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I, Claudius: From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius Born 10 B.C. Murdered and Deified A.D. 54 Audiobook
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(4.00) - 20,037 listener ratings
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One of the best historical novels ever written. Lame, stammering Claudius, once a major embarrassment to the Imperial family and now Emperor of Rome, writes an eyewitness account of the reign of the first four Caesars: the noble Augustus and his cunning wife Livia; the reptilian Tiberius; the monstrous Caligula; and finally old Claudius himself and his wife Messalina. Filled with poisonings, betrayal, and shocking excesses, I, Claudius is history that rivals the most exciting contemporary fiction.
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"Now that The King's Speech has entered the popular imagination I direct your attention to the most famous of stuttering imperialists, Tiberius Claudius, emperor of Rome. Graves' book was transformed to TV by BBC back in the 80's and it's beautiful in style and sentiment. Poor Claw Claw Claudius. He survived the abbatoir of the Julian era in Rome precisely because he was denigrated and disregarded as a stuttering spitting fool. He has no life until all the male heirs preceding and postceding him die by various violent ways and then becomes emperor, tasting the good life and some stability. Graves borrows heavily from Suetonius who never seems to find any woman virtuous or pleasant to be with for very long. Some of us stutterers have lives like that. The sequel is Claudius the God. Read I, Claudius. The television series is without peer."
— Timothy (5 out of 5 stars)
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“One of the really remarkable books of our day, a novel of learning and imagination, fortunately conceived and brilliantly executed.“
— New York Times
I, Claudius Listener Reviews
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Fjosephine Arrowood, 3/1/2018
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" Blood Blood, Murder, More Blood, More Murder...but told so matter-of-factly, that it's not gross. Just the times they were in. Whew! "
— Tanya, 2/17/2014 -
" Very enjoyable - difficult to put down at times! I think that's because it's almost gossipy in a way: you become hooked in fascination. I'll definitely read the second part and I might rewatch the TV series one day. "
— Bronwen, 2/17/2014 -
" This book, probably best known by the TV Series named after it (I, Claudius), is quite a good read to add a bit of drama and action to history of ancient Rome (for those who would like to know more about it but hesitate to read a history book); or just for those who loved Derek Jacobi's interpretation of Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus This-That-and-The-Other and want to check if the series is loyal to the book (which, as a matter of fact, is) "
— Miguel, 2/10/2014 -
" Claudius reminds me of a stuffy old british man, attempting to be noble although he knows it is for naught. "
— Lettie, 2/3/2014 -
" It is a great book. But I am challenged to say I liked it, as the account of Rome and it's ruling families is abhorrent and brutal. That I have an emotional reaction is a response to the great writing. Claudius is perfectly believable, the other characters are also. It's the subject itself, and it unremitting brutality that made it a brilliant but unenjoyable read for me. "
— Judy, 1/30/2014 -
" What an amazing book. Those treacherous fuckers. Loved every minute of it. Hardest part was remembering family ties, but Graves does well to toss in reminders. "
— Damion, 1/29/2014 -
" Excellent read. A lot of information on each page but it is written in a way that the information doesn't bog you down. Quite comical in parts! "
— Eimear, 1/28/2014 -
" Fascinating, detailed historical fiction about the life of Tiberius Claudius. "
— Geni, 1/27/2014 -
" Despite having a prose style I typically don't go for, I enjoyed every page of this book. I'm not sure who to refer it to, because much of my enjoyment derived from my love of ancient history. "
— Dan, 1/24/2014 -
" I wanted this book to be much better than it was. I'm a huge fan of the TV adaptation with Derek Jacobi, but the pacing of I, Claudius was difficult and annoying. "
— David, 1/19/2014
About Robert Graves
Robert Graves (1895–1985) was an English poet, translator, and novelist, one of the leading English men of letters in the twentieth century. He fought in World War I and won international acclaim in 1929 with the publication of his memoir of the First World War, Good-bye to All That. After the war, he was granted a classical scholarship at Oxford and subsequently went to Egypt as the first professor of English at the University of Cairo. He is most noted for his series of novels about the Roman emperor Claudius and his works on mythology, such as The White Goddess.
About the Narrators
Frederick Davidson (1932–2005), also known as David Case, was one of the most prolific readers in the audiobook industry, recording more than eight hundred audiobooks in his lifetime, including over two hundred for Blackstone Audio. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed for many years in radio plays for the British Broadcasting Company before coming to America in 1976. He received AudioFile’s Golden Voice Award and numerous Earphones Awards and was nominated for a Grammy for his readings.
Nelson Runger’s voice has been recorded in dozens of audio productions and won him two AudioFile Earphones Awards. His ability to convey difficult, scholarly material with eloquence and ease has earned him critical acclaim, including an AudioFile Best Voice in Biography & History for his reading of Nixon and Kissinger.