Glory and the lightning

Taylor Caldwell's new novel, set in ancient Persia and Greece, is based on the life of Aspasia—the beautiful and intelligent courtesan who eventually became the companion of Pericles, ruler of Athens. It is the story of an extraordinary woman, trained since childhood in the art of beauty, who finds herself increasingly in rebellion against the helpless position of women in ancient society. Taylor Caldwell has written a rich and thought-provoking novel of the ancient world as seen through a woman's eyes—finding in the life of Aspasia a model for the timeless conflicts of all women.