Rome’s rich and powerful . . . Conspiracy . . . Extortion . . . Murder . . . From the ashes of war rises the malevolence of the Bacchic cult, which through anarchy and vice aims to rot Rome from within. So argues Spurius to the Senate. Meanwhile, the great Hannibal, smarting in exile from defeat, plots to overrun Greece and exact a spectacular revenge on Rome. Did Spurius really “save the state” as he claims in these memoirs? Despite the lengths to which he goes to prove the Bacchanalians’ conspiratorial intent, this elder statesman is, above all, a shrewd politician. As Spurius looks back across forty years, Carthage finally falls. If Rome isn’t careful, he warns, it may fall victim to its own excesses as well. "Conhaim presents scrupulously rigorous research . . . and powerfully dramatic writing. Spurius is an able narrator whose political judgments are remarkably sensitive and whose devotion to a Rome spiraling into decay is heartbreaking."— Kirkus Reviews "In D. László Conhaim's Memoirs of Spurius the "Bacchanalia," as practiced by devotees of the Roman wine god, devolves into drunken orgies and emerges as a mortal threat to Rome . . . this novel makes ancient history accessible as we learn of a Roman leader's largely unreported efforts to crush the Bacchic cult and preserve the republic." —Terrance Gelenter, The Paris Insider "At first glance, contemporary readers—particularly those who are not intrinsically attracted to the genre of historical fiction—might not realize the gem they hold in their hands with Memoirs of Spurius . The story features a figure who lived in second-century BCE Rome, and whose actions crushed the cult of Bacchus . . . Our narrator, Spurius Postumius Albinus, thus comes to life as a believable character whose actions as Rome's consul are understandable within the context of his circumstances and which surprisingly foreshadow the politics of today."— Donovan's Bookshelf "It will take an open mind to new possibilities in historical writing and the surprising connections between ancient and modern worlds to uncover the delights embedded in Memoirs of Spurius . . . from terrorism and cult beliefs to the actions of Spurius Postumius Albinus, whose choices not only influenced but transformed his world."— California Bookwatch "A powerful exploration . . . The political and social struggles that unfold, and the moral and ethical questions that arise, offer countless discussion topics for book clubs . . . Under Conhaim's hand, Memoirs of Spurius is lively, timely, and holds so many possibilities for debate that it earns top recommendation for libraries and readers alike."— Midwest Book Review "The author takes the considerable narrative skills he's developed in his tales of the American West and shines them on the Roman Republic of the 2nd century BCE . . . Spurius uncovers plots to amass wealth through blackmail and usurping of land and property of new cult members. Finally, he's convinced the existence of the republic itself is at stake. Sound familiar? Spurius' Rome is in danger from without and within, and from its own apathy. The edge-of-seat drama combines with worthy scholarship and an upright, thoughtful hero, to make this novel an appealing reading experience."—Historical Novel Society "Conhaim has produced a patient, evocative, and innovative examination of Rome that defies the formulaic conventions of the genre. With great care and consideration Memoirs of Spurius examines Roman governance in a time of crisis and terror, addressing with remarkable scholarship the whys and the hows of Rome's rapid moral decline from the year 186 BCE. The novel deftly blurs the lines between fiction and nonfiction and between the genres of historical fiction and public affairs. Its trenchant portrait of Rome's identity crisis in her formative years recalls the saying, 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'" --Jason Russell, The Prague Revue "Conhaim's retelling of how the Roman Senate crushed the cult of Bacchus is sadly resonant in this age of religious terror, dubious countermeasures by nations, and general immoderateness. This is the most intellectually exciting Roman historical novel in decades, a return to the noble literary values of Marguerite Yourcenar's Memoirs of Hadrian and Thornton Wilder's The Ides of March." --Ian Graham Leask, Author, publisher, and talk show host "A fast-paced whodunit about a little-known consul of Rome . . . Resplendent with nosy-neighbor-drama-vibes and told in 1st person, this is a fascinating fictionalization of a true historical event . . . reminiscent of British village drama combined with power hungry politicians seizing any and all opportunities to exert their power over people trying to mind their own business and scrape out some happiness . . . Sadly, this story follows the normal pattern of how the state is granted authority to violate human rights in the present age: seize upon the actions of a fe