tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post7388599838286069531..comments2024-02-05T01:55:53.566-08:00Comments on Gently Mad: Cleopatra: a Life by Stacy SchiffSharon Wilfonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-60770956373088318182012-11-06T06:51:06.258-08:002012-11-06T06:51:06.258-08:00Briah: I agree with you about writers. Maybe it&...Briah: I agree with you about writers. Maybe it's so much in their head, the reality doesn't touch them. Perhaps they need to go to a contemporary nation that has despots leading it (e.g. North Korea) to develop some empathy. If you don't mind, I will add your link to my post.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-88918849274846095952012-11-06T01:45:04.511-08:002012-11-06T01:45:04.511-08:00Great commentary on this book Sharon!
I wrote ab...Great commentary on this book Sharon!<br /><br /> I wrote about it myself back in July (http://briansbabblingbooks.blogspot.com/2012/07/cleopatra-life.html). Though I emphasized different angles in my post, I think that your criticism of certain aspects of Schiff's bias is well reasoned and accurate. I do tend that not emphasizing reprehensible acts is an issue that many writers tend to display when writing about many historical figures especially leaders of nations.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-59156647730653935322012-11-05T19:09:04.887-08:002012-11-05T19:09:04.887-08:00It must be very hard to write a book where there i...It must be very hard to write a book where there is so little to go on. Like you, though, I liked the book, overall. If you don't mind I'll go ahead and add your link to my post.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-24816323346010857352012-11-05T12:49:41.838-08:002012-11-05T12:49:41.838-08:00I also liked this book (http://manoflabook.com/wp/...I also liked this book (<a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=1244" rel="nofollow">http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=1244</a>) but like you had some issues with it. Mainly the first 100 or so pages where there too many “maybe”, “we can guess…” and “probably” for a history book.<br /><br />I can understand the issues that Ms. Schiff had though, there are very little, if any, primary sources. Man of la Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11561603511163982556noreply@blogger.com