Historical · Literary
Memoirs of Hadrian
Written as a long letter from the dying Roman emperor Hadrian to the young Marcus Aurelius, the novel reflects on power, travel, love for Antinous and the duties of ruling an empire.
Facts last checked 2026-10-17
- First published
- 1951
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 408
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you like meditative, finely written historical fiction about power and mortality.
Skip this if you want action, fast storytelling or a conventional plot.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about Memoirs of Hadrian
- What is Memoirs of Hadrian about?
- Written as a long letter from the dying Roman emperor Hadrian to the young Marcus Aurelius, the novel reflects on power, travel, love for Antinous and the duties of ruling an empire.
- Who should read Memoirs of Hadrian?
- Read it if you like meditative, finely written historical fiction about power and mortality. Skip it if you want action, fast storytelling or a conventional plot.
- How long and how fast is Memoirs of Hadrian?
- It is a slow-paced, medium read of about 408 pages, first published in 1951.
- Does Memoirs of Hadrian have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Death, War.
- Can I borrow Memoirs of Hadrian for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Memoirs of Hadrian; the borrow button above searches it for you.
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| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
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| Ebook | ||
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