DYNASTY The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar

Holland's sensationalistic, even profane, account of the first five Caesars takes all the scurrilous stories about the emperors at face value--but still gives insightful, thought-provoking takes on such notorious figures as Caligula and Nero. Narrator Derek Perkins's strong voice, clipped accent, and brisk pacing keep the narrative vivid and energetic. His reading makes the history into something between a news dispatch and a compelling novel--it's anything but dry--and he has the intelligence to deliver handily both the historical detail and Holland's interesting interpretations of character. He manages to carry off Holland's occasional use of four-letter words without discomfort. This is lurid popular history built on a solid intellectual frame, and Perkins has the gifts to handle all of it. W.M. [Published: JANUARY 2016]