|General Reference | Womens Studies |
Books - General Reference
A History of the Popes - by Sir Nicholas Cheetham "Barnes & Noble Books, New York, 1982, ISBN 0-88029-746-8. I think the title says it all. If nothing else, check out Leo X and Clement VII"
A Renaissance Tapestry - by Katherine Simon "Harper & Row Publishers, Inc., New York, 1988, ISBN 0-06-015847-6. A wonderful history of the Gonzaga family of Mantua. If nothing else, read the part on Francesco and his wife, Isabella d'Este, as Giovanni's character was formerly in the service of Mantua. Great art, good political background, some economics, and lots of "interludes" dealing with fun stuff like art, syphilis, and the plague. Highly recommended, even for staunch Florentines. After all, we need to know who those people to the north are!"
A World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance - by William Manchester "It speaks to the failure of medieval Europe, writes popular historian William Manchester, that "in the year 1500, after a thousand years of neglect, the roads built by the Romans were still the best on the continent." European powers were so absorbed in destroying each other and in suppressing peasant revolts and religious reform that they never quite got around to realizing the possibilities of contemporary innovations in public health, civil engineering, and other peaceful pursuits. Instead, they waged war in faraway lands, created and lost fortunes, and squandered millions of lives. For all the wastefulness of medieval societies, however, Manchester notes, the era created the foundation for the extraordinary creative explosion of the Renaissance. Drawing on a cast of characters numbering in the hundreds, Manchester does a solid job of reconstructing the medieval world, although some scholars may disagree with his interpretations."
At the Court of the Borgia - by trans. Geoffrey Parker "The Folio Society, London, 1996. The story of that nasty Spanish family that did so much to make Italians miserable in the sixteenth century."
Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power at the end of the Renaissance - by Guido Ruggiero
Cosimo De'Medici and the Florentine Renaissance - by Dale Kent ""This remarkable book is the first comprehensive examination of the whole body of works of art and architecture commissioned by Cosimo and his sons.""
Courtesans of the Italian Renaissance - by Cecilia Massey "Public libraries, if anywhere. See above description. Discusses many of the same women, but with different (and sometimes contradictory!) information. Nonetheless an interesting read, particularly if you're a woman considering a career change."
Cultural Atlas of the Renaissance - by C.F. Black, editor "Prentice Hall General Reference, New YOrk, 1993, ISBN 0-671-86523-4. Lots and lots of cool pictures, densely packed with information. You can't read a lot at one sitting, but it's a great reference in small doses."
Galateo: of Manners and Behaviours - by Giovanni Della Casa " "Baldasar Castiglione was NEVER this interesting or as honest an individual. Terribly amusing lessons in manners and decorum. It is the real deal, we're just sooooo far removed from that day and age, you'll be in tears. Horribly out of print" You may be able to find it at a used bookstore. "
Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in Renaissance Italy - by Gene Brucker
Isabella d'Este - by Julia Cartwright "E.P. Dutton & Co., New York, 1910. Another antique set that I own. All about the "first lady of the fifteenth century". Pre-dates us by a little bit, and is set in Mantua, but fascinating nonetheless."
Medieval and Renaissance Florence (Volumes I and II) - by Ferdinand Schevill "Excellent survey on the Medieval world of Italy, the Papacy, and the Holy Roman Empire. An easy read, it pinpoints the developments in Florence that helped bring the Renaissance to being. Also an excellent source for little documented people, places, documents, and political titles and structures. Out of print, but easily found (and cheap) at http://www.alibris.com or http://www.abebooks.com"
Public Life in Renaissance Florence - by Richard C. Trexler
Renaissance Diplomacy - by Garrett Mattingly "Still in print! An excellent study of - renaissance diplomacy! Starting with the 15th century problems of organizing political space and the origins of resident ambassadors and ending with the duplicity and treachery of the early 17th century. Quite a bit of useful information on forms of diplomacy, development of the embassy staff, diplomatic immunity, etc. "Exterritoriality" is a real word!"
The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini - by Benvenuto Cellini "An excellent look into what it meant to be part of the Renaissance. Cellini is most celebrated as a sculptor, but he was also an accomplished musician, swordfighter, seducer, and troublemaker. Learn what being an educated Florentine Male was *ALL* about."
The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy - by Jacob Burkhardt
The House of the Medici: Its Rise and Fall - by Christopher Hibbert
Books - Womens Studies
The Education of a Christian Woman : A Sixteenth-Century Manual  - by Juan Luis Vives
The Prospect Before Her: A History of Women in Western Europe 1500-1800 - by Olwen Hufton
Women of the Renaissance - by Margaret L. King