Shrouded in myth, the legends of Cleopatra have captivated writers and artists for centuries. Exploring how the Egyptian queen is so often cast as a cruel and distrustful seductress, Francine Prose shows the ways this portrayal has often been driven by orientalism and misogyny and offers a fresh interpretation of Cleopatra's history.

Francine Prose is the author of numerous books, including Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932; Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife; and Reading Like a Writer. A Distinguished Writer in Residence at Bard College, she lives in New York.