I look forward to a writers’ visit by Sarah Dunant and Paul Strathern this coming Tuesday at one of my local bookstores Daunt books. It will be a night with focus on the Italian renaissance. Dunant writes historical novels that take place during the renaissance, while Strathern writes non-fiction books. As you might remember I have a great interest in Italy and books written about Italy, fiction and non-fiction.
I have read two of Dunant's books about the renaissance and I look forward to the third, which will be published in July. I like her style of writing, entertaining but still accurate, she knows the period she writes about. There is a lot of small facts in her books that you know she had to research thoroughly to find.
I have not yet read anything from Strathern but my flat mate is currently reading Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance and I will have first dibs on that when she finishes it. Josefine
My recommendations: In the company of the courtesan by Sarah Dunant
There is something about books set in Italy that draws me to them. Perhaps it is that romantic villa in Tuscany, the old Roman ruins or the blue waters of the Adriatic that makes my heart shiver. Some of the best books I have read takes place in Italy or have had something to do with the country. EM Forester’s A room with a view, partly takes place in Italy. It is a book I have read more than once. Another that I liked is Galileo’s daughter written by Dava Sobel.
Because of my pleasant experience with earlier books about Italy, I was not disappointed when I read my latest Italian conquest, The birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. The story takes place in Florence, the great Lorenzo di Medici is dead and his son Piero takes over but is soon expelled from the city and the monk Savonarola takes over set to change the city and its virtues. In the middle of all this is a young woman, Alessandra, a talented artist in search for freedom from her father’s watchful eye. She gets it through marrying a much older man, but realises soon that there are greater things than freedom that rules your life. The intrigues get thicker as they can only get in Italy and Florence at this time.
The end? I won’t tell, you have to read it to find out!
Josefine My recommendations: The Medici Family, the beautiful people of Florence by Ulla Britta Ramklint
