Best Selling Books by Robert Graves

The Claudius Novels includes Robert Graves'' best known historical novels, I, Claudius and Claudius the God. In I, Claudius, Robert Graves begins the story of the limping, stammering young man who is suddenly thrust onto the throne after the death of Caligula. 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 Gaius Cornelius 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 safety and a monarchy, Graves'' Claudius is both more effective and more tragic than history typically remembers him. A best-selling novel and one of Graves'' most successful, I, Claudius has been adapted to television, film, theatre, and audio. In Claudius the God, Graves continues the story, detailing Claudius'' 13-year reign and his ultimate downfall. Painting the vivid, tumultuous, and decadent society of ancient Rome with spectacular detail, Robert Graves provides a tale that is both instructive and compelling, and difficult to put down for both casual readers and students of Roman history.

The author of Sergeant Lamb''s America continues the fictionalized account of an Irish soldier fighting for the British during the Revolutionary War. This is the second in a two-book series telling the story of Sgt. Roger Lamb, a non-commissioned officer in the British Army, who served in America during the American War of Independence. Captured with Gen. Johnny Burgoyne after the Battle of Saratoga, he made a daring escape and later served under General Cornwallis. Following closely to Sergeant Lamb''s personal memoirs, renowned poet, classicist, and novelist Robert Graves traces the sergeant''s harrowing time in the service, providing a compelling, only barely fictionalized eyewitness account of a crucial point in American history.

Robert Graves, classicist, poet, and unorthodox critic, retells the Greek legends of gods and heroes for a modern audience And, in the two volumes of The Greek Myths, he demonstrates with a dazzling display of relevant knowledge that Greek Mythology is “no more mysterious in content than are modern election cartoons.” His work covers, in nearly two hundred sections, the creation myths; the legends of the births and lives of the great Olympians; the Theseus, Oedipus, and Heracles cycles; the Argonaut voyage; the tale of Troy, and much more. All the scattered elements of each myth have been assembled into a harmonious narrative, and many variants are recorded which may help to determine its ritual or historical meaning, Full references to the classical sources, and copious indexes, make the book as valuable to the scholar as to the general reader; and a full commentary on each myth explains and interprets the classical version in the light of today’s archaeological and anthropological knowledge.

The well-known English poet & essayist here ventures his interpretations of the humoristic element in literature.

Robert Graves'' superb autobiography tells the story of his life at public school and as a young officer during the First World War.''It is a permanently valuable work of literary art, and indispensable for the historian either of the First World War or of modern English poetry ... Apart, however, from its expetional value as a war document, this book has also the interest of being one of the most candid self-portraits of a poet, warts and all, ever painted. Thesketches of friends lof Mr Graves, like T.E. Lawrence, are beautifully vivid'' Times Literary Supplement

Beginning his life-long affair with the Middle East, T. E. Lawrence—Lawrence of Arabia—made his first journey to the region, a four-month walking tour of Syria studying the Crusaders’ castles, while still a student at Oxford. He later returned to the area as an archeologist and at the outbreak of World War I was attached to British army intelligence in Egypt. In 1916 he set out on his greatest adventure. With no backing, Lawrence joined Arab forces facing almost insurmountable odds in a rebellion against Turkish domination. His brilliance as a desert war strategist made him a hero among the Arabs, a legendary figure throughout the world, and earned him the moniker Lawrence of Arabia. Lawrence, though, had a near-pathological dislike of publicity and, at the time Graves began writing this book, had begun a life of self-imposed obscurity as T. E. Shaw, an anonymous soldier in the RAF. First published in 1927, Robert Graves’s biography remains a unique study of T. E. Lawrence. As a close friend (Lawrence had earlier saved the aspiring poet from bankruptcy), Graves was the only biographer to write with Lawrence’s permission and cooperation, enabling Graves to bring to Lawrence and the Arabs the precision and insight that was necessary to separate the man from the myth. Seven Stories’ Robert Graves Project spans fourteen titles, and includes fiction and nonfiction, adult, young adult, and children’s books, in a striking new uniform design, with new introductions and afterwords. Lawrence and the Arabs joins our recent republication of The Reader Over Your Shoulder, Ann at Highwood Hall, The Golden Fleece, They Hanged My Saintly Billy, and Homer’s Daughter. Among the works still to come are Count Belisarius, Hebrew Myths, and Wife to Mr. Milton. The online partner for the Robert Graves Project is RosettaBooks.

"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

The Nazarene Gospel Restored is Robert Graves''s major work on the life of Jesus, written in collaboration with the distinguished Hebrew scholar Joshua Podro. The research and writing occupied them for over ten years, in a working relationship compounded, in John W. Presley''s phrase, ''of argument, scholarship and mutual respect'', in which the imaginative writer and the Hebraist drew on their vast knowledge of the ancient world to reveal an extraordinary new, ''true'' story of Jesus. The result is, as Graves wrote to T.S. Eliot, ''a very long, very readable, very strange book'', and one that Presley argues is as central to Graves''s thought as The White Goddess. The Nazarene Gospel Restored was controversial when first published: the Church Times refused to advertise it, reviews were hostile, and Graves twice sued for libel. In the twenty-first century it is possible to read it in the context of a continuing engagement with the historical Jesus, both scholarly and popular. In this new edition, John W. Presley gives a detailed account of the composition and reception of the book, setting it in the context of Graves''s writing and of biblical scholarship. The inclusion of Graves''s Foreword and annotations for a project revised edition make this an indispensable resource.

"King Jesus has been called one of the most controversial historical novels of all time. In it Robert Graves, author of I, Claudius and The White Goddess, has summoned his superb narrative powers, his painstaking scholarship, his wit and unsurpassed ability to re-create the past, to produce a magnificent portrayal of the life of Christ on earth."--Provided by publisher.

Illustrated Edition with 20 evocative illustrations Includes a clear and engaging summary Features a detailed characters list Contains a concise biography of Robert Graves Good-bye to All That is one of the most powerful and unforgettable war memoirs ever written—a raw, honest, and deeply human account of life before, during, and after the First World War. Written with sharp intelligence and understated emotion, Robert Graves traces his journey from the strict traditions of English public-school life to the brutal reality of the trenches. Stripped of glory and false heroism, the war emerges as a world of chaos, fear, loyalty, and loss, where survival itself feels miraculous. Graves’s voice—ironic, candid, and unflinchingly truthful—cuts through patriotic myth to reveal the personal cost of conflict. But this book is more than a war story. It is a farewell to an entire way of life: to inherited values, rigid social systems, and the illusions that shaped a generation and led it into catastrophe. With moments of dark humor, quiet reflection, and haunting clarity, Graves captures the emotional dislocation of returning from war to a society that can never fully understand what was endured. This beautifully prepared illustrated edition brings the memoir to life for modern readers. The carefully selected illustrations enhance the atmosphere of the era, while the included summary, character list, and author biography provide valuable context and deeper insight into both the book and its creator. A timeless classic of world literature, Good-bye to All That remains as relevant today as when it was first published—an essential read for lovers of history, memoir, and profoundly honest storytelling.

The author of I, Claudius reimagines the Trojan War for the young reader. "The writing is clear, straightforward, and, in places, poetic" ( Kirkus Reviews). The Iliad has it all: war, corruption, greed, power, and the passions of both gods and men. In this detailed retelling, Robert Graves draws the major characters of this timeless classic in broad, gritty strokes, making Agamemnon, Paris, Odysseus, and others accessible for young readers. Written with a younger audience in mind, The Siege and Fall of Troy is nevertheless exhaustively researched and compelling enough to be of interest to both students of history and adult readers. With humor, wit, and energy, Graves is expert at weaving a story based on exhaustive scholarly research and deep imaginative prowess.

A Survey of Modernist Poetry is a landmark exploration of early 20th-century literature, written by two of the most influential poetic minds of their time—Robert Graves and Laura Riding. This groundbreaking work examines the transformation of poetry during the modernist movement, revealing how language, form, and meaning were reshaped by a rapidly changing world. Through sharp analysis, thoughtful interpretation, and a deep understanding of poetic craft, the authors guide readers across major themes, stylistic innovations, and the philosophical shifts that defined modernist verse. The book uncovers the hidden structures of poetry, challenges conventional criticism, and encourages readers to see modernist works with fresh clarity. A Survey of Modernist Poetry remains an essential text for students, scholars, and lovers of literature—offering a powerful, insightful, and intellectually engaging journey into one of the most transformative eras in poetic history.

This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design. A landmark autobiography from 20th-century English author Robert Graves, "Good-Bye To All That: An Autobiography" offers a deeply personal and transformative firsthand account of the First World War from a British perspective. The title itself signals a profound farewell not just to his youth, but to an entire world shattered by conflict, chronicling a journey through the trenches that led to a powerful sense of disillusionment with the society he once knew. Graves''s loss of innocence and his struggle to find meaning in a post-war landscape create a timeless and universal story that continues to resonate with audiences today. As an unflinching and historically significant memoir, it remains essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the devastating impact of war on a generation and the immense personal cost of history.

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