Rome - The Biography of a City: Christopher Hibbert, Penguin 1987
AN INTERPRETIVE SUMMARY
Christopher Hibbert was born in Leicestershire in 1924 and educated at Radley and Oriel College, Oxford. He served as an infantry officer during the was, was twice wounded and was awarded the the Military Cross in 1945. Described in the New Stateman as a 'pearl of biographers', he is, in the worlds of the Times Educational Supplement, 'perhaps the most gifted popular historians we have'. His many highly acclaimed books include the following titles, most of which are published by Penguin: The Destruction of Lord Raglan (which won the Heineman Award for Literature in 1962); London, The Biography of a City, The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici; The Great Mutiny: India 1857; The French Revolution; Garibaldi and His Enemies; Rome: The Biography of a City; Elizabeth I: A Personal History; George III: A Personal History; and The Marlboroughs: John and Sarah Churchill 1650-1744.
Christopher Hibbert is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an Hon. D. Litt. of Leicester University. He is married with two sons and a daughter, and lives on Henley-on-Thames.
The book is dedicated to Tom and Allyce.
Contents
Part 1
1. Myths, Monarchs and Republicans
Author's Notes
It is some sense a guidebook as well as an introduction to the history of Rome from the days of Etruscan kings to those of Mussolini. It does not pretend to be comprehensive but the notes at the back provide information about all the buildings and treasures which are mentioned in the text. It is hoped that while it is about Rome's past and provide character sketches, it can also be of practical use to those visiting the city.
The book could not have been written without the help of his friend, the Hon. Edmund Howard, formerly Counsellor at the British Embassy in Rome, whose deep knowledge of the city and its people guided him at every stage of its preparation. He provided extensive assistance with the notes and suggestions of improvements for the manuscript. Working on the book proved to be a great pleasure due to the encouragement of friend, John Guest, his editor for over twenty five years and companion on numerous walks from one end of Rome to the other.
He feels deeply indebted to Tessa Street, both an impeccable typist and a careful reader of the text. These people helped in a variety of ways: his agent, Bruce Hunter, Peter Carson, Eleo Gordon of Viking, Thomas Wall of W.W. Norton, Peter Hebblethwaite and Father Philip Caramen, Ben Weinreb, the late Professor Roberto Weiss, Maria Orsini, Thérèse Pollen, Valerie Goodier, Nonie Rae and the staff of the London Library and the library of the Italian Institute of Culture. He is as always indebted to his wife for having compiled the comprehensive index.