Magnifico - by Miles J Unger (Paperback)
Similar Products
Products of same category from the store
All
Product info
<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>Unger presents this new biography of the brilliant and ruthless statesman Lorenzo de' Medici, whose wielding of power helped nurture the Italian Renaissance. 8 pages of color photographs.<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><b><i>Magnifico</i> is a vividly colorful portrait of Lorenzo de' Medici, the uncrowned ruler of Florence during its golden age.</b> A true Renaissance man, Lorenzo dazzled contemporaries with his prodigious talents and magnetic personality. Known to history as <i>Il Magnifico</i> (the Magnificent), Lorenzo was not only the foremost patron of his day but also a renowned poet, equally adept at composing philosophical verses and obscene rhymes to be sung at Carnival. He befriended the greatest artists and writers of the time -- Leonardo, Botticelli, Poliziano, and, especially, Michelangelo, whom he discovered as a young boy and invited to live at his palace -- turning Florence into the cultural capital of Europe. He was the leading statesman of the age, the fulcrum of Italy, but also a cunning and ruthless political operative. Miles Unger's biography of this complex figure draws on primary research in Italian sources and on his intimate knowledge of Florence, where he lived for several years. <p/> Lorenzo's grandfather Cosimo had converted the vast wealth of the family bank into political power, but from his earliest days Lorenzo's position was precarious. Bitter rivalries among the leading Florentine families and competition among the squabbling Italian states meant that Lorenzo's life was under constant threat. Those who plotted his death included a pope, a king, and a duke, but Lorenzo used his legendary charm and diplomatic skill -- as well as occasional acts of violence -- to navigate the murderous labyrinth of Italian politics. Against all odds he managed not only to survive but to preside over one of the great moments in the history of civilization. <p/> Florence in the age of Lorenzo was a city of contrasts, of unparalleled artistic brilliance and unimaginable squalor in the city's crowded tenements; of both pagan excess and the fire-and-brimstone sermons of the Dominican preacher Savonarola. Florence gave birpth to both the otherworldly perfection of Botticelli's <i>Primavera</i> and the gritty realism of Machiavelli's <i>The Prince</i>. Nowhere was this world of contrasts more perfectly embodied than in the life and character of the man who ruled this most fascinating city.<p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br>A meticulous and entertaining study of one of the great characters of the Italian Renaissance, who ruled Florence during one of the most fascinating periods of Italy's turbulent history. Packed with incident and incisive research, this work succeeds in being both popular and scholarly. -- Paul Strathern, author of <i>The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance</i><br><br>This portrait of the 'uncrowned ruler of Florence' does great justice to this most intriguing of all Renaissance princes. Unger's diligent scholarship combines with an impelling narrative to give a full-bodied flavor of the splendors as well as the horrors of Lorenzo's remarkable reign. -- Ross King, author of <i>Brunelleschi's Dome</i> and <i>Machiavelli</i><br><br>"Dazzling. . . . From the first sentence, <i>Magnifico</i> transports the reader to 15th-century Florence, a place of matchless splendor, both natural and man-made. Unger mines a rich lode of sources. . . . The result is an indelible personal profile and an enthralling account of both the glories and brutalities of the era."<br> --David Takami, <i>The Seattle Times</i><br><br>"Highly absorbing . . . provides a mesmerizing microscope for viewing the entire Italian Renaissance. . . . <i>Magnifico</i> is a wonderful feast for lovers of Renaissance history and art."<br> --Chuck Leddy, <i>The Boston Globe</i><br>
Price History
Price Archive shows prices from various stores, lets you see history and find the cheapest. There is no actual sale on the website. For all support, inquiry and suggestion messagescommunication@pricearchive.us