Born in adams, massachusetts, schiff attended phillips andover academy preparatory school and went on to earn her b. Schiffs work challenges some of the assumptions long held about egypts last queen. The pulitzer prizewinning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the. Cleopatra by stacy schiff i have thoughts on books. Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. In fact, the strongest aspect of the book is its analysis of how views about women and womens roles have shaped the telling of cleopatras story. Schiff tells us early on what she wants to accomplish. Life stacy schiff for sale collectibles online shopping. David mccullough declared the book brilliant from start to finish. Stacy schiff gives us a cinematic portrait of cleopatra that is far more compelling than any fictional creation. Her essays and articles have appeared in the new yorker, the new york times book. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize. Pulitzer prizewinning biographer stacy schiff discussed her 2010 biography, cleopatra.
Vladimir nabokov, which won the 2000 pulitzer prize for biography. Stacy madeleine schiff born october 26, 1961 is an american former editor, essayist, and author of five biographies. I picked up this book because it was getting a lot of buzz on various history and reading sites for being a lucid, easytoread, modern biography of cleopatra. The publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize and the ambassador book award. Salem, 1692, which the new york times hailed as an almost novelistic, thrillerlike narrative. Vladimir nabokov, her pulitzer prizewinning biography, ms. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, 2005, etc.
Many of schiffs subjects cleopatra, benjamin franklin, the salem witch trials. Above all else, cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator. Pulitzerprizewinning author stacy schiff on writing. Cleopatra is the most well known woman we dont know, jon stewart said to stacy schiff, the pulitzer prize winning author of the new book cleopatra. You might think you know everything there is to know about this infamous egyptian ruler, but, believe me, you dont.
I just couldnt see a way to write a proper biography of cleopatra at that time. A pulitzer prizewinner, stacy schiff is the author most recently of the witches. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation, the national endowment for the humanities, and the. It began in 1692, over an exceptionally raw massachusetts winter, when a ministers daughter began to scream and convulse. The pulitzer prizewinning author of cleopatra analyzes the salem witch trials to offer key insights into the role of women in its events while explaining how its tragedies became possible. A pulitzer prizewinning biographer presents a swift, sympathetic life of one of historys most maligned and legendary women. Now in paperback history in the hands of stacy schiff is invariably full of life, light, shadow, surprise, clarity of insight, and so it is again and then some in her latest work, the witches. The pulitzer prizewinning author stacy schiff attempts to paint a more complete picture in her new book, cleopatra. Stacy schiff is an american pulitzer prize winning author and historian, as well as a guest columnist for the new york times. She has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation and the national endowment for the humanities, and was a directors fellow at the center for scholars and writers at the new york public library. I have read and agree to hachette book groups privacy policy and terms of use.
A life by pulitzeraward winning author stacy schiff. Books by stacy schiff include the pulitzer prizewinning vera, cleopatra and the witches. The legendary egyptian queen is the subject of a new blockbuster show in philadelphia. The pulitzer prizewinning biographer brings to life the most intrigui. Stacy schiff, author official website the witches now. The pulitzer prizewinning author stacy schiff attempts to paint a more complete picture in her new book, called cleopatra. Stacy schiff is the author of a great improvisation and vera mrs. The pulitzer prizewinning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world. To understand cleopatra is to understand how ancient history was written, by whom and for whom, and why. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize, the ambassador award in american studies, and the gilbert chinard prize. A life, winner of the penjacqueline bograd weld award for biography. Cleopatra schiff litlovers book club recommendations. He is twice winner of the pulitzer prize, twice winner of the national book award, and has received the presidential medal of freedom, the nations highest civilian award.
Schiff has also written biographies of french aviator and author of the little prince. The pulitzer prize winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world. New yorker contributor schiff a great improvisation. Cleopatra by stacy schiff, read by robin miles audiobook excerpt. A life, by stacy schiff, captures the queen the new. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation, the national endowment for the humanities. Schiff told me she had to go back to primary sources. Stacy schiff may be a pulitzer prize winner, but this book was a disappointment. Cleopatra book tulsa citycounty library bibliocommons.
Joseph ellis deemed schiffs the finest account to date of the witch trials. Awardspulitzer prize in biography more below currentlylives in new york city, new york stacy schiff is a pulitzer prizewinning american nonfiction author. Stacey schiff is a pulitzer prize winning biographer. Author of cleopatra, the witches wins 2019 helmerich.
Stacy schiff books list of books by author stacy schiff. But it turns out we have seriously underestimated the last egyptian queen. I sense that she was aiming for a breezy, cool feminist biography. Why cleopatra still matters interview with author stacy. The pulitzer prizewinning author of peter the great, nicholas and alexandra, and the romanovs returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure young german princess who traveled to russia at fourteen and rose to become one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history. Stacy schiff this book is an introduction into the life of cleopatra and how she shaped the history of the ancient world. Cleopatraa lifewinner of the pulitzer prize by stacy schiff1st edition2010. I had the idea for cleopatra years before i began, in fact, even before i wrote my book on ben franklin. Pulitzer prizewinning historian stacy schiff, author of a forthcoming book on. Though her life spanned fewer than 40 years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world. The book talks about how she waged a civil war against her first husband then poisoned the second husband.
A life by stacy schiff 2010, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Stacy schiff gives us a cinematic portrait of cleopatra that is far more. Schiff talked about growing up in western massachusetts and her early days as an editor with. Pulitzer prize winner looks at life of cleopatra voice. Stacy schiff her palace shimmered with onyx, garnet, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue.
Answers by stacy schiff, pulitzer prizewinning author, cleopatra, the witches. David mccullough, pulitzer prizewinning author of the wright brothers the witches is the fullest and finest story ever told about salem in 1692, and no one else could tell it with the otherworldly flair of stacy schiff. Are you looking for books set in salem, ma and books about the salem witch trials that are nonfiction. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation, the national endowment for the.