My Next Book Pick - Cleopatra: A Life
I just started reading a really enjoyable new book on my Sony Reader, Cleopatra: A Life, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff. If you weren’t able to join me for my last book pick, you really shouldn’t miss this one. Cleopatra was the last queen of Egypt more than 2,000 years ago and many of us think we know her from our studies in school or from watching a certain Hollywood drama. But, Schiff brings to light an extraordinary and powerful woman, living in the lavish city of Alexandria. Her descriptions are detailed and vivid throughout the book. One clearly envisions wide avenues, ornately carved columns, and intricately woven silk awnings. Reading about a banquet in which there was a knee-deep expanse of roses, you can almost detect their fragrance.
Cleopatra became a queen at 18 and was a brilliant ruler in her own right. At the height of her power, she controlled nearly the entire eastern Mediterranean coast. Cleopatra’s story is filled with intrigue – illegitimate children, incestuous marriages, and murder of family members. It’s also filled with seduction – she was, after all, mistress to both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. And it’s also a story of incredible power and immeasurable wealth. Cleopatra: A Life is wonderful.
For the next few days Sony is offering $30 off the Reader Pocket Edition. Please read along with me at tweet your thoughts about the book using the special hash tag #booksimreading.
1 The cover of Cleopatra: A Life - as seen on my Sony Reader
2 This book got me thinking of my visit to Egypt in 1996 with some friends and my nieces and nephews. Here I am riding through the Saqqara Desert on a camel.
3 The camel saddle takes some getting used to and the camel's strange gait is jostling at first, however, once you settle in, it's quite an enjoyable ride.
4 We viewed these ancient hieroglyphics in Luxor dating from Cleopatra's time.
5 We rode by horseback through the Valley of Giza where the Great Pyramids of Khufu or Cheops, Kafhre and Menkaura are located. Each Pyramid is a tomb dedicated to a different king of Egypt.
6 Unfortunately, the Pyramids of Menkaura, Khufu, and Kafhre were not finished by the end of each respective king's reign. You can see part of the Sphinx to the left.
7 I felt like Cleopatra aboard this felucca, a traditional wooden sailing boat, which we spent a night on sailing on the Nile.
8 Because it was New Year's Eve, we had a celebration and I dressed as a new, vogue Cleopatra.
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Martha, is there anything you haven't done, or anywhere you haven't been?
Wait!!...I know something...you haven't been to visit me, at my shack.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | December 13th, 2010 at 12:20 am
Love the pics of Martha on camel's back. A sister just returned from Egypt. http://twitter.com/Geotravel
Posted by: may georgina delory | December 13th, 2010 at 12:40 am
I love a good biography and this sounds perfect. Lately, I have been taping your show; it helps me relax when I get home from work. Tha
nk you for creating such a fun and informative program. I always share what. I have learned with friends and family. Thank you for helping to bring beauty, thoughtfulness and fun to my life and to those around me.
Posted by: Kathryn Karney | December 13th, 2010 at 1:00 am
Love those vintage glamorous photos of you and this seems to be a great time of year to look through them. Books are my passion and collecting them clutters up my mind and my home. Schiff seems to have been able to write a most interesting book about a powerful woman of a most important time..
Posted by: ann | December 13th, 2010 at 4:05 am
We had a great visit to Egypt this year. We spent two weeks working with people living in Cairo's city dump and remodeled the apartments of six widowed mothers near there. Afterwards we toured the pyramids and went to Luxor.
Posted by: Jay | December 13th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Thanks for the suggestion! History teaches us lessons. NYC looks so wonderful for the holidays. I attended many events for PA Society gathering at the Waldorf Astoria over the weekend. The lobby is decorated for the holidays as is so much of the city. I brought your lemon pound cake from your Baking Handbook to my host as a gift. I love that recipe. Planning to bake from the Holiday issue over the next 12 days. Enjoy the 12 days of Christmas!
Posted by: Teresa Touey | December 13th, 2010 at 10:35 am
The one piece of the story I always find so astonishing is how advanced Egypt was in terms of women’s rights and overall power. It’s true that Cleopatra stands out as the sole female of the ancient world to rule completely on her own – but it was not rare to have female leaders in Egypt – 2000 years before American women were even given the right to vote! Egyptian women could own property, run businesses, and even initiate a divorce without losing her rights, financial security or children. Love this book pick Martha!!!
Posted by: Amy Caplan | December 13th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Hi Martha,
I love the flowery blouse with the plain sleeves that you’re wearing on the show today! It looks great on you and those are all of your colors too. You might need to give us the source like you did with the blue one with the darker blue cuffs.
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I read a little bit about your trip to Egypt but it is much better to see the corresponding pictures. You are so adventurous – my son is just like you and I’m the complete opposite. Now that he is grown he can do his own thing but he wore me out when he was younger. Let’s do this, do that, go here, go there! I wonder if it has anything to do with being a Leo! Lol
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Enjoy your book but I am Sony Reader-less and will have to be content with all of the comments. Trish
Posted by: Trish | December 13th, 2010 at 11:25 am
Hi Martha, Thanks for this very interesting, fascinating blog post about a new book about Cleopatra. I've always thought of her as an interesting person, but I've never read a book about her. Would it be possible to add an app for this book on my new iPad? How much does a book app cost? Thanks for sharing your fantastic photos of your trip to Egypt in 1996. You looked fantastic! It's finally a little dry here in the Puget Sound area after having about 7 and 1/2 inches of rain since December 7th. Have a great day! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | December 13th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Martha, thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | December 13th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
The cover picture does intrigue the potential reader for sure. It is far from the familiar Cleopatra sketches. There is intrigue just in how Stacy Schiff was able to research and report Cleopatra's life.
Enjoy the story. I will be unable to participate unless it were to show up in paperback at a used book store.
Posted by: Margie | December 13th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
I was very interested in reading Schiff's book on Cleopatra, but was going to wait to borrow it from the library. Then I received a wonderful Christmas of a Barnes and Noble gift card and purchased the physical book. I also brought the book "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" that I have been wanting to read for months. Thanks for the book club and the great photos of your trip to Egypt.
Posted by: Sheri D. Maple | December 15th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Everything about egypt sounds just wonderful! My children love to look through the egypt book from the MET. We would love to go one day! The books sounds like an excellent read!
Posted by: julainn marchant | December 17th, 2010 at 11:58 am
Miss viewing your program daily. Do not get Hallmark channel. I wonder how many others are in same situation?
Posted by: Diane | January 1st, 2011 at 11:02 pm
Great recommendation! I am intrigued by the exploration of the different Cleopatra myths and the debunking of many of them.
Jan, I have my kindle synched to my iPad so I can read my downloaded books on both. It was super easy to set up. Have a look in the app store. Also, my local public library offers a huge selection of downloads for many devices and computers. Be sure to check that option!
Posted by: Darcy | January 4th, 2011 at 10:45 pm
Martha, was just able to start viewing your show again the last week of December. Enjoyed the show today. Trying to do the 4 week action plan with whole living we will see how it goes. Also, now participating in the Cleopatra read starting today! Thanks for sharing. -KB
Posted by: KLBrown | January 5th, 2011 at 2:19 am
I have just recently aquired Mark Twains new book, his Autobiograpgy that was to be published 100 years after his death. I understand it's to be published in 3 volumns...thing is, the next book I understand Mr. Twain doesn't want published for yet another 25 years...
I must say, he certinally knew how to make the public clammer for his work...and if I know anything about him at all, he certinally must be rolling in his grave with laughter right now...Well done Mr. Twain
Posted by: Donna Lakomski-D'Angelo | January 6th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
I heard the author speak about this book on NPR and now that it is book pick, I am definitely going to pick it up. Don't yet have a reader, but I'm hoping to get one soon. I love to read historical novels, and this one sounds like a must-read!
Posted by: Cyndi G. | January 10th, 2011 at 1:20 am
Definitely happy to be reading this book along with your reading group, Martha. Thank you for setting this up! Many interesting aspects to the book, of which I've read the first few chapters so far. I find it very interesting to see the emphasis on rhetoric and elocution in Cleopatra's education. I wish that emphasis existed in our schools!
Posted by: BJ Robinson | January 10th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
I enjoy reading Cleopatra, however there is a book out there titled, "Cleopatra's Daughter" By Michele Moran. She writes about what she believes happened to Cleopatra's daughter Kleopatra Selene and her twin brother Alexander.
In real life Cleopatra did have twins who were brought to Rome to live. Excellent reading. Her other books "Nefertiti" and the "Heretic Queen" explore ancient Egypt and the lives of Pharohs.
Posted by: Yolanda | January 20th, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Martha, There's a traveling art show called Cleopatra:The search for the last queen of Egypt . I'm excited, it just left Philadelphia.It will be in Cincinnati Oh Feb 18 through Sept 5. If you've never been the Cincinnatti Museum Ctr, it's really swell, a great building.
Glad you're healing . Be careful.
Vicki F
Posted by: Vicki F | January 25th, 2011 at 1:32 am
Great posts; but for anyone who is interested in writing a book especially a romance novel here is a link from http://twitter.com/Geotravel http://wp.me/pDQWN-9A p.s. I hope to see you in Toronto this spring for your special talk.
Posted by: may georgina delory | January 27th, 2011 at 10:49 am
I am reading Cleopatra now. What a remarkable and intelligent woman. Actually one of the reasons I bought the book was due to your recommendation. But then again I listen to the great courses series about the history of Egypt.
Thank you
bnoureldin
Posted by: Barbara Noureldin | January 30th, 2011 at 11:30 pm
I have been following Cleopatra for 10 years - when my pearl business allowed me an opportunity to listen to a lecture on her life at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. That lecture changed my way of thinking about what most probably happened 2000 years ago when Christian religion was established.
It is probable that Christ was a descendant of Cleopatra who had Roman blood (from Julius Caeser or Mark Anthony) and was born in Israel (Bethania at the time)
Cleopatra modeled herself after the Goddess Isis (Goddess of Love) and was one of the only women to have access to the documents that were stored in the Alexandria Library - which was burnt down during her reign). She wrote in Greek (they now have uncovered samples of her handwriting). The dead sea scrolls were written in Greek around that time. Her mother was from Ethiopia -so was one of the wisemen, her son (from Mark Anthony) was eventually King of Syria, Her daughter was Queen of Crete. Her face is seen on gold coins from that era and Frankincense was her favorite perfume.
The ancient Egyptians knew that the balance between male and female was important to achieve a peaceful civilization. The Pagan method of ruling with many Gods (today - we might call these "Gods/Goddesses" simply experts in their field of knowledge - doctors, scientists)..made more sense that the current ideology of "One powerful God". For the last 2,000 years the "one God" theory has only invited dissent and fighting among countries who want to use religion to further the political ambitions of one person's vision.
I believe the more we can find out about her and spread the word - the faster we can bring about peace and prosperity without further damaging the planet. The Egyptians knew how to build without using electricity. They used sun, wind...human force to build and grow food. Maybe it is time to have more Gods and Goddesses running the world.
Thank you Martha for bringing this topic to your blog.
Posted by: sherri bourdage | March 14th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Dear Martha-
I have always heard/read, whatever, that Egypt is probably the most progressive of Middle-Eastern countries when it comes to woman's rights. Perhaps this may explain Cleopatria's rise even back then? However, how odd that she was empowered beyond her borders when women of the region have been and continue to be so grossly oppressed? Interesting. Is that a testament of her prowess or just some oddity. Even the U.S., the cradle of women's fight for their rights, has not had a female leader in the White House yet. Perhaps she was simple empowered by her birthright and the people responded to social status and not gender? I don't know just a thought.
Posted by: Teri | January 30th, 2013 at 12:43 pm