A Short History of Italy

by Henry Dwight Sedgwick

A brief, easy to read summary of Italian history from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the year 1900.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, European History

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1905

Reviews

[Bill Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a good, modern history of Italy when I discovered this 114-year old specimen on a neglected shelf, apparently sprung spontaneously into existence there because neither my wife nor I could recall seeing it before. Since my main interest was in the unification of Italy -- an event within living memory of the book's publication, I decided I had found the right book. I enjoyed the rather quaint style, though Sedgwick has a definite sense of humor that shines through here and there, and the summation of complex events was stunning in its clarity. What I like best though is how the history here is free from the lens of the 20th Century and its ideological preoccupations. Really the only thing that jarred a little is the religious viewpoint, more willing to forgive clerical lapses than most later historians (or me) would be. On the whole and somewhat paradoxically, I find myself wondering if I shouldn't seek out older books when I want a fresh take on history.

[Sal Leggio · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the final pages, Sedgwick talks about the individualism of the Italians, and how it undermined the social fabric. He seems to feel that this is the reason for Italy's decline after 1600, not mentioning that the discoveries across the Atlantic all worked to the benefit of other nations, although Italians participated in them. While the expansion of trade and power across the Atlantic benefit Italy, there is no reason why this lack should lead to a decline of art, science, and scholarship. The Church, in its treatment of Galileo, played a role in suppressing science, but it was always friendly to the arts. Sedgwick's thesis that a decline in institutions of trust, of faith in civic institutions, caused a general decline in the society is something to think about while we continue to "bowl alone".

[Ed Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the Sack of Rome to the House of Savoy

A fascinating look at 1400 years of Italian history, from the fall of the Western Empire to the reunification of Italy at the end of the 19th Century. Such a rich history cannot possibly be fully covered in one comparably short book. Some of the coverage and approaches by the author are a bit odd (extensive quotes by Faulkner when discussing the 19th century, but very light coverage of DiVinci, for instance) but you get a good survey of 14 centuries of history in a 4-6 hour read.

[Bitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book for free for my kindle because it is out of copyright. I was surprised how well it was written and very much enjoyed reading this before my trip to Italy.