Selected Works of Robert Graves: I Claudius, They Hanged My Saintly Billy, The Islands of Unwisdom, Wife to Mr. Milton

The Selected Works of Robert Graves introduces readers to a selection of four noteworthy literary works by renowned novelist, poet and translator, Robert Graves. This four-novel collection highlights his work in the historical fiction genre—which offers timeless insight into the human condition, as well as a unique window into history as envisioned by a master writer.
I, Claudius tells the tale of a rather bookish young man with a limp and a stammer, a man who spent most of his time trying to stay away from the danger and risk of the line of ascension—only to find himself next in line for the throne. They Hanged my Saintly Billy sets out the details of the real, 1856 trial of William Palmer, a self-confessed forger, thief, and petty criminal. Though he is accused of allegedly poisoning his friends and family, Robert Graves presents Palmer’s side of the story, deeply flawed but ultimately not beyond redemption. In The Islands of Unwisdom, Spanish Adventurer Alvaro de Mendana y Neyna and his wife, the beautiful and dangerous Ysabel, lead a crew of adventurers beyond the horizon in search of the Solomon islands—and wealth beyond their wildest dreams. Wife to Mr. Milton is Robert Graves’ fictionalization of a real, troubled marriage, told from the point of view of the witty, sensual Marie Powell—who is ill matched to the cruel and domineering John Milton.