Best Selling Books by Robert Graves

“One of the really remarkable books of our day”—the story of the Roman emperor on which the award-winning BBC TV series was based (The New York Times). Once a rather bookish young man with a limp and a stammer, a man who spent most of his time trying to stay away from the danger and risk of the line of ascension, Claudius seemed an unlikely candidate for emperor. Yet, on the death of Caligula, Claudius finds himself next in line for the throne, and must stay alive as well as keep control. Drawing on the histories of Plutarch, Suetonius, and Tacitus, noted historian and classicist Robert Graves tells the story of the much-maligned Emperor Claudius with both skill and compassion. Weaving important themes throughout about the nature of freedom and safety possible in a monarchy, Graves’s Claudius is both more effective and more tragic than history typically remembers him. A bestselling novel and one of Graves’ most successful, I, Claudius has been adapted to television, film, theatre, and audio. “[A] legendary tale of Claudius . . . [A] gem of modern literature.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

This ancient biographical history of Roman rulers from Julius Caesar to Domitian is translated by the acclaimed classicists and author of I, Claudius. As personal secretary to Emperor Hadrian, the second century scholar Suetonius had unlimited access to the Roman Imperial archives. Drawing on this wealth of source material, he wrote a sweeping account of the lives of Rome’s first twelve emperors. From the empire’s most accomplished leaders, such as Julius Caesar and Augustus, to its most depraved and doomed rulers, such as Caligula and Nero, this ancient biographical study presents an enlightening and colorful picture of these historical figures from remote antiquity. This edition of The Twelve Caesars is translated from the Latin by the renowned classicist, historian, and historical novelist Robert Graves. With his expertise in classical history and talent for telling a lively story, Graves presents an excellent translation that makes this classic work accessible to modern audiences

“Both the knowledge of a scholar and the imagination of a poet are brought to bear upon Jesus as child, boy, and man. . . . A bold speculative adventure” (Harold Brighouse, Manchester Guardian). In Robert Graves’s unique retelling, Jesus is very much a mortal and the grandson of King Herod the Great. When his father runs afoul of the king’s temper and is executed, Jesus is raised in the house of Joseph the Carpenter. The kingdom he is heir to, in this version of the story, is very much a terrestrial one: the Kingdom of Judah. Graves tells of Jesus’s rise as a philosopher, scriptural scholar, and charismatic speaker in sharp detail, as well as his arrest and downfall as a victim of pitiless Roman politics. Bringing together his unparalleled narrative skill and in-depth expertise in historical scholarship, renowned classicist and historical novelist Robert Graves brings the story of Jesus Christ to life in a strikingly unorthodox way, making this one of the most hotly contested novels Graves ever wrote—and possibly one of the most controversial ever written. It provides a fascinating new twist to a well-known story, one that fans of this historical period are sure to love. “This is not reading for the easily shocked; it definitely presents Jesus as a sage and a [poet], if not divine. It moves, as does all Mr. Graves’ writing, at a brilliant fast pace, and with a tremendous style.” —Kirkus Reviews

An accessible anthology of the greatest ancient Greek myths and legends for readers of all ages by the celebrated classicist and historical novelist. According to the myths, gods and goddesses of ancient Greece lived on Mount Olympus and ruled the world of mortals. Famous heroes shaped the course of history, beautiful women drew the gazes of gods and men alike, and the gods were both fickle in their favors and breathtakingly generous to those they smiled upon. From Midas’s tragic gift to the exploits of Hercules and the curse of Pandora, Robert Graves brings the legends of ancient Greece to life in a way that’s sure to appeal to everyone; from children to adults, and from casual readers to serious scholars. “Directly told, with no attempt to oversimplify them, a good deal of the symbolism and the association with the pattern of ancient Greece survives.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review).

The real story of T. E. Lawrence’s life as told by the author of I, Claudius. “A combination of history, biography, and . . . an amazingly human tale” (Boston Evening Transcript). Immortalized in the film Lawrence of Arabia, the real T. E. Lawrence was a leader, a war strategist, and a scholar, and is here immortalized in an intimate biography written by his close friend, the award-winning British novelist, poet and classicist Robert Graves. As a student at Oxford, T. E. Lawrence was fascinated with Middle Eastern history and culture, and underwent a four-month visit to Syria to study the fortifications built by the crusaders. Later, he returned to the region, this time as an archaeologist working with the British Army’s Intelligence unit in Egypt during World War I. From there, in 1916, he joined Arab rebels fighting against Turkish domination. His brilliance as a desert war tactician earned him the respect of the Turkish fighters and worldwide renown. “Interesting and informative.” —New York Herald Tribune “[Mr. Graves] has done his job admirably and without any too obvious excesses of hero worship.” —New Statesman “[Readers] will consult Mr. Graves for information about this man.” —The New Republic

This work examines poetry from a psychological point of view.

"Over the Brazier" is a great work by Robert graves. The book entails numerous wonderful poems with great insight interested personnel in war poetry will give high regard to many of them for the perspective they give of the first world war.

"The objects of this autobiography, written at the age of thirty-three, are simple enough: an opportunity for a formal good-bye to you and to you and to you and to me and to all that; forgetfulness, because once all this has been settled in my mind and written down and published it need never be thought about again; money". Thus begins Robert Graves''s classic 1929 autobiography with its searing account of life in the trenches of the First World War; and yet this opening passage, together with much significant material, has been unavailable since 1957, when a middle-aged Graves totally revised his text, robbing it of the painfully raw edge that had helped to make it an international bestseller. By 1957 major changes in his private life had taken place. Graves was no longer living with the American poet Laura Riding, under whose influence and in whose honor the original had been written. By cutting out all references to Riding, by deleting passages which revealed the mental strains under which he had labored, and by meticulously editing the entire text, Graves destroyed most of what had made it so powerful but also removed it from the only context in which it could be fully understood. We are pleased to offer the original 1929 edition on the occasion of Graves''s 100th anniversary, edited and annotated by Robert Graves''s nephew and biographer, whose lucid introduction greatly enhances its value.

Swashbuckling historical fiction from the author of I, Claudius. “A cleverly balanced mixture of spice, fact, humor and adventure on and off the high seas” (Kirkus Reviews). Set in the Age of Exploration, The Islands of Unwisdom tells the story of the ill-fated Don Álvaro de Mendaña y Neyra, a Spanish explorer set on finding the Solomon Islands, the mythical source of King Solomon’s vast wealth. Driven by greed, ambition, and lust, Don Alvaro and his wife, the beautiful and dangerous Ysabel, lead a crew of adventurers beyond the horizon in search of the wealth of their wildest dreams. However, that’s not exactly what they find. In the hands of master historical novelist, classicist, and poet Robert Graves, this tale offers a fascinating look at a brutal and bloody era, and insights into the reasons for Spain’s failure to ultimately dominate world exploration during this time.

Examines the language of ancient Celtic and Mediterranean poetic myths, probing the role of the all-encompassing female figure, the White Goddess, in the earliest forms of poetry.

In this sequel to I, Claudius, the story of the Roman Emperor—on which the award-winning BBC TV series was based—continues . . . In I, Claudius, Robert Graves began the story of the limping, stammering young man who is suddenly thrust onto the throne after the death of Caligula. In Claudius the God, Graves continues the story, detailing Claudius’s thirteen-year reign and his ultimate downfall. Painting the vivid, tumultuous, and decadent society of ancient Rome with spectacular detail, Graves provides a tale that is instructive, compelling, and difficult to put down for both casual readers and students of Roman history.

Translated from the Latin by the poet and author of I, Claudius, this ancient Roman novel follows the many adventures of a man who transforms into an ass. Driven by his all-consuming curiosity, a young man of good parentage named Lucius Apuleius takes a trip to Thessaly. Along the way, amidst a series of bizarre adventures, he inadvertently offends a priestess of the White Goddess, who promptly turns him into an ass. How Lucius responds to his new misfortune, and ultimately finds a way to become human again, makes for a funny and fascinating tale. The Metamorphosis of Apuleius, referred to by St. Augustine as The Golden Ass, is the oldest novel written in Latin to survive in its entirety. Originally written by Lucius of Patrae, this translation by Robert Graves highlights the ribald humor and vivid sense of adventure present in the original. Providing a rare window into the daily lives of regular people in ancient Greece, Robert Graves’s translation of this classic tale is at once hilarious, informative, and captivating.

A collection of essays by the author of "The White Goddess," linked together by some common assumptions regarding the nature of poetry. The title of the book, according to the writer, "is shorthand for saying that the popular view of what poetry is, or ought to be, has for centuries been based on sentimental misapprehensions."

The author of I, Claudius puts his own twist on the myth of the Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece: “A tour de force . . . A richly tapestried epic” (Kirkus Reviews). An inventive reimagining of the story of Jason and the Argonauts, this novel by renowned poet and classicist Robert Graves brings heroic figures of Hellenistic myth to life. Graves’s Jason is belligerent, energetic, and full of life, and the society Graves builds for him is outlandish and deeply invested in ancient cults. Against this primitive, religious backdrop, the charismatic Jason assembles a crew and sets out to retrieve the sacred gold-trimmed fleece that is sacred to Zeus, and that has been stolen by worshippers of the Triple Goddess. Accompanying him is Hercules, a brave warrior known more for his brawn, and his astonishingly good luck, than his brains. Robert Graves builds a compelling world that sets Hellenistic magic and mystery in a surprisingly gritty, realistic setting, a fascinating read for fans of Greek mythology. “A witty historical novel with much insider’s lore on cult and ritual.” —The New York Review of Books “Richly readable, thoroughly classical yet individually interpreted, this is a labor of love important to students, culture-seekers and readers.” —Library Journal

This “vigorous tale” by the acclaimed author of I, Claudius captures the sixth century fall of the Byzantine Empire as seen through the eyes of a servant (Kirkus Reviews). Threatened by invaders on all sides, the Eastern Roman Empire of the sixth century fought to maintain its borders. Leading its defense was the Byzantine general Belisarius, a man who earned the grudging respect of his enemies, and who rose to become Emperor Justinian’s greatest military leader. Loosely based on Procopius’s History of the Justinian Wars and Secret History, this novel tells the Belisarius’s story through the eyes of Eugenius, a eunuch and servant to the general’s wife. It presents a compelling portrait of a man bound by a strict code of honor and unrelenting loyalty to an emperor who is intelligent but flawed, and whose decisions bring him to a tragic end. Eminent historical novelist and classicist Robert Graves presents a vivid account of a time in history both dissolute and violent, and demonstrates one again his mastery of this historical period. “A brilliant piece of scholarship.” —Kirkus Reviews “The scope of the book is massive—encompassing religious controversy and cultural developments as well as military history—yet, throughout, Graves succeeds in blending historical details with the development of his main characters.” —Historical Novel Society

An entertaining tirade against the perceived iniquities of the trade anthology. A statement of poetic integrity, it poses awkward questions about the production and consumption of art in the mass markets of twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Though he lived most of his life in the remote village of Deya on the island of Mallorca, Robert Graves (1895--1985) was conversant with the most important issues of this century and was acquainted with many of the most powerful people. Jorge Luis Borges called him ""a soul above."" Graves wrote almost restlessly on subjects of great diversity: myths of the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and Celts; modern science and economics; contemporary society and culture as well as of ancient Greece and Rome, of Celtic Wales and Ireland, of the time of Milton, and of the American Revolution. He was a poet of great fame, a celebrated writer of historical novels, and the man who imprinted the name and identity of the White Goddess upon the cultural language. His translations of Latin classics have been applauded; his recastings of Biblical and Persian texts attracted irascible attention from scholars. Throughout his long and productive life, whether he was talking with Virginia Woolf, Peter Quenell, Jorge Luis Borges, Alan Sillitoe, Edwin Newman, or Gina Lollobrigida, the voice of Graves remained clear and distinct--attracting and repelling a variety of interviewers with its surety. His Books-Goodbye to All That; The White Goddess; I, Claudius; and King Jesus-preserve his literary art. The conversations in this collection keep alive his presence and passion.

“The best book on writing ever published” (Patricia T. O’Conner, author of Woe Is I). When Robert Graves and Alan Hodge decided to collaborate on this manual for writers, the world was in total upheaval. Graves had fled Majorca three years earlier at the start of the Spanish Civil War, and as they labored over their new project, they witnessed the fall of France and the evacuation of Allied forces at Dunkirk. Soon the horror of World War II would reach British soil as well, as the Luftwaffe began bombing London in an effort to destroy the resolve of the English people. Graves and Hodge believed that at a time when their whole world was falling apart, the survival of English prose sentences—of writing that was clear, concise, and intelligible—had become paramount if hope were going to outlive the onslaught. They came up with forty-one principles for writing, the majority devoted to clarity, the remainder to grace of expression. They studied the prose of a wide range of noted authors and leaders, finding much room for improvement. Successful communication could mean the difference between war and peace, life and death, and they were determined to contribute to its survival. The importance of good writing continues today, as obfuscation, propaganda, manipulative language, and sloppy standards are all too common—and this classic guide is just as useful and important as ever. Note: This edition restores the full, original 1943 text. “To see what really expert mavens can do in applying their rule-based expertise to clearing up bad prose, get hold of a copy of The Reader Over Your Shoulder.” —The Atlantic

"There was no patriotism in the trenches. It was too remote a sentiment, and rejected as fit only for civilians. A new arrival who talked patriotism would soon be told to cut it out. As Blighty, Great Britain was a quiet, easy place to get back to out of the present foreign misery, but as a nation it was nothing." This is the original version of Robert Graves''s intense memoir of the First World War, restoring this raw, emotionally truthful, darkly comic work to the way it was first written, by a young man still reeling from the trenches. ''We see the dark heart of the book even more clearly, and hear it beating even more loudly, in this original edition than we do in the comparatively careful and considered terms of the later one'' Andrew Motion ''One of the most candid self-portraits, warts and all, ever painted'' TLS

"The Odyssey has been described as a ''women''s'' epic, full of female characters and different in kind and colour from the Iliad with its tight focus and its largely male world. Graves''s Nausicaa is a brilliant story-teller. She is a princess of mixed ancestry, combining in herself the various cultures that inform the language and folklore of the epic. She lives in a Greek-Trojan settlement in Sicily some time after the Trojan War. Graves makes it possible for us to believe that she tells her own, true story, buried within Homer''s epic. There is adventure and intrigue; the book stands near the beginning of a tradition that includes Leonardo Sciascia''s The Council of Egypt and Umberto Eco''s The Name of the Rose. Nausicaa is smart and resilient. She solves the mystery of her brother''s disappearance, then organises a counterplot, recalling Odysseus''s bloody, triumphal return to Ithaca."--BOOK JACKET.

This is a collection of Robert Graves'' essays, written between 1922 and 1972, on areas of culture which engaged him. They are organized around the thematic categories of literature, history and religion. The collection chronicles Graves'' intellectual development by presenting the essays chronologically to show how ideas begin and evolve over half a century. At the same time, the essays demonstrate his eclectic knowledge over a vast range of topics and confirm not only his insights, but also his humour and famous leaps of logic.

The I, Claudius author’s “lightning sharp interpretations and insights . . . are here brought to bear with equal effectiveness on the Book of Genesis” (Kirkus Reviews). This is a comprehensive look at the stories that make up the Old Testament and the Jewish religion, including the folk tales, apocryphal texts, midrashes, and other little-known documents that the Old Testament and the Torah do not include. In this exhaustive study, Robert Graves provides a fascinating account of pre-Biblical texts that have been censored, suppressed, and hidden for centuries, and which now emerge to give us a clearer view of Hebrew myth and religion than ever. Venerable classicist and historian Robert Graves recounts the ancient Hebrew stories, both obscure and familiar, with a rich sense of storytelling, culture, and spirituality. This book is sure to be riveting to students of Jewish or Judeo-Christian history, culture, and religion.

First published in the 1400s, these classic tales of King Arthur, Camelot, and adventures of the Knights of the Round Table are translated and presented in this edition that features a new introduction written by Nobel Prize nominee Robert Graves (I, Claudius).

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "The Feather Bed" by Robert Graves. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.