Robert Payne (1) (1911–1983)

An opulent, at the same time erudite and content-rich, account of the best period of the Roman Empire of the dictators and proconsuls. There are good accounts of the greatest of the emperors, starting with Julius Caeser, and ending with the overrunning of Rome by the northern tribes like the Goths and Vandals, and just touching on the final eclipse by the taking of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453. The Decline and fall of the Roman Empire' is relegated to the end, so this book provides a show more good counter-weight to Gibbon's scasting, if scholarly, account of demise and doom. The author gives a fine assessment (that reads like a peroration!) of the longer-lasting bequest of the Roman civilization, such as the rule of law, equality of citizens, administrative framework including the maintenance of a competent bureaucracy, and of course their astonishing prowess with public constructions like roads, canals, harbours, citi planning, and so on. The fatal weaknesses are also well brought out, such as the inordinate dependence on mercenary armed forces, the intractable problem of succession (for which, ironically, one of the greatest, Marcus Aurelius, is held responsible for starting the hereditary line of succession with disastrous results), and the self-absorption of the rich. This story surely has important lessons for the regimes of the present day. show less

After reading Flashman’s Lady, in which James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak, makes an appearance, I decided to finally read this book I had owned for some time. I admit that Robert Payne’s very long and diverse list of publications made me suspect that he was something of a hack. A blurb on the back cover for his bio of Albert Schweitzer described it as “workmanlike”—-faint praise indeed. But this history of the Brooke family’s 100 year rule of Sarawak, which I had acquired mainly show more for the Val Biro dust jacket, was surprisingly engaging. Of its time, with a “take up the white man’s burden…” subtext, it was nonetheless well-written and far from a superficial puff piece. show less

Inspired by my Latin teacher in high school I read this exciting story of Heinrich Schliemann's search for the real city of Troy. She was married to an archaeologist and they would spend summers in Central America. While learning Latin I was also learning about the Greek culture that so heavily influenced Rome. In doing so I was led inexorably to this exciting story of the man who believed that Homer's Troy was a real place. Schliemann was vindicated and Robert Payne's book tells about his show more incredible journey in search of his dream. This is an excellent book to read in conjunction with The Iliad to more completely savour the grandeur that was Mycenaen culture. show less

This is the heroic story of the man whose non-violent movement transformed India both spiritually and politically as it impelled the nation along the road to independence. With consummate skill, in a narration that never flags in vividness and drama, Robert Payne re-creates Mahatma Gandhi both as a spiritual and historical force and as a living personality. Beginning with the moving story of a shy, awkward boy from a provincial Indian city who married at thirteen, then was separated from his show more bride for years while he read law in London, the book describe Gandhi's life as a successful barrister in South Africa who turned his back on wealth to defend Indian settlers against discrimination and persecution. In the tradition of his best-selling biographies of Lenin and Schweitzer, Robert Payne's life brings Gandhi alive as a rounded personality. Payne superbly describes Gandhi's daring marches to aid the oppressed, his fasts and imprisonments, his historic achievements at international congresses and conferences in India and England where, clad only in shawl and loincloth, he met with prime ministers and viceroys and won their respect as he fought for the dignity and freedom of his people. - from publisher show less