A Short History of Renaissance Italy

by Lisa Kaborycha

http://amazon.com/dp/0136054846

Gene A. Brucker, Shepard Professor of History, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, says: “Dr. Kaborycha’s A Short History of Renaissance Italy is based on a thorough knowledge of current literature. She is aware of the controversies among scholars over the interpretation of this epoch. She analyzes the tension between continuity and change in these centuries, from the ravages of the Black Death in the 1340s, to the revival in the 15th century, and the dramatic consequences of the foreign invasions after 1494. A notable quality of this work is the author’s integration of every significant feature of this era, from climate and geography to politics, the economy, and religion and culture. Her choice of literary and artistic sources, from Homer and Cicero to Dante and Michelangelo, is always pertinent and instructive. She begins each chapter by setting the scene with apt quotations or illustrations to establish the context of her analysis. Her writing style is lucid and often eloquent, and she takes care to explain unfamiliar concepts and themes. Her suggestions for further reading are well chosen. This book is an exemplary narrative and analysis of a major chapter in the history of Western civilization.”