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Cover of Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy SchiffCleopatra: A Life
Modern · Nonfiction, Biography, History

Cleopatra: A Life

by Stacy Schiff
2010 · 369 pages · Nonfiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 9 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Going back to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order.

Why it's worth reading

It spent 37 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's a biography.

By the numbers

55.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers1 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller51 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
37 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2010

Reads as

True story

How we rank

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Quick answers

Is Cleopatra: A Life worth reading?

Yes. It spent 37 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #2,905 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 55.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Cleopatra: A Life about?

Going back to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order.

How long does it take to read Cleopatra: A Life?

About 9 hours (369 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Cleopatra: A Life?

If you liked it, try The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff, I, Claudius by Robert Graves or Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin.