Politeness and Politics in Cicero's Letters

"This book was a true pleasure to read. Hall's confident and somewhat easygoing academic style betrays not only a comfortable ownership of the sizable Ciceronian corpus but also a true enthusiasm for his project and a deep respect for the author at its center. [Hall] takes an entirely novel approach to both Cicero's letters and the "problem" of Late Republican literary and political politeness, and shows us why we should care. And we should." --Classical World "This book is an important addition to our understanding of Cicero's letters, and anyone working in this period will benefit from Hall's fresh approach." --New England Classical Journal "He considers the politeness of respect, affiliative politeness, and redressive politeness, and at the same time distinguishes between politeness and hypocrisy. Discussing the role of letter writing among aristocrats, the author looks at how and why the writers present themselves as they do. He also analyzes letters of recommendation and request, and looks at the importance of face in daily activity. By applying sociolinguistic theory in this way to so many letters, Hall is able to offer a persuasive picture of political negotiations and the strategies of aristocrats during the late republic." --CHOICE Given the necessity of considering politeness in so many aspects of our professional lives, Jon Hall's book on politeness in Cicero's letters should find a wide audience.... this philological study written in an easy yet academic style.... Overall, Hall has written an informative and rewarding book.... this book nevertheless succeeds in illuminating a relatively uncharted aspect of Cicero's correspondence, and as such it ought to find its way onto the reading list of anyone interested in Cicero's letters or the politics and social interactions of the Late Republic."--Jonathan P. Zarecki, Bryn Mawr Classical Reviews