Cleopatra: A LifeCleopatra: A Life
Score Modern
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
The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams
I, Claudius
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham LincolnGood to know
It's a biography.
By the numbers
- 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
- #196 of the 198 history books we rank
- #285 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #1549 of the 1,647 modern books we rank
- #2905 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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All 47 best-of lists →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.


















