Memoirs of Hadrian
by Marguerite Yourcenar
Recommended by Ryan Holiday and Ben Domenech
Check price on AmazonProof-backed recommendation
Amazon availability
Should I read this?
Recommended by 3 sources and appears in Books Recommended by Ryan Holiday, Most Recommended Books, and Fiction.
Both an exploration of character and a reflection on the meaning of history, Memoirs of Hadrian has received international acclaim since its first publication in France in 1951. In it, Marguerite Yourcenar reimagines the Emperor Hadrian's arduous boyhood, his triumphs and reversals, and finally, as emperor, his gradual reordering of a wartorn worl...
Looking for Kindle, hardcover, paperback, or audiobook editions?
Check formats, pricing, and current availability directly.
Why recommended
Recommended by 3 sources and appears in Books Recommended by Ryan Holiday, Most Recommended Books, and Fiction.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Ben Domenech
“MEMOIRS OF HADRIAN, by Marguerite Yourcenar, is a brilliant book even almost 70 years after publication. | The best books I read this year. Thanks @austinkleon and @susanorlean and among others. If you want reading recommendations, sign up for the reading list email at Can?t believe it is in its tenth year. | The best books I read this year. Thanks @austinkleon and @susanorlean and among others. If you want reading recommendations, sign up for the reading list email at Can’t believe it is in its tenth year.”
View sources (2) ▾80%
Appears In
Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Recommended by 5 sources.
“This sprawling, detail-rich historical novel follows cathedral builders, nobles, and townspeople across decades, delivering immersive scene-setting and a steady accumulation of plotlines. Its useful part is the sustained attention to craft—architecture, politics, rivalry—that makes the medieval world tangible. The main limitation is repetitive melodrama and swings in pacing: long, satisfying set pieces sit beside stretches that feel slow or contrived. Better read slowly rather than skimmed; readers who stick it out will find payoff in the concluding convergences.”
Similar books
How recommendation signals are reviewed
Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.
Memoirs of Hadrian
View on Amazon →