I neglected to write on the passing of Colleen McCullough over the weekend. Many people remember her for The Thorn Birds, but her best work, in my opinion, was her Masters of Rome series, historical fiction about the latter days of the Roman Republic from Marius to shortly after Caesar’s assassination. It was a very well researched series, certainly much better than the dreadful Rome series that ran on HBO and was historically a rotten pile of crap! I was only able to watch the first few episodes. I know a guy, Tom Burns, who taught and wrote books about Roman history (and who also appeared as an expert on Rome on series on the Discovery Channel and the History channel) who felt the same way.
Anyway, if you want to read good historical fiction about the last days of the Roman Republic check out her series. The first two books are The First Man in Rome and The Grass Crown. She takes a few liberties with history, as most writers of historical fiction do, but it is prolly the most accurate historical fiction I have ever read. It’s certainly more accurate than Graves’, I Claudius. I also learned some things I didn’t know about the young Caesar. She really did her homework on this series and spent a lot of time researching the period.
This series is highly relevant today as we are in the last days of our republic. Just as politicians started ignoring the Roman Constitution in the late Republican Period of Rome, our politicians, of both parties, are doing the same altho’ the Dimocrats are more brazen about it. Obungler knows that any opposition to him will be deemed racist and is ignoring the Constitution and daring the Republicans to stop him. He knows Republicans won’t impeach him because if they do, he can play the victim and the race card. Those mean Republicans are racist for picking on the black dude.
But I digress. I turned my sister and her husband on to this series and we always looked forward to the next installment. McCullough said that she was gonna end the series with Caesar’s assassination, but then she came out with another book about the young Octavian and his meeting with his future wife, Livia.
Farewell Colleen. Thanks for the many hours I spent reading your Masters of Rome series.
Update: More here. Link from my sister.
As this guy pointed out, Marius was the first general to recruit his army from “the headcount” which were the peasants of Rome. The army used to be made up of citizens only who were responsible for their own arms and armor. By recruiting from the headcount and having the state or the general provide armor and weapons Marius started the process where the army pledged allegiance to the general rather than the state. That paved the way for Sulla taking over the Roman Empire with his army and later Caesar doing the same thing which turned the Roman Republic into a dictatorship with Caesar and later Augustus running things.
Could it happen here? Will our military honor the Constitution or will it support an ambitious general?
I will say that our fine military members would fight for the law of the land, not an ambitious general.
Spot-on Denny. I caught a bit of an obituary for Mrs McCullough, and it quoted her as saying that she believed her Roman books to be her best. Having seen your praise for them, I had best start collecting them – and add them to the pile of books that I will read if I ever get a long enough vacation.
I am confused by the term “historical fiction”. How does one separate the two? You said you learned things you didn’t know about young Caesar. Really? How do you know that those things weren’t fiction.
To me a book is either historical or fictional.
Historical fiction is fiction based on historical events. Graves’ I Claudius is a prime example. The author takes historical events and writes fiction about those events. What I learned about Caesar were facts about some of the things that happened during his youth that I had never heard before. Upon further research, I found that a lot of what she wrote was true. I’m rather aghast that you do not know what historical fiction is. When did you go to school? I realize our educational system has gone downhill but having to explain what historical fiction is to an adult (I assume you are one) makes me wonder what kind of an education you had. Didn’t they teach English literature when you went to school?
Is it possible to have any history without some fiction? Usually the interesting bits are the result of a competition (often a war) so who would dare write about the sad loss of the vanquished, and that they had been treated badly. (The fate of the Carthaginians might be an example).
If the author makes it clear that her or his work is ‘historical fiction’ then well and good; and it is probably a darned sight more readable than a history that strives only for accuracy.
And for those that are interested, I hear that the BBC is about to release a drama series based on “Wolf Hall”. (Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell, Thomas Moore – good names, what?) I have seen good reports.
I hope it’s better than The Tudors. That series started out well and then went off the rails when it started rewriting history. Just like the Rome series on HBO. The real history was so much better than what they changed it to.
Thank you so much, Denny. Before my nursing studies, I did the French B.A. We studied the Classical World in a rather dry manner (with nun’s censoring). And we translated Caesar’s De Bello Gallico as best as we could. Si vis pacem, para bellum (If you want peace, be ready for war) is what I remember the best of the glory that was Rome. Somehow “I, Claudius” which I watched on PBS did not increase my knowledge and satisfy my curiosity. Subsequently, my son gave me the Oxford History of the Classical World which really covers everything (and I mean everything) but with only one or two lines by name. It will be nice to enter Colleen’s Rome and put a bit of flesh into the story.
In second year Latin we read Caesar’s Gallic War. In third and fourth year, the students read Cicero and Virgil. I can’t remember what year was Cicero and what year was Virgil since I only took two years of Latin. I also took two years of French in high school and in college I took one year of Italian. I wonder if they even teach Latin in our gummint schools anymore? I am certainly glad I took Latin because it increased my English vocabulary and allowed me to understand English grammar better. For example, I know when to use “shall” (1st person singular and plural) and when to use “will” (2nd and 3rd person singular and plural). I also know the correct declension of pronouns which probably puts me in the top one percent of English speakers. Also Latin made it easier to learn French and Italian. Caesar’s Latin prose was so simple and direct in its eloquence. No wasted words from him. If I had a chance to have dinner with any historical figure it would be Caesar. He was a statesman and one of the best generals in history. What a mind he must have had. Augustus had his statesmanship but Augustus had to depend upon Agrippa and later the Claudians, Drusus, Tiberius and Germanicus to fight his wars for him.
Another talent (song writer, poet) bit the dust last week as well.
Rod McKuen croaked on Jan. 29th.
I remember him from because he was the “post-Beatnik era” icon for several hippie babes I was banging back in the 60’s & 70’s…..:)
Hard to believe today that, in my late thirties, I copied some of his poems in my notebook. RIP, Rod!
Denny,
I concur, Colleen McCullough`s Masters of Rome series is an excellent read . Historical work even with some liberty taken with timing has always been among my favorite reading material.
She had an amazing ability to weave a story reasonably true to historical fact which gave life to her novels making them books you hated to put down.
Being one consumed with reading lengthy historical novels, I have always appreciated that quality …Jame s A. Michener probably my all time favorite had that quality.
I sent my entire collection of his work to my daughter out in Denver who mus tread slow as I have never received them back.
Another fine writer of American history is Allan Eckert who wrote a series of novels about the American Frontier. His critically acclaimed novel “A Sorrow In Our Heart, The Life Of Tecumseh” is another example of a book you just do not want to set down .
Anyway my friend as long as you are on the mend & have time to dedicate to reading….maybe it is time to hit the Amazon book store.
Dudley1 – I loved Michener’s books, never so much for the stories, but for the huge historical canvas he painted of each state he wrote about, from Day One to the present moment. I thought if only someone would do that for some of our colourful Canadian Provinces, it would have helped us to love our country better. Let’s face it. Schoolteachers lack creativity and seldom bring History to life.
I think I have read all of Michener’s novels. I know I have most of them in my library. For most of his books he lived in the area that he wrote about. He would create a desk out of two sawhorses and a table and that’s where he put his typewriter to write.
Well, when we have a Senate who confirmed Fulbright Hearings Kerry as Secretary of State by a 94 Yea, 3 Nay (Cornyn R-TX, Cruz R-TX, and Inhofe R-OK), 1 Present (Kerry), and 2 absent vote, why would it be unthinkable for a General also confirmed by the Senate, to go rouge with a selection of public school indoctrinated?
Hey Denny,
I read Colleen books and they are very good, may she R.I.P. Another person that wrote good historical fiction was Newt Gingrich with his Civil War saga, basic premise of the story was that he brought Grant up 1 year earlier than it actually happened. Very good story.
Denny
Interesting life she led too. Country Aussie born but lived most of her adult life on Norfolk Island – 1400 km east of Oz
Greetings Claudia,
Yes, I agree with your comment about the impact a book written by Michener could have had for Canada.
As you know I spent many vacations up in La Verendrye located in Quebec. A beautiful place , one I enjoyed very much.
I always wondered were Michener to write one of his masterpieces about Canada just how he would have portrayed the activities of the French Voyagers who journeyed far beyond Quebec to the Western Provinces as well as much of the Mississippi drainage in America.
I was very surprised watching the program America Unearthed to see references about Pierre La Verendrye for whom La Verendrye park in Quebec was named.
Had James A. Michener lived longer I am sure he would have eventually written about Canada, after all he chose so many other sites around the world to write about. He was gifted with a real talent to bring history to life & a remarkable individual indeed..
Bonjour, Dudley1 – So good that you know of us and love us. You’re right about Michener. Actually, after I read “Chesapeake”, I was so impressed”, I nearly sent him a letter to ask him to write about our Acadians. So many of them were deported to American colonies. Somehow it also became American History, specially in New Orleans. He would have known well how to present that tragedy. I hope I’m putting the link properly. ….http://www.histori.ca/peace/page.do?pageID=275…
Ah! well, at least, we have many of his books to enjoy and learn from. I always felt he did not get proper recognition from the snobbish Literature Connoisseurs.
IBM used to have an education center in Washington DC. I attended a class there after reading Chesapeake and on one weekend I drove over to the Eastern Shore just to see the Choptank River and the sailboats the crabbers used that he mentioned in he book.
Like you I have either read or owned most Micheners works .
Chesapeake…While I never gazed on the ChopTank , on a business trip over a few libations I listened to a spirited discussion “argument” from several eastern shore residents over what real island the mythical Devon Island was based on. For all I know the discussion still rages.
It is hard to say which of his novels is my favorite . I know “The Covenant” was quite a tale & one I have revisited from time to time.