In The Last of the Wine, two young Athenians, Alexias and Lysis, compete in the palaestra, journey to the Olympic games, fight in the wars against Sparta, and study under Socrates. As their relationship develops, Renault expertly conveys Greek culture, showing the impact of this supreme philosopher whose influence spans epochs.

“Not since Robert Graves’ I, Claudius has there been such an exciting, living image of the ancient world on this grand a scale.”–The New York Times Book Review