Augustus

In commenting upon the transformation of the Roman Republic into a great and glorious empire, John Buchan wrote: 'This book is an attempt to understand a little part of the mind of a great man ... Augustus, while he had able colleagues - and one of his gifts was his power to choose collaborators - he was always the master designer and the chief executant.' Buchan's study of Augustus, great nephew of Julius Caesar, is a descriptive and detailed biography. The author's admiration for his subject's creative mind and policies shine through this major historical account.