Jordan Colley

How is history written? Is it a static record or the somewhat subjective view of those who lived through it? John Williams takes the latter view in Augustus by exploring the narrative of Augustus Caesar's life through fictional correspondence letters.

I first arrived at John Williams' novels through the popularity of Stoner. I purchased the Library of America compendium that brought together all three of his major novels: Butcher's Crossing, Stoner, and Augustus. All three are profound, and I would rank John Williams as one of my favorite authors at this point. I read all three novels in order of publication, so Augustus was the final novel. As far as my knowledge of the Roman Empire, I wasn't even sure who Augustus Caesar was. I read Rubicon by Tom Holland a few years ago but wouldn't consider myself SNL meme interested.

Augustus was a slow burn of a read. The narrative structure is so different from the previous two novels that I wasn't pulled in immediately. It was worth pressing on though, as this might be my favorite of the three books. Rather than just spilling out historical facts, we get a first-person view of each character's motivations and in the process it humanizes the history. Augustus Caesar doesn't even speak that much until the end of the novel. We mostly see him through the eyes of those around him.

By the end, I couldn't wait to pick the book up and spend more time with it. Augustus is a complicated figure, a dictator trapped within his own power. Why do we seek the love of the many, when the love of the few that have known us longest brings us the most fulfillment? It was an excellent read and one that will stay with me for a while.

Williams, John. Augustus. John Williams: Collected Novels, edited by Daniel Mendelsohn, Library of America, 2021.