Robert Graves (1895–1985) was an English novelist, poet, and translator of classical Greek and Roman literature, and one of the most celebrated English writers of the 20th century. Graves published more than 140 novels and collections of poetry, groundbreaking analyses of Greek mythology, and a memoir. Graves is best known for his historical novels, which include I, Claudius, Claudius, the God, The Golden Fleece, King Jesus, and Count Belisarius.
Robert Graves served in combat during World War I and was gravely wounded at the Battle of the Somme. Following his recovery, he wrote several works of war poetry as well as a memoir of his time in combat, Goodbye to All That. In 1934, Robert Graves was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his historical novels that explain the life of the Roman Emperor Claudius. Among his books for young readers are Greek Gods and Heroes and The Siege and Fall of Troy. He dedicated Ann at Highwood Hall to two of his grandchildren, Georgina and David Graves.
The Iliad has it all: war, corruption, greed, power, and the passions of both gods and men. In this detailed retelling, Robert Graves draws the major characters of this timeless classic in broad, gritty strokes, making Agamemnon, Paris, Odysseus, and others accessible for young readers.
Written with a younger audience in mind, The Siege and Fall of Troy is nevertheless exhaustively researched and compelling enough to be of interest to both students of history and adult readers. With humor, wit, and energy, Graves is expert at weaving a story based on exhaustive scholarly research and deep imaginative prowess.
In Graves’ unique retelling of his life, Jesus is very much a mortal, and the grandson of King Herod the Great. When his father runs afoul of the King’s temper and is executed, Jesus is raised in the house of Joseph the Carpenter. The kingdom he is heir to, in this version of the story, is very much a terrestrial one: the Kingdom of Judea. Graves tells of Jesus’ rise as a philosopher, scriptural scholar, and charismatic speaker in sharp detail, as well as his arrest and downfall as a victim of pitiless Roman politics.
Bringing together his unparalleled narrative skill and in-depth expertise in historical scholarship, renowned classicist and historical novelist Robert Graves brings the story of Jesus Christ to life in a strikingly unorthodox way, making this one of the most hotly contested novels Graves ever wrote, and possibly one of the most controversial ever written. It provides a fascinating new twist to a well-known story, one that fans of this historical period are sure to love.
