Rome: A Cultural and Literary Companion Book

I really enjoyed this different kind of travel guide of Rome. Boardman meanders through Roman history and its ever evolving culture. It took a little getting used to his style but by the end I learned a lot about Rome and its atmosphere, which came in handy when I visited this wonderful city. He begins talking about ancient Rome and the marvels of the cloaca maxima and other plumbing architecture and the effect it had on the development of the greatest empire the world has seen. He then talks about the caesars, the middle ages when Rome deteriorated, the revival under the popes and his favorite areas and monuments. He chose things that mean a lot to him instead of trying to cram every aspect of the city into the book. Rome is just too big and too full to adequately write about it completely. He brings up things that people wouldn't know about, like Barberini, the shop where people of the cloth buy their clothing and jewels. It somehow never occurred to me that priests and nuns did their own shopping! He ends the book addressing Rome in its modern, current phase with its troubling politics and the way Romans cope. He also emphasizes that Rome is made up of individuals and is not a homogeneous people, even as they all consider themselves authentic Romans. Boardman successfully covers a broad swath of Rome, making it accessible while not overwhelming the reader with information.