I’ve just finished a really delightful murder mystery by Steven Saylor, Roman Blood, which I found on Amazon.com when buying some writings by Cicero. (I’ve become more enthusiastic about Cicero since reading Anthony Everitt’s outstanding new biography, Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome’s Greatest Politician.) Saylor not only writes well, but his knowledge of the historical record and of the life of Marcus Tullius Cicero (who plays a central role) is remarkable. In addition to providing me an enjoyable diversion for the exercise bike at the gym, but he helped to bring the Roman world to life for me. And even better, he’s written a whole series, which I now have the chance to work through.
