I was expecting more history than travel guide/travelogue as the writer explores 3 ancient important Roman Roads and what is left of them in the modern day. There was some history about how the roads were constructed and important events that occurred in some places but it felt like it was rambling without a real focus. It is obvious Keahey did extensive research in some areas but in others he speculated when it wouldn't have taken much to find the answer. The writer spends a lot of time on how hard it was to find parking spaces and the difficulty of locating a temple. He does include some present day stories about the places that are humorous and adds humanity to narrative which I did enjoy.

Overall, not quite what I was expecting which decreased my enjoyment of the book. If you are interested in a travelogue with a bit of history from different times thrown in about the towns encountered on the routes of these ancient roads (which are still the major routes in many cases today) this might be just what you are looking for.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

John Keahey has written a fascinating book of history that kept me interested from first to last page.Especially enjoyed going on the walks the authors style of writing and commentary made this a really interesting read.#netgalley #st.martinsbooks

I chose this book from NetGalley which offered it to me for an unbiased review, because I had been to Italy twice in the past two years and the topic intrigued me. I have to admit I struggled to get into the book, as I found the beginning rather slow. But if one perseveres they are rewarded with a fascinating look at the roadways of Italy, particularly the Via Appia (Appian Way). We follow the author John Keahey as he attempts to follow the footsteps of Julias Caesar some 2,000 years later along not only the Via Appia, but also the Via Traiana and the Via Egnatia. Too much of the book gets lost in excruciating detail by the author and his attempts to explain how these roads changed history. If you are fascinated in Roman history then the book is worth the effort.

John Keahey's Following Caeser: From Rome to Constantinople, the Pathways that Planted the Seeds of Empire blends memoir, travel writing, archeology and history to detail his three month COVID-19 complicated journey along some of the main roads of the Roman empire. Some of them traveled by well known figures from Roman history such as Caeser, Augustus, Hannibal and notable writers.

Keahey was not able to journey through the spaces explored directly, instead he had to plan out the journeys in separate legs or segments. However in narrating the journey he does not stick a chronological journey, instead detailing them as one would encounter the regions. Much of the book is centered on Italy, with a smaller portion detailing Greece and Turkey.

We're along for the ride with Keahey as he looks at ancient sites and has to also contend with modern issues of national borders and a lack of available parking. He clearly loves his subject, speaking of the beauty of the landscape and how the Roman engineers adapted the course of the roads to the terrain. He experiences both the serendipity of chance encounters with experts or being connected with knowledgeable guides and the vagaries of reaching the museum or site only to find it closed or inaccessible due to construction.

Despite it's brevity, there is much both repetitive and lacking in the book. First and foremost, there are no maps or images to help the reader understand the journey (hopefully this is due to my copy being an advanced edition?). Secondly, Keahy has a fixation on the minutiae of his day, many of them starting with a coffee and a cream filled croissant, however other foods are not described despite Keahy describing several restaurants as excellent or wonderful. Some facts about specific location are repeated, almost verbatim. Despite many locations visited, they are not all equally detailed with some feeling like a mere checking of a box where others get paeans to their treasures.

Overall the narrative reads as more of a journal of Keahey's trip that was spruced up with the inclusion of other sources to add depth or support.

Following Caesar is both too much and too little. Too much on the woes of modern travel and too little on what is so appealing about these places. Super fans of Roman history may find some bits of interest, or those looking to travel the region may find descriptions of places worth visiting.

*3.5 stars*

A meandering walk through history…

The cover of the book caught my eye right away and promised so much.

In many ways, the author delivered as promised. He travelled (during COVID no less) through Italy and surrounding countries, in search of Caesar’s path, inviting the reader along with him. Finding remaining remnants of a lost time was not easy and took many forks in the road. Aided by subject experts, as well as helpful people he met by chance, he searched for roads, temples and icons, documenting his journey. His writings followed the paths that remained – some lost to abandonment, others to progress. And all of it, steeped in history.

I’ve never been to this part of the world and though I recognized names of cities and towns, and people, it was hard for me to connect to the material. Towns with multiple names and a non-linear way of getting from A to B had me struggling to keep up and understand the flow. I wish there were maps and pictures included. Perhaps a timeline or two as well. Any or all of them would have been most welcome and elevated this read immensely. Reading an electronic, pre-release version, I’m hopeful the published book will include them.

I want to read this again, with a guidebook with me, to help me picture what must have been amazing. Gave me much food for thought and a thirst to learn more…

I am a history fan. In fact, I am back at school finishing up my abandoned degree from the 80's.

If you consider the feats of Caesar, you probably think about war, maybe an Egyptian gal, and betrayals on the 15 of March.

Many of us don't consider the other contributions of the Roman empire like infrastructure. Open this book and you will feel like you are there. This well-researched book takes you on the road with Caesar as he opens up the world by building roads.

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a readable book on Caesar and his contributions to how the world began opening up.

FOLLOWING CAESAR by John Keahey is all I hoped for in nonfiction diving deep into history and presenting it fresh with a unique perspective. It went even further with Keahey's excellent writing and voice, the stories that he shared. I am left with a hunger to walk these roads for myself and learn more about that exceptional time with a remarkable leader. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased reviews.

Following Caesar by John Keahey is part travelogue and part history about three key Roman roads constructed 2,500 years ago. Via Appia, Via Egnatia and Via Traiana served to make travel itself and distances more manageable as the empire expanded. This in turn affected how news and information was relayed, including Christianity.

I have spent a lot of time in Italy, including visits to many locations included in this book. My hope was to learn more about Roman road construction (briefly detailed here), markers, tombs, Caesar's influence and so on. The author spent time researching these roads and where they lead but at times it felt like exploration was not thorough. Occasionally, information such as highway numbers is a bit dry. Photographs and illustrations would be very helpful and engaging.

Details about the villages, culture and local colour are wonderful, just different from what the title would suggest. I adore Italy and Italian history and do appreciate gleaning more knowledge from this author's experiences.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this informative book.

I wasnt sure what I was in for, not having read anything else by the author. It seems like it is unsure of what it wants to be - academic work or travelogue - so it becomes untethered rambling. We follow the author's journey through Italy, the Balkans, and Turkey during COVID19. He waxes philosophical about various historical events that happen, some of which include Caesar (Julius or Augustus or used generally as a title for anyone after them). Don't expect coherence hinted at by the title. It isn't there. If he had given a "so what" to following the specific roads that he references and allowed that to give some focus. it may have helped. As it was, I kept wondering how much was left. If you know what you're in for and ok with a ramble, give it a go!

Not A Christmas Book. Admittedly, I saw "Caesar" and the release date and for some reason thought this had... anything at all to do with Christmas. To be clear, it does not. Just in case anyone else was somehow thinking it might. ;)

What we *do* get, however, is actually a rather intriguing tale in its own right, of the author's adventures in a post-collapse world to try to find the last remaining vestiges of ancient Roman roads in Italy, Greece, Turkey, and surrounding areas. We get a decent amount of history, but to be clear - this is far more travel book (and almost travel log even) than history book. We get tales of espresso and kind strangers and parking woes, and we get tales of finding obscure patches of ancient Roman roadway or bridgeworks or some such often deep in farmer's fields - and which the author only stumbled upon because he happened to stumble into a local who happened to know what he was looking for. We also get several tales of various "official" sites being closed, some of which the author was able to sneak into anyway either by outright sneaking or by some official or another looking the other way.

Indeed, this was, as I mentioned above, quite an intriguing tale for what it is - just *really* don't go in here expecting some detailed treatise on the exact engineering of ancient Roman roadways and how at least certain sections of them have managed to last all these centuries. Go in expecting a 2020s era romp through the region at hand... and you'll probably leave a lot more satisfied here.

The one star deduction comes from having next to no bibliography, despite having so many historical details and references. Instead, the bibliography is simply a "selected reading" and clocks in at less than 4% of the overall text - compared to closer to 20-30% being my expected norm based on reading hundreds of nonfiction advance review copies of books across nearly every discipline these last few years as a book blogger.

Still, I had a great time with this book and learned a lot about a subject the author is clearly passionate about. I felt I was right there with him through many of these adventures and woes, and really... what more do you actually want in a book of this type?

Very much recommended.

What an interesting and unexpected read. I am not much for travel books but I love my history so I was willing to give this historical "travel" book a chance and I'm glad I did, The concept of books taking place along a trail isn't a new one to me ("Wild" comes to mind. But instead this book is a marvelous chance to learn about places, historical figures whose names everyone knows, and the universal freedom and connection that these roads brought to parts so far separated from each other. I feel privileged to be given this tremendous opportunity to drive down the historical memory lane and follow along as seeds of our modern world are planted and grow to unite us all in a way, this book is almost a metaphor for universality of experience and I'm glad I got picked to experience it first hand.

🖤 Following Caesar ARC Review 🖤

Thank you so much to John Keahey and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Following Caesar is a nonfiction account of Julius Caesar’s travels along ancient roads recreated in modern times. The author spent three months traveling through multiple countries to emulate the journey that Caesar took when he was preparing to wage war on Pompey.

This book was such an interesting read! A combination of ancient history and modern adventures in post-pandemic Europe. The author did a great job blending the two stories together to create an engaging and educational read!

Overall this was a solid three star read. A great look at the modern world and how ancient history still exists within it. As this is a nonfiction history book, for obvious reasons no rating will be given for spice

If you’re a fan of nonfiction reads with ancient history, modern travel and exploration, then absolutely pick this one up!

Please note: review will be posted on Amazon upon publication

Thank you to John Keahey for taking this reader along on his journey to trace the routes of three ancient roads. The author's writing style was very engaging and his excitement and passion for the subject palpable. I happily read this book with my laptop by my side, looking up many of the towns, sites and ruins visited. The historical context provided by Keahey was extensive and juxtaposed by anecdotes of the kindness and erudition of local guides encountered (most often by happenstance) during his travels. This book was simultaneously informative and charming and brought to life a topic that could have been, otherwise treated, quite dry.

Thought this was smart and super history - loved on the history and the tracing of the ancient road. From ancient times we learn how Italy was built

I thought this would be a historical work about the role roads played in building up the Roman Empire, but it's more of a travelogue. The author journeys around seeking stretches of original roads and Roman ruins, but it's a little dry and not all that interesting, and the book is in desperate need of maps. There is some interesting historical information concerning Caesar, Cicero, Horace, and the battles that transformed the republic into the empire.

As a lover of ancient Rome, diving into "Following Caesar" by John Keahey was akin to embarking on a thrilling expedition through time. The author's meticulous research shines through, making the narrative not only informative but utterly engaging. It was a joy to traverse the well-trodden paths of Caesar, with Keahey as a knowledgeable guide, providing a rich blend of historical facts intertwined with modern-day observations. Each page was a journey in itself, and by the end, I felt both enlightened and eager for more explorations into the realms of ancient history.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book about traveling through Italy on the roads built by the Romans, the history of the area and the many people and places passed along the way.

All roads once led to Rome. The power of roads to the growth and dominance of the Roman Empire really can't be overstated. With good roads people understood that an army could be at any point of insurrection or dissent. Roads also helped in commerce, not just of goods but of ideas, allowing art, culture, religion to expand beyond their regions. These roads still exist even today in many spots, still doing a job that anyone in this country would be proud of, and in many places envious of. 2500 or so years later John Keahey, journalist, historian, writer and wanderer decided to follow these roads and see where they would take him, and what he would find on the way. Following Caesar: From Rome to Constantinople, the Pathways That Planted the Seeds of Empire is a travelogue history of what Keahey discovered, driving, walking, talking with others and learning from the history he found.

The beginning of the book discusses the origins of the trek, but of course COVID derailed many of these plans. Keahey discusses how even after vaccines had eased some restrictions how Europe was reacting, with numerous tests, and problems in understanding America's paper cards over Europe's Green Pass system. The book is told in the order of which cities appear and there might be some jumping of time, but there really isn't any problems understanding the narrative. The book is set as a travelogue with historical diversions. Keahey had an interesting way of traveling. Coming to a town and finding local experts to fill him on the the history of the area. This gave him more of a local influence to the area, and made him quite a bit of friends along the way. There is much discussion of those who have traveled before, poets, diplomats, thinkers and Julius Caesar in whose steps Keahey is following. Along the way Keahey looks for the influence of Diana on a town, places to eat, and is amazed that Amazon can send a new lens cap overnight to one of his new friends.

As much a travel story set in modern times, as a history of Rome, its roads, and relations. The writing of the book is very pleasant, easy with lots of information, hosted by a man who it would be a thrill to travel with. There is an agenda, but that agenda can be sidelined by a lot of different things, and a lot of different discourses. Keahey uses ancient maps and GPS to mean his way along the roads, describing cities, arenas ancient post offices and more. What I enjoyed most though were the simple moments, a new friend passing Keahey on to another new friend who could talk for hours about art, or the road, or why their city was so important. To read about people making friends, and having discussions that don't end in screaming about politics was quite refreshing. A wonderful sojourn with a very learned guide.

Fans of Italy and Roman history will definitely enjoy this. This book would be a perfect holiday gift for a person who would like to travel and see these things, but are trapped at home in a New England winter. The Mediterranean air, the food, the history all comes through and would be a great read next to a roaring fire.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC of Following Caesar by John Keahey. It's a fun read if you like history and traveling! This book is an interesting combination of the two! Keahey has a genuine appreciation and love for history that he shares throughout his travels along some important Ancient Roman roads. He clearly did some great research about the history of where he was traveling and I feel like I learned a lot! He was out there traveling, talking to locals, & learning, and that's what he's sharing that with this book. I think what I liked best about is getting to really see these tangible connections to the past that are still preserved in the modern world. Following Caesar is certainly a good book if you want to be inspired to travel and uncover some ancient history too!

There are few experiences that I can think of that are as exhilarating as standing in a location where earth-changing events have taken place. To look out over The Cornfield at Antietam or to stand on the spot where Martin Luther King said 'I have a dream' is to feel in touch with the energy that drives our existence. I suspect that this philosophy is what drove retired reporter John Keahey to spend three months in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic to follow in the footsteps of the armies, generals, statesmen, scholars and apostles who traveled over those great Roman roads, the Via Appia and the Via Egnatia, roads that stretched from Rome to Byzantium. In this tremendous bout history tourism, Keahey would travel from village to village along the route, seeking and recruiting local historical authorities to serve as guides, showing him bits of the ancient roads, often lying several feet underground, and other little-known ruins from millennia past. This, to me, sounds like the perfect way to travel, meeting and befriending locals and listening to what they have to say about the world they know. I'll leave it to the scholars to decide whether it is the best way to advance the knowledge of our distant past.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review of this book. I suspect that I would have enjoyed and appreciated this book much more if it had the maps and photos that I'm sure the published edition will contain but, aware that ARC's seldom have these, I contented myself to imagine what my poor understanding of geography allowed me to picture.

Bottom line: I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone planning to travel through southern Europe in search of history.

As mentioned above, the review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on its content.

This book reads like someone took their online travel blog and cut-and-pasted it without alteration into book form. It's like the author (and his editor) doesn't care about engaging the reader. This book could have been improved by the inclusion of some well-made route maps and photos of the places described, but there were none in my electronic advance review copy of this book.

So, for example, there are a lot of references to Italian highways by number, but no indication why most of the people reading this book in English would know, care, or understand anything about where they are.

Or, the author will stop into some town and say that he had an excellent meal, but no more. I understand that perhaps the author didn't want to get into the habit of giving free advertising to particular restaurants, but it might have been interesting to hear that he had enjoyed a dinner of, for example, locally-caught grilled octopus with orzo rice in a marinara sauce in a particular town.

As noted by many others here at Goodreads, the title is completely deceptive – Caesar disappears from the book for long periods.

He spends a lot of time writing about difficulties he had parking his car.

He compliments by name the people who graciously took time out to talk to him about local history, which is excellent good manners. But he doesn't make any of them come alive on the page.

He leaves a lot of potentially interesting questions unanswered. For example, at one point, he stumbles on a section of Roman road in seemingly perfect condition on private property, but he just peers at it over the fence, hopes that it will survive intact, and moves on. It might have been interesting to know: Whose property was it? Do they pour a lot of money into maintaining this isolated bit of road that no one sees? If so, why? Or, maybe, the owner of the property is completely unaware of the road, and its preservation is just a lucky chance? I mean, why not follow up with a little investigation?

He tosses off ideas that flit into his head but then doesn't follow up on any of them. For example, at Kindle location 365, he writes:
It must have been hard walking for soldiers wearing sandals— burdened with heavy armor and weapons. I had read somewhere that the stone-covered via was for supply carts, wagons, and men on horseback. Soldiers, I read, often marched in formation on either side, hence the origin of the word “sidewalk.” True?
No, not true, as even a short search on Google would have revealed. "Sidewalk" has been identified as an Americanism for more than 100 years (see here), whereas the British word "pavement" dates from at least the 14th century. The British term derives through French from the Latin word pavimentum, "hard floor, level surface beaten firm" (see here).

It's like the author didn't even take a second look at his writing before sending it off to his publisher.

I received a free electronic advance review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.