I begin to see that the Signature lives series, while rather simplistic in their interpretation of history, is at least a fair representation of the themes of the lives they convey. Julius Caesar is no exception: the text is informative and somewhat narrative, the sidebars are clean and clear, if somewhat excessive, the illustrations are engaging though rarely from an ancient source (defaulting to Renaissance or later art or obviously new maps and diagrams). The facts are presented in a fairly linear and somewhat narrative manner, but the tone is what I find a bit concerning. Caesar comes across just a little too clean in this biography. Don't get me wrong, Julius Caesar was a very important historical figure, but he was just the man who read the times best. This book follows the same vein as many before it: Julius Caesar, dashing hero and shrewd general. Not inaccurate, but this book series has a tendency to focus only on the good or most admirable aspects of their subjects. It is a useful tool for familiarizing young readers with the basics of Caesar's life, and the political maelstrom that he was the eye of. ( )