book review of Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff. Back Bay Books, 2011.

Guidelines: Over the course of the semester, you will read the entirety of one of the three books assigned for this class (Schiff, Favereau, and Hollman). You will then write a 3-to-5-page review of the book and submit it by the deadline established in the syllabus. This is a book review, not a report. You will briefly summarize the text, but the majority of the review should include analysis of the author’s arguments, the validity of their conclusions, and the style and value of the text. Alongside this, because this class is part of the Cultural Perspectives Trail in the Ascent, you will also spend time analyzing the cultural similarities and differences presented in the text compared to your own lived experiences. The paper should be broken into three sections, which are detailed below along with all other pertinent information to the assignment. Length: 3-5 Pages long. Style: 12 Point Font, Times New Roman, 1” Margins, Double Spaced, Use Section Headings, Check box for “Don’t add spaces between paragraphs of the same style,” Name and Date in the Header, and Bold Title. Citations: Include parenthetical page-citation ONLY if you directly quote from the book. You must cite ANYTHING you consult outside of the assigned text, even if you do not directly quote from it. Use of AI is prohibited. Cultural Perspectives (Expedition Trail #2): A Cultural Perspectives course is one in which students are taught to appreciate the wide diversity of the world and to see all people as being made in the Image of God. These courses explore the diverse nature of human beings and teach students to appreciate the perspectives and value of individuals from other diverse backgrounds. GELO #1 Students will communicate effectively in written and oral forms. GELO #3 Students will engage, value, and work with a diverse community by integrating knowledge, experience, and differing perspectives and cultures. Summary (1 page): Briefly summarize the text. To begin, explain the author’s argument and, if you can, identify their central thesis. Then, quickly go over the narrative and main historical points of the book (characters, places, and events). Analysis (1-2 pages): In this section you will analyze the work as a piece of historical research written by an historian. First, who is the author? What is their background and how did they gain enough expertise to write on this subject? The author constructed their argument using sources—what are they? How do they use their sources and which sources do they rely on the most? Are there places where the author has filled in the blanks between sources and had to theorize or guess? What is the style of their writing and how well do they make their points? Experience (1-2 pages): To conclude your review, spend some time explaining how you experienced the book. How does this book help you better understand the world—particularly other cultures in other time periods? What themes really resonated with your life? If you are a person of faith, how did this book affect your understanding of your faith? Where does your life intersect with this book? Finally, tell me if it was a good book and who you think should read it.