The Secrets of Rome: Love and Death in the Eternal CityThe Secrets of Rome: Love and Death in the Eternal City by Corrado Augias
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I bought this book in Rome in 2009. The author tells us ten stories about ten different historical periods of Rome, the only city all over the world that has been inhabited for two thousand and eight hundred years.
Each story is located in a specific place in Rome, and, at the same time that this place is described, the author writes about important characters, legends and historical events.
In my opinion, one of the best stories is the one dedicated to Nero and the “Domus Aurea” that we nowadays can visit. While you read this chapter, you learn history at the same time that you “visit” these fantastic remains of ancient Rome and you also understand the complexity of Nero’s personality.
In respect to the Middle Age I liked most the story about the pope Julius II and his difficult relationship with the great Miguelangelo Buonarotti. Both were really stubborn, and had constant quarrels.
Finally, there is an interesting chapter about a modern neighbourhood that was built during the government of Mussolini, trying to reconstruct the ancient glory of Rome just in the twenty century.
To conclude, this is a book easy to read, interesting, entertaining, and of course, you learn a lot while reading it. So I recommend it.


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