Calumet City Public Library discussion

Cicero, by Anthony Everitt. This was a highly readable "Life and Times" of the great Roman lawyer and statesman, Cicero. Cicero was a crucial advocate for the Roman Republic, but the story of the book and the story of that time is really the story of the fall of the Republic, and thus, Cicero's failure to save it. There is quite a bit of information here on Cicero gleaned from his letters, especially his letters to Atticus, his good friend. The story of the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Caesars is in pretty good detail, as well. For someone who did not know the whole story of Cicero, there were some surprises; I won't spoil them. The writers of our Constitution and the founders of *our* Republic all studied Roman history, and this book is very helpful in explaining their reliance on it. A wonderful and accessible read.