The Italian Renaissance Reader

by Julia Conaway Bondanella (Editor), Mark Musa (Editor)

A single volume introduction to the major writers of the Italian Renaissance—Petrarch, Boccaccio, Alberti, della Mirandola, da Vinci, Castiglione, Machiavelli, Buonarroti, Guicciardini, Cellini, and Vasari.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Renaissance, Italian Literature

416 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 1987

Reviews

[Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just rediscovered this in my old college textbooks. A great primer that opened many intellectual doors for me.

[Giuseppe Labriola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a good overview of some essential renaissance thinkers. The biographies on each figure are a bit limited, but they serve their purpose. It is the philosophies of the thinkers that truly captivated my attention. Although most sections on a particular figures philosophies are mainly excerpts from one of their major works, Bondanella was able to pinpoint the major themes of their notions and present them in an accessible and understandable fashion.

[Matt McCormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I found this book. It was like dinning out with Topas. Small bites, some fair some really good. I appreciated having a chance to actually read people we hear often about, like Petrarch, and Machiavelli. I appreciated being introduced to Castiglione and I very much enjoyed Guiccardini. Most of all was the last and smallest plate - Michelangelo's poetry.

Well worth picking up.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book I had to read for a class. Fascinating! This book didn't include all of the writings from any of the authors introduced in this book, and many of them I had never heard of before, but now there are several that I'd like to read more from.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selections from some of the greatest writing of all time, including 'the prince', my personal favorite
Another school required book, ASU, Renaissance something or other, well worth the price

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

started in my literature class but want to reader cover-to-cover