Radar is committed to all forms of art and entertainment and as such, will pick one book as a reading recommendation every week. This week Radar’s “Lit” pick is “Augustus” by John Williams.

Courtesy of Viking Press
Courtesy of Viking Press

John Williams has had a bright resurgence this past year, with the reissuance of three of his finest novels by the New York Review of Books. His novel “Augustus” is a brilliant piece of historical fiction, which recounts the life of Augustus Caesar as he moves from boyhood into youth and adulthood, becoming one of the most powerful dictators in Roman history. Told in turns by fictional letters, dispatches and memoirs written by Caesar’s contemporaries, this novel fascinatingly brings to life the political intrigues of ancient Rome. Williams’ novel is a moving examination of power and its effect on a singular individual.