Like most people, I knew who Antony and Cleopatra were before I started this book. In the introduction Adrian Goldsworthy notes that they are two out of a handful of people that are still remembered by many over 2,000 years after they lived. I was familiar with the history surrounding their lives based on other books I have read about the time period. Those books however were focused on Julius Caesar or Augustus. So I was interested in seeing how Goldsworthy would present the story with the focus on Antony and Cleopatra.
Goldsworthy did a good job of providing a better understanding of the Ptolemy dynasty than I had previously grasped. Goldsworthy also does a good job outlining the major events in the life of Antony. There doesn’t seem to be much discussion about Cleopatra from the time she met Caesar unless Antony is there.
At times the book seemed overly repetitive. It felt like there were far more variations of the following sentence than needed. “Cleopatra had become ruler of an expanded realm through Antony’s generosity. If he lost the war then she too might lose all that she had gained.”
If you are looking to gain a greater understanding of Antony and Cleopatra there is plenty to learn in this book.
Overall I enjoyed this book and would rate it 3 out of 5 stars.
Great literature should do more than entertain us. It should provide a roadmap to improving our lives.
In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens introduced readers to Sydney Carton, one of literature's most compelling and deeply flawed characters. Dickens also gives him an unusual title: the Jackal.
His struggles raise questions that remain relevant today.
Are we defined by our past mistakes? Can we overcome our weaknesses? What separates the people we are from the people we could become?
Lessons From the Jackal is a 25-day character study exploring these questions through Sydney Carton’s life, decisions, relationships, and personal development.
This is not a traditional course on A Tale of Two Cities. Our reading assignments will focus specifically on Carton, with sufficient background provided to understand his story. No previous knowledge of the novel is necessary.
Each day will feature selected readings, historical comparisons, reflection questions, discussions, and practical challenges ...
Lessons From the Jackal will return next week. Based on the first five days are there any thoughts you want to share? Are there any changes you would like to see? What do you like most about the course? What do you like least? Any feedback would be great as a finalize the next lessons in the series.
Five days ago, we began with a simple question: How do you measure potential?
Over the course of this week, Sydney Carton has challenged us to reconsider what potential really means.
We met a man whose careless appearance concealed remarkable intelligence. We watched him make observations that others overlooked, only to receive little recognition for his contributions.
We discovered a man who recognized in Charles Darnay a reflection of what he might have become, yet seemed unwilling or unable to pursue that possibility.
We examined his relationship with Mr. Stryver and considered what it means to become a jackal: someone who possesses the ability to contribute to another person’s success while neglecting the pursuit of his own.
Finally, we learned that Carton’s habits began long before his professional career. Even as a schoolboy, he devoted his abilities to completing the work of others while neglecting his own.
Carton attributes some of his disappointments to bad luck. Perhaps circumstances have indeed worked ...
