Horace and Me | Life Lessons from an Ancient Poet by Harry Eyres reflects the author’s journey into the works of the ancient poet, Horace.

A deeply personal story of one man’s life-long obsession with an ancient poet, and an exploration of what Horace’s thoughts on life, leisure and love can teach us today

‘A moving memoir that shakes the dust off Horace – and restores him to his rightful berth among the immortals’ Harry Mount, author of Amo, Amas, Amat…

‘Delightful … Its seductive interweaving of a modern life and an ancient one will encourage a wider readership of this most appealing of Latin writers, even if only in translation’ Economist

Horace lived at a pivotal moment. Rome was facing a profound crisis: though it ruled the world, the values which had made it great were disintegrating. As efficiency and pragmatism became watchwords, Horace championed the ‘supremely useless’ endeavour of poetry, and glorified friendship and wine.

Horace and Me charts Harry Eyres’ evolving relationship with the Latin poet to show how, in an era of affluence and excess which seems to be hurtling out of control, Horace can help us navigate our way in uncertain times.

Harry Eyres has been a theatre critic, wine writer, poetry editor and is currently the author of the ‘Slow Lane’ column in the Financial Times. He is a poet and gives regular poetry readings at venues such as the Poetry Café in London, and has contributed to the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is the author of a collection of poetry, Hotel Eliseo, and of the Beginner’s Guide to Plato’s The Republic, Wine Dynasties of Europe, The Viking Guide to Cabernet Sauvignon Wines and the Which? Wine Guide 1995/6. He lives in London.

• ISBN: 9781408843260
• 256 pages
• July 17, 2014

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing