The Borgias: Power and Depravity in Renaissance Italy
Paul Strathern
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
The Borgias: Power and Depravity in Renaissance Italy
Paul Strathern
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
In addition to delving into the corruption that has become synonymous with the Borgia name, the author details the contemporary figures and events occurring around them, successfully placing stories within the context of the time to highlight the villainy prevalent throughout Europe during the emergence of the Renaissance. Readers unfamiliar with this period of history may find the first few chapters confusing with its slew of names, but they will quickly catch on as Rodrigo Borgia begins his rise to Pope Alexander VI. With several quality books dedicated to the Borgias, such as G.J. Meyer’s The Borgias, history buffs have a plethora of avenues to explore, but Strathern’s comprehensive work positions him at the top of the pack.
... incorrigibly anecdotal.
... historians who seek a wide readership, while giving their readers the drama they crave, must honor the historical record in all its complexity...The Borgias: Power and Fortune present[s] just such [a] nuanced account.
... engaging and informative.
The ambitions, challenges, debauchery, failures, and successes of Alexander and his children in this Renaissance soap opera became a television mini-series recently. Here, however, the reader reads history in detail but for a popular audience, with a supporting cast that includes Ferdinand and Isabella, Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli, and Lorenzo the Magnificent.
... even-handed.
Strathern’s latest venture into Renaissance Italy proves just as exciting as his previous histories.
... accessible.