Memoirs of Hadrian

Hadrian, Roman Emperor from 117 to 138, writes a letter to his successor Marcus Aurelius. The letter becomes a retelling of Hadrian's life, his triumphs and losses, enemies and lovers. It shares his beliefs and philosophies, that made him a mostly stabilising and constructive influence on the Roman Empire. The book is heavy on historical detail, yet it never reads like a slog. The words are all carefully chosen, and often ask for repeat reading to marvel at their beauty. You come out of it admiring this (fictionalised version of) Hadrian for all his strengths and faults.

The first-person prose of the letter and the beautiful constructed sentences that evoke an older Latin grammar must make this is marvel of an audio-book with the right narrator. The physical FSG paperback is a beauty itself, with the art prints of Roman sculptures mixed in, and even the feel of the cover.