I did not like it’s the emphasis on whether Cleopatra was as beautiful as history says that she was
I want to stress that any quibbles I have are not the writer’s fault and just my personal preferences.
I’ve noticed that a lot of authors do this with Cleopatra. But the thing is, I really don’t care whether she was indeed breathtaking or not.
It’s enough to know of her brilliance and intelligence and charm. Any speculations as to what she looked like really don’t interest me very much because she was certainly striking enough on the outside and charismatic enough on the inside to have two such important man as that fall madly in love with her.
I wish the story had ended differently , though.
I’ve always been fascinated by Queen Cleopatra. I am interested in theories as to what could’ve been as the author speculated. What might have happened if she and Marc Antony had been successful in their final battle?
SPOILERS
I’ve always been fascinated and disgusted by the last scene. In my favorite book on Cleopatra, that scene is depicted with excellence and heartbreak as it shows the soldiers dangling olive branches to Octavian‘s troops as they knife, Antony and Cleopatra in the back in a vicious betrayal not unlike what Brutus did to Julius Caesar.
So there is a certain sadness I associate with them. At the same time, I will never cease to stop admiring Cleopatra. She played by nobody’s rules but her own and that’s why her name will always be as bright as a firecracker in history.
I look forward to learning more about Queen Nefertiti, who certainly was every bit as intriguing as Cleopatra, but of whom I know much less , although I’m learning.
Definitely recommended for any history buff who wants to read about two extraordinary women from ancient Egyptian history.
I enjoyed reading this. I know much more about Cleopatra than I do about Nefertiti so it certainly did make for interesting reading. I also think the cover is absolutely dazzling as befitting to Queens of this stature.
I knew much of Cleopatra‘s history already because I’ve been reading about her since I was a small child. With Queen Nefertiti I’m still learning. In fact, I just read my third book on her life a couple of days ago.
And I found the book to be informative, and the writing was not dry at all. It’s a fairly short read, and I even learned some new things I didn’t know about the fiery Queen Cleopatra.
Some of the history presented in this book differs a little from what I’ve read in other books. For example, it is hinted in this book, that Cleopatra forced her brother, King Ptolemy, to take a backseat to her.
From what I’ve read in several other books, he was the one who forced her into exile, not wanting to rule with a Queen by his side
.
I’ve also read that there were plots against Cleopatra‘s life by her younger sister, although who knows how accurate that is. The Ptolemy family was known to be a bloody lot where many people came to untoward ends. So who really knows.
If there is one thing, I did not like it’s the emphasis on whether Cleopatra was as beautiful as history says that she was
I want to stress that any quibbles I have are not the writer’s fault and just my personal preferences.
I’ve noticed that a lot of authors do this with Cleopatra. But the thing is, I really don’t care whether she was indeed breathtaking or not.
It’s enough to know of her brilliance and intelligence and charm. Any speculations as to what she looked like really don’t interest me very much because she was certainly striking enough on the outside and charismatic enough on the inside to have two such important man as that fall madly in love with her.
I wish the story had ended differently , though.
I’ve always been fascinated by Queen Cleopatra. I am interested in theories as to what could’ve been as the author speculated. What might have happened if she and Marc Antony had been successful in their final battle?
SPOILERS
I’ve always been fascinated and disgusted by the last scene. In my favorite book on Cleopatra, that scene is depicted with excellence and heartbreak as it shows the soldiers dangling olive branches to Octavian‘s troops as they knife, Antony and Cleopatra in the back in a vicious betrayal not unlike what Brutus did to Julius Caesar.
So there is a certain sadness I associate with them. At the same time, I will never cease to stop admiring Cleopatra. She played by nobody’s rules but her own and that’s why her name will always be as bright as a firecracker in history.
I look forward to learning more about Queen Nefertiti, who certainly was every bit as intriguing as Cleopatra, but of whom I know much less , although I’m learning.
Definitely recommended for any history buff who wants to read about two extraordinary women from ancient Egyptian history.
April 9, 2016
I really liked the intent of this book more than the execution. There was a lot of information and it was clearly researched as well as could be possible given the topics. It was also nice to see the even-handed but firm widening of both women's roles as more than "just a pretty face." On the other hand, a good proof-reading would have cleared up the arguments and flow as well as catching various grammar/spelling issues.
July 16, 2017
A decent book that does a good job of fleshing out the lives of two of histories more enigmatic queens. This is true for Cleopatra for whom there is a large volume of material on the times she lived in and the men ( Mark Anthony and Julius Caesar ) she famously involved with! Nefertiti does not fare as well in part because she lived do much further in the past and in part because of seclusive generations attempts to erase her and her husband Akheanaten from history Of necessity this portion of the book is more speculative and revolves her roll in the attempt to create the first monotheistic religion.
March 9, 2016
This is I think a good overview of both women. There's so much we don't know about either one of them though they were very important to history.
July 5, 2024
There is nothing wrong with this book, you get exactly what is advertised on the cover. If you're interested in the history of these two historical figures, go ahead and grab this.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews