Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Simon and Schuster (1953), 776 pages
Description
An engrossing volume on the Italian Renaissance by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Will DurantThe fifth volume of Durant's acclaimed Story of Civilization, The Renaissance chronicles the history of Italy from 1304 to 1576. In this masterful work, listeners will encounterthe poets Petrarch and Boccaccio, the fathers of the Renaissance;the paintings, sculptures, and architecture of Milan, Florence, and Venice;the life and accomplishments of Leonardo Da Vinci;the Catholic church and the popes of Avignon and Rome;the politicians and philosophers of Italy, including the Borgia family, Julius II, and Machiavelli;the Italian Wars, the conflicts with France, and the country's decline.
Subjects
Awards
Notable Books List (1953)
Language
Original publication date
1953
Physical description
776 p.; 10.5 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
The "Story of Civilization" was the lifetime project of Will and Ariel and it is a very large achievement. This particular volume covers the period 1350 to 1500 CE and concentrates on Florence. The series as a whole was a spine to which other forms of historical research could be related from the
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1940's to the 1970's. There is a large number of useful epigrams, and the overall picture created was helpful to the students in many areas. it was a most graceful survey and this is a worthy volume of it. the Entire series became a "Book of the Month Club" loss leader, and it graces many homes yet. Show Less
LibraryThing member mattries37315
The Italian Renaissance began in during the Middle Ages and with the Reformation in northern Europe ended the Middle Ages and brought about the beginnings of the Early Modern world that we live with today. The Renaissance is the fifth volume of Will Durant’s The Story of Civilization series as he
Taking up the historical narrative where he left off in the previous volume, Durant presents a wide-ranging survey of nearly three centuries worth of events, individuals, and artistic accomplishments while putting them all in context with one another. Not since the volume focusing on Greece has Durant’s prose brought across his excitement for covering a subject, mostly because of his meticulous descriptions on the artistic accomplishments of so many individuals that includes not only the very well-known to those we might only read about in this volume. Yet those lesser-known individuals are given such a treatment by Durant that readers could quickly search for images of their work on the Internet today to see why he is so passionate about them. Given Durant’s issues with problematic language and his seeming contempt of religion in previous volumes, those issues didn’t really come up until close to the end of the volume with the emergence of the domination of the Italian peninsula by the Spanish at the conclusion of the Italian Wars with Valois France.
The Renaissance features the best aspects of Will Durant’s prose as he lovingly gushes over the accomplishments of nearly three centuries of Italian culture even as it was politically divided which would lead to its eventual subjection to foreign rule.
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explores the history, culture, and artistic achievements of the various Italian polities from Venice and Milan in the north to Florence and Rome in the center and Naples in the south and such individuals as Petrarch, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Titian.Taking up the historical narrative where he left off in the previous volume, Durant presents a wide-ranging survey of nearly three centuries worth of events, individuals, and artistic accomplishments while putting them all in context with one another. Not since the volume focusing on Greece has Durant’s prose brought across his excitement for covering a subject, mostly because of his meticulous descriptions on the artistic accomplishments of so many individuals that includes not only the very well-known to those we might only read about in this volume. Yet those lesser-known individuals are given such a treatment by Durant that readers could quickly search for images of their work on the Internet today to see why he is so passionate about them. Given Durant’s issues with problematic language and his seeming contempt of religion in previous volumes, those issues didn’t really come up until close to the end of the volume with the emergence of the domination of the Italian peninsula by the Spanish at the conclusion of the Italian Wars with Valois France.
The Renaissance features the best aspects of Will Durant’s prose as he lovingly gushes over the accomplishments of nearly three centuries of Italian culture even as it was politically divided which would lead to its eventual subjection to foreign rule.
Show Less
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Pages
776