It was also recommended by people who know my taste as well as those who dont, seemingly by the world of book lovers itself, by some of my most literary and wellread friends, by my mother. The secret history by stephanie thornton overdrive rakuten. A novel of empress theodora is an outstanding novel. A novel of empress theodora by stephanie thornton synopsis. The secret history portrays the great lawgiver justinian as a rampant king of corruption and tyranny, the empress theodora as a sorceress and whore, and the brilliant general belisarius as the pliable dupe of his scheming wife antonina. Read the secret history a novel of empress theodora by stephanie thornton available from rakuten kobo.
This acclaimed book by stephanie thornton is available at in several formats for your ereader. Scholars have recognised for some time the important position that the genre. In sixthcentury constantinople, one woman, theodora, defied every convention and all the odds and rose from, isbn 9780451417787 buy the the secret history. Magnificently hyperbolic and highly opinionated, the secret history is a work of explosive energy, depicting holy byzantium as a hell of murder and misrule. Secret history, byzantine and modern greek studies 11 1987 215 221. Throughout the wars, procopius compliments justinian for his. Theodora, byzantine empress known for her intelligence and political acumen. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app.
Download the secret history a novel of empress theodora ebook for free in pdf and epub format. Empress of byzantium from the worlds largest community of readers. On the other hand, secret history by the same historian, shows her as a shrewd and mean queen who used her sexuality to control the emperor. The secret history download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Historical novel society thorntons wellconceived and engrossing tale exalts a historical figure of. Michelle diener, author of the emperors conspiracy if there is one book you choose to read on ancient times, let it be the secret history. Theodora was an eastern roman empress by marriage to emperor justinian. I have long been fascinated by the woman, and even have a photo of the famous ravenna murals of her and her husband, emperor justinian, on my office wall at home. This historical novel is set in constantinople during justinians reign. For more than seventy years, penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the englishspeaking world. The main source of information on theodoras life comes from a manuscript called the wars of justinian, written by procopius, an historian, who. To begin however, it is his attacks on the empress theodora that will be examined, as the secret history is without doubt an assault upon her character and her. You never know what you can achieve so long as you never stop trying. The secret history by stephanie thornton tells a fictionalized account of the eventful life of empress theodora of byzantium.
According to procopius, in his secret history theodora followed her sister. Where theodora went, trouble followed in sixth century constantinople, one woman, theodora, defied every convention and all the odds, and rose from being a common theater tart to become empress of a great kingdom, the most powerful woman the. The woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was a scrappy, clever, conniving, fleshandblood woman full of. Author stephanie thornton does not disappoint as her book the secret history. A novel of empress theodora stephanie thorntons theodora is tough and intelligent, spitting defiance against the cruel world of the byzantine empire. Theodora was said to have had one particularly lurid routine involving geese. Where theodora went, trouble followed in sixthcentury constantinople, one woman, theodora, defied every convention and all the odds and rose from common theater tart to empress of a great kingdom, the most powerful woman the roman empire would ever know.
A historical novel, about theodoras years up until she became empress. A novel a novel of empress theodora book 1 by stella duffy 4. In sixthcentury constantinople, one woman, theodora, defied every convention and all the odds and rose from common theater tart to empress of a great kingdom, the most powerful woman the roman empire would ever know. Because i did not know much about her, it was fascinating how she rose up from humble beginnings to become an empress of the byzantine empire. Along the way the author has created enough twists and. If there is one book you choose to read on ancient times, let it be the secret history.
Series was designed to cover groups of books generally understood as such see wikipedia. Though her background was considered disreputable, she married justinian, who became emperor, allowing her to wield considerable influence. Faithfully rendered here in blunt and idiomatic english, prokopios tellall is as shocking today as it was in the sixth century. Pdf the secret history download full pdf book download. This acclaimed book by stephanie thornton is available at in several formats for. Actress, prostitute and empress of rome theodoras life is perfect for fiction. A novel of empress theodora reveals the story of theodora, the revered byzantine empress who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most powerful women in the world. Her mind was firmly and perpetually fixed upon inhumanity. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the secret history. Justinians respect for and trust in theodora gave her power in her own right unmatched by almost any other roman or byzantine empress. No one ever once persuaded her or forced her to do anything.
In procopiuss secret history, which current studies believe was. The book portrays the empress as a very strong and dominant personality. The secret history by stephanie thornton overdrive. By exposing the perversion, repression, corruption, and injustice at the heart of justinians regime, prokopios the secret history destroyed forever that emperors reputation as the great and benevolent ruler of a vast byzantine state. Click download or read online button to get the secret history book now. This book is a gripping, longoverdue biography of one of the most intriguing and powerful female figures of western history. Along with her spouse, theodora is a saint in the eastern orthodox church, commemorated on 14 november. After youve bought this ebook, you can choose to download either the pdf version. Empress of byzantium is a very comprehensive biography of empress theodora.
The woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was a scrappy, clever, conniving, fleshandblood woman full. The secret history reveals an author who had become deeply disillusioned with the emperor justinian and his wife, empress theodora, as well as belisarius, his former commander and patron, and antonina, belisarius wife. The crimes of theodora from a secret history by procopius. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read theodora. A novel of empress theodora by james conroyd martin is a historical novel about a woman, born to a circus bear keeper in constantinople, who used her wits and good looks to become the wife of the ruler of the empire. Ruthlessly criticized and reviled by her contemporaries, theodora, the beautiful wife of emperor justinian, began her life as the daughter of a bearkeeper and rose to be justinians partner in politics as well as in life, ruling from 527 to 548.
Read the secret history a novel of empress theodora online, read in mobile or kindle. She became empress upon justinians accession in 527 and was one of his chief advisers, theodora was one of the most powerful and influential empresses in eastern roman historyand for a long time until her death, she held power in the roman. Like many concepts in the book world, series is a somewhat fluid and contested notion. Martin is the awardwinning novelist living in hollywood, ca. Jun 10, 2010 in procopiuss secret history, which current studies believe was written not long after her death in 548, she is a kind of mrs machiavelli. She became empress upon justinians accession in 527 and was one of his chief advisers. In this book, james allan evans provides a scholarly, yet highly accessible account of the life and times of the empress theodora. Set in new england, it tells the story of a closely knit group of six classics students at hampden college, a small, elite vermont college based upon bennington college, where tartt was a student between 1982 and 1986.
Jul 02, 20 author stephanie thornton does not disappoint as her book the secret history. The secret history is the first novel by donna tartt, published by alfred a. I would read the book simply based on the cover, it just so happens that an equally beautiful story eagerly awaits reader on the inside as well. The main source of information on theodora s life comes from a manuscript called the wars of justinian, written by procopius, an historian, who. Stephanie thornton traces the early life of theodora, who, in sixth century constantinople, defied every convention and rose from a common theater tart to become the empress of a great kingdom and the most powerful. It borrows the idea of a presumed son of the empress theodora from a section the crimes of theodora in the secret history by procopius a scholar and historian of the time. We come to know about theodoras life from historical documents like that of procopiuss the wars of justinian. The secret history a novel of empress theodora also available in format docx and mobi.
Secret history, with its claim to expose secrets of state and the sexual intrigues of monarchs and ministers, alarmed and thrilled readers across europe and america from the midseventeenth to the midnineteenth century. Find a library or download libby an app by overdrive. Historia arcana secret history by procopius of caesarea circa 500 554 ad introduced the empress euphemia as lupicina a slave and a barbarian concubine of her owner. The basic details of her life including her time as an actress prostitute are historically accurate and stella duffy manages to create an engaging heroine with some good lines. In sixthcentury constantinople, one woman, theodora, defied every convention an. Theodora was the daughter of a bear trainer and a dancer and an actress. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. This same word was also the epithet for the lowest class of roman prostitutes. He calls her theodora from the brothel, lasciviously. Her rise from street urchin to emperors consort made me want to stand up and cheer.
Actress, empress, saint, david potter penetrates the highly biased accounts of her found in the writings of her contemporaries and takes advantage of the latest research on early byzantium to craft a modern, wellrounded, and engaging narrative of theodora s life. The 6thcentury ce byzantine historian procopius of caesarea states in his secret history anekdota that theodora earned her living, like her mother before her, as an actress, which meant performing in the hippodrome as an acrobat, dancer, and stripper. Wonder woman, lepore argues, is the missing link in the history of the struggle for womens rightsa chain of events that begins with the womens suffrage campaigns of the early 1900s and ends with the troubled place of feminism a century later. The goldfinch her novelsl the secret history and the little friend were also international bestsellers. Sep 06, 2016 read book who in the world was the acrobatic empress the story of theodora who in the world. A novel of empress theodora ebook written by stephanie thornton. The author tells of the rise of a poor girl to empress theodora. How a poverty stricken prostitute became an empress. The secret history in literature, 16601820 edited by. The secret history ebook by stephanie thornton rakuten kobo. The secret history is a dense, detailed, atmospheric, and just an endlessly fascinating look at one of history s forgotten. Secret history, byzantine and modern greek studies 11 1987 215221.
It was donna tartts the secret history, and i hated it. Actress, empress, whore is a sexy, captivating novel that resurrects an extraordinary, littleknown figure from the dusty pages of history. The secret history a novel of empress theodora download pdf. Donna tartt won the 2014 pulitzer prize for her most recent novel. The classic rags to riches story is made richer still by theodoras achievements in power. Along the way the author has created enough twists and turns to keep you guessing who did what when. The woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was a scrappy, clever, conniving, fleshand. She was born in greenwood, mississippi, and is a graduate of bennington college.
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