Agrippina

Gr 4—8—Agrippina, born in AD 15, was the great-granddaughter of Augustus, the first Roman emperor, and daughter of Germanicus, a renowned and beloved general. Widowed twice, she married her uncle, Claudius. So despicable was she that Nero, her son, eventually ordered her execution. Cixi was born in 1835 of humble beginnings, but at 16 became a royal concubine and then a highly favored imperial consort. Upon her husband's death, she conspired to become the first woman to rule China in 1000 years, ruthlessly seizing power and eliminating all opposition. While her son eventually ruled, he died at 19 and, shortly thereafter, his pregnant wife. Cixi adopted her royal nephew to again assume power. When he became of age, his Western ideas and reforms repelled her, and she resumed rule when he mysteriously disappeared. Her "inability to adapt to a changing world ultimately toppled a dynasty…and ended 5,000 years of imperial rule." The texts appear on purple mosaic and red floral pages, respectively, with authentically detailed, dramatic gouache illustrations or lengthy sidebars opposite. These asides, though interesting and informative, occasionally break the flow of the narrative. Reproductions of Roman coins, busts, and carvings, and Chinese scroll painting and portraits are also included. Ultimately, these biographies are confusing. The final page in each one features a chart that delivers a mixed message, explaining that there is little actual proof to substantiate many of the claims made in the texts and asking readers to judge how "dastardly" these women were.—Barbara Auerbach, PS 217, Brooklyn, NY