Review: The Florentines: From Dante to Galileo: The Transformation of Western Civilization

The Florentines: From Dante to Galileo: The Transformation of Western Civilization by Paul Strathern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another random find in my library app. I was looking for books on Italy in preparation for my impending Italy trip (March, 2023) and ran into this book. Since I was going to spend a couple of days in Florence, I thought knowing some of the history would be helpful.

Strathern's history of Florence is really well done. He manages to combine attention to the environment, politics and social setting with a vivid sense of the people who shaped Florence's history in the course of the 14th and 16th centuries. That was a tumultuous time, not only culturally amid the excitement of the Renaissance, but also politically, at a time when Italy's map was being re-made. Carefully researched and well explained, this book is an excellent introduction to Renaissance Florence.

So, if you're interested in the period or in Florence, this is a good entry point.

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Review: Uffizi Gallery: The Official Guide All of the Works

Uffizi Gallery: The Official Guide All of the Works by Gloria Fossi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first picked this book up, of course, at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence in 2017, when I was on tour in Italy with students. My mission that year was to gather the guidebooks, so I could plan my succeeding trips to Italy better. It took me until I was on the cusp of the next trip to get around to reading it.

This is, of course, a guidebook, so not comprehensive, but it does give a good understanding of the Uffizi Gallery's collection and, just as important, the layout. The descriptions of the featured paintings are concise and interesting, so worth reading through to look for one's favourites. The translation sometimes produces slightly odd English, but nothing really difficult to read. And there is a list of all the art work in each room, which is actually quite helpful.

Definitely worth picking up for those who are interested, especially in Renaissance art.

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