Download or read book The Artist the Philosopher and the Warrior written by Paul Strathern and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2009-09-29 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Cesare Borgia—three iconic figures whose intersecting lives provide the basis for this astonishing work of narrative history. They could not have been more different, and they would meet only for a short time in 1502, but the events that transpired when they did would significantly alter each man’s perceptions—and the course of Western history. In 1502, Italy was riven by conflict, with the city of Florence as the ultimate prize. Machiavelli, the consummate political manipulator, attempted to placate the savage Borgia by volunteering Leonardo to be Borgia’s chief military engineer. That autumn, the three men embarked together on a brief, perilous, and fateful journey through the mountains, remote villages, and hill towns of the Italian Romagna—the details of which were revealed in Machiavelli’s frequent dispatches and Leonardo’s meticulous notebooks. Superbly written and thoroughly researched, The Artist, the Philosopher, and the Warrior is a work of narrative genius—whose subject is the nature of genius itself.

Download or read book Mistresses written by Elizabeth Abbott and published by Abrams. This book was released on 2011-09-01 with total page 526 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A lively and nuanced look at gender roles as they have been revealed by the lives of concubines and mistresses over the centuries” (Kirkus). She exists as both a fictional character and as a flesh-and-blood human being. But who is she, really? Why do women become mistresses, and what is it like to have a private life that is usually also a secret life? Is a mistress merely a wife-in-waiting, or is she the very definition of the emancipated, independent female? Elizabeth Abbott intelligently examines the motives and morals of some of history's most infamous and fascinating women, from antiquity to today. Drawing intimate portraits of those who have—by chance, coercion, or choice—assumed this complex role, Mistresses offers a rich blend of personal biography and cultural insight. “Ms. Abbott is delightfully indiscreet, with an eye for a good story and a colloquial style . . . She has done the ladies a service by bringing them out of the shadows.” —The Economist

Download or read book The Borgias written by G. J. Meyer and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2013 with total page 513 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The startling truth behind one of the most notorious dynasties in history is revealed in a remarkable new account by the acclaimed author of "The Tudors" and "A World Undone." Meyer offers an unprecedented portrait of the infamous Renaissance family and their storied milieu.

Download or read book The Bad Popes written by Eric Russell Chamberlin and published by Barnes & Noble Publishing. This book was released on 1986 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The stories of seven popes who ruled at seven different critical periods in the 600 years leading into the Reformation.

Download or read book Poison written by Sara Poole and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2010-08-03 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the simmering hot summer of 1492, a monstrous evil is stirring within the Eternal City of Rome. The brutal murder of an alchemist sets off a desperate race to uncover the plot that threatens to extinguish the light of the Renaissance and plunge Europe back into medieval darkness. Determined to avenge the killing of her father, Francesca Giordano defies all convention to claim for herself the position of poisoner serving Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, head of the most notorious and dangerous family in Italy. She becomes the confidante of Lucrezia Borgia and the lover of Cesare Borgia. At the same time, she is drawn to the young renegade monk who yearns to save her life and her soul. Navigating a web of treachery and deceit, Francesca pursues her father's killer from the depths of Rome's Jewish ghetto to the heights of the Vatican itself. In so doing, she sets the stage for the ultimate confrontation with ancient forces that will seek to use her darkest desires to achieve their own catastrophic ends.

Download or read book History Of Mistresses written by Elizabeth Abbott and published by HarperCollins Publishers. This book was released on 2003-03-29 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: She has been known as the "kept woman," the "fancywoman," and the "other woman." The French acknowledge herexistence by remarking, "The chains of marriage are so heavy that it oftentakes three people to carry them." She is Jeanne Antoinette de Pompadour,and Simone de Beauvoir, not to mention Marilyn Monroe and Camilla Parker-Bowles.She is a mistress, and she has been – and is – very much apart of our humancultural history. But who is she, really? What is the true nature of themistress-lover relationship? How do women experience mistressdom? And where doeslove figure in all of this? Elizabeth Abbott, who made celibacy sexy in her acclaimed A History ofCelibacy, has the fascinating storehouse of answers in a deliciously richblend of history, personality and cultural study. In a lively and accessiblestyle, History of Mistresses draws intimate portraits of mistressesthroughout history, from Chinese concubines to Europe’s royal mistresses andthe clandestine consorts of (un)celibate clerics. Mobster molls, trophy dollsand modern mistresses are deconstructed, with often surprising results. Beyondthe personalities, some interesting themes emerge: the relationship betweenmistresses of colour and their married men; the coercion of Jewish women duringthe Holocaust; and a contemporary look at today’s "power"mistresses. From lust to love, from money to power, Abbott’s A History of Mistressesferrets out the motives and morals of these women, carrying the reader along ona journey that is hugely informative and always entertaining.

Download or read book The Christians Their First Two Thousand Years written by Ted Byfield and published by CHRISTIAN HISTORY PROJECT. This book was released on 2010 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Christians is the history of Christianity, told chronologically, epoch by epoch, century by century, beginning at Pentecost and concluding with Christians as we find ourselves in the twenty-first century. It will consist of approximately twelve volumes, produced over a 10-year period at the beginning of the third Christian millennium. It is written and edited by Christians for Christians of all denominations. Its purpose is to tell the story of the Christian family, so that we may be knowledgeable of our origins, may well know and wisely profit from the experiences of our past both good and bad, and may find strength and inspiration to face the challenges of our era from the magnificent examples set for us by those who went before. - Back cover.

Download or read book The Royal Art of Poison written by Eleanor Herman and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2018-06-12 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of Washington Independent Review of Books' 50 Favorite Books of 2018 • A Buzzfeed Best Book of 2018 "Morbidly witty." —Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times "A heady mix of erudite history and delicious gossip." —Aja Raden, author of Stoned Hugely entertaining, a work of pop history that traces the use of poison as a political—and cosmetic—tool in the royal courts of Western Europe from the Middle Ages to the Kremlin today The story of poison is the story of power. For centuries, royal families have feared the gut-roiling, vomit-inducing agony of a little something added to their food or wine by an enemy. To avoid poison, they depended on tasters, unicorn horns, and antidotes tested on condemned prisoners. Servants licked the royal family’s spoons, tried on their underpants and tested their chamber pots. Ironically, royals terrified of poison were unknowingly poisoning themselves daily with their cosmetics, medications, and filthy living conditions. Women wore makeup made with mercury and lead. Men rubbed turds on their bald spots. Physicians prescribed mercury enemas, arsenic skin cream, drinks of lead filings, and potions of human fat and skull, fresh from the executioner. The most gorgeous palaces were little better than filthy latrines. Gazing at gorgeous portraits of centuries past, we don’t see what lies beneath the royal robes and the stench of unwashed bodies; the lice feasting on private parts; and worms nesting in the intestines. In The Royal Art of Poison, Eleanor Herman combines her unique access to royal archives with cutting-edge forensic discoveries to tell the true story of Europe’s glittering palaces: one of medical bafflement, poisonous cosmetics, ever-present excrement, festering natural illness, and, sometimes, murder.

Download or read book Blood and Beauty written by Sarah Dunant and published by Random House. This book was released on 2013-07-16 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY KIRKUS REVIEWS The New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Italian Renaissance novels—The Birth of Venus, In the Company of the Courtesan, and Sacred Hearts—has an exceptional talent for breathing life into history. Now Sarah Dunant turns her discerning eye to one of the world’s most intriguing and infamous families—the Borgias—in an engrossing work of literary fiction. By the end of the fifteenth century, the beauty and creativity of Italy is matched by its brutality and corruption, nowhere more than in Rome and inside the Church. When Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia buys his way into the papacy as Alexander VI, he is defined not just by his wealth or his passionate love for his illegitimate children, but by his blood: He is a Spanish Pope in a city run by Italians. If the Borgias are to triumph, this charismatic, consummate politician with a huge appetite for life, women, and power must use papacy and family—in particular, his eldest son, Cesare, and his daughter Lucrezia—in order to succeed. Cesare, with a dazzlingly cold intelligence and an even colder soul, is his greatest—though increasingly unstable—weapon. Later immortalized in Machiavelli’s The Prince, he provides the energy and the muscle. Lucrezia, beloved by both men, is the prime dynastic tool. Twelve years old when the novel opens, hers is a journey through three marriages, and from childish innocence to painful experience, from pawn to political player. Stripping away the myths around the Borgias, Blood & Beauty is a majestic novel that breathes life into this astonishing family and celebrates the raw power of history itself: compelling, complex and relentless. Praise for Blood and Beauty “Dunant transforms the blackhearted Borgias and the conniving courtiers and cardinals of Renaissance Europe into fully rounded characters, brimming with life and lust.”—The New York Times Book Review “Like Hilary Mantel with her Cromwell trilogy, [Sarah] Dunant has scaled new heights by refashioning mythic figures according to contemporary literary taste. This intellectually satisfying historical saga, which offers blood and beauty certainly, but brains too, is surely the best thing she has done to date.”—The Miami Herald “Compelling female players have been a characteristic of Dunant’s earlier novels, and this new offering is no exception. . . . The members of this close-knit family emerge as dynamic characters, flawed but sympathetic, filled with fear and longing.”—The Seattle Times “The Machiavellian atmosphere—hedonism, lust, political intrigue—is magnetic. . . . Readers won’t want the era of Borgia rule to end.”—People (four stars)

Download or read book In the Name of the Family written by Sarah Dunant and published by Random House. This book was released on 2017-03-07 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Before the Corleones, before the Lannisters, there were the Borgias. One of history’s notorious families comes to life in a captivating novel from the author of The Birth of Venus. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY COSMOPOLITAN (UK) AND THE TIMES (UK) “In the end, what’s a historical novelist’s obligation to the dead? Accuracy? Empathy? Justice? Or is it only to make them live again? Dunant pays these debts with a passion that makes me want to go straight out and read all her other books.”—Diana Gabaldon, The Washington Post Bestselling novelist Sarah Dunant has long been drawn to the high drama of Renaissance Italy: power, passion, beauty, brutality, and the ties of blood. With In the Name of the Family, she offers a thrilling exploration of the House of Borgia’s final years, in the company of a young diplomat named Niccolò Machiavelli. It is 1502 and Rodrigo Borgia, a self-confessed womanizer and master of political corruption, is now on the papal throne as Alexander VI. His daughter Lucrezia, aged twenty-two—already three times married and a pawn in her father’s plans—is discovering her own power. And then there is his son Cesare Borgia, brilliant, ruthless, and increasingly unstable; it is his relationship with Machiavelli that gives the Florentine diplomat a master class in the dark arts of power and politics. What Machiavelli learns will go on to inform his great work of modern politics, The Prince. But while the pope rails against old age and his son’s increasingly erratic behavior, it is Lucrezia who must navigate the treacherous court of Urbino, her new home, and another challenging marriage to create her own place in history. Sarah Dunant again employs her remarkable gifts as a storyteller to bring to life the passionate men and women of the Borgia family, as well as the ever-compelling figure of Machiavelli, through whom the reader will experience one of the most fascinating—and doomed—dynasties of all time. “Enthralling . . . combines flawless historical scholarship with beguiling storytelling.”—The Guardian “Renaissance-rich details fill out the humanity of the Borgias, rendering them into the kind of relatable figures whom we would hope to discover behind the cold brilliance of The Prince.”—NPR “[Dunant] has an enviable command of this complex political scene, with its shifting alliances and subtle betrayals. . . . [She] has a special gift for attending to her female characters.”—The New York Times

Download or read book History Through the Opera Glass written by George Jellinek and published by Hal Leonard Corporation. This book was released on 2000 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: (Limelight). This first-of-its-kind, highly entertaining, and carefully researched account reveals how nearly 200 operas by leading composers and librettists have portrayed the major events and personalities of more than 2000 years of history. In a continuous and absorbing narrative, the book sweeps from Roman times to 1820, with a cast of characters that includes Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Attila, Charlemagne, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great, Napoleon and hundreds more. All are seen as the figures historians generally perceive them to have been and as their on-stage counterparts, created and re-imagined by some of opera's greatest artists.

Download or read book Appreciating Italy written by Robert Englekirk and published by Robert E. Englekirk. This book was released on 2007-10 with total page 443 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Appreciating Italy is that rarest of travelogues that not only directs the traveler to a travel destination, but also provides a brief review of the historical evolution of the region. Unlike travel books that merely tell you what you should see, Appreciating Italy explains why you should see it, giving you background information on each city¿s history, culture, art and architecture ¿ background information that can¿t help but add another dimension to the enjoyment of your holiday. Primary destinations explored include Rome, Florence and Venice as well as the regions that surround each ¿ Naples, Pompeii, Paestum, Capri, Sorrento and the south; Tuscany, Pisa, Siena and Asissi; and the Veneto: Verona, Vicenza, Basano del Grapa, Ravenna and the Palladio Villas. Appreciating Italy provides: - itineraries for Italy and each of its region, - itineraries for each city, - walking tours of major cities, - museum tours, highlighting major works of art, - detailed descriptions of highlighted works of art, - insight into the architectural styles of Italy. Appreciating Italy will help to maximize your cultural enjoyment of an Italian adventure and yet allow you the time to enjoy the pizza, pasta, vino, gelato, and ambiance that have put Italy on every tourist¿s itinerary.

Download or read book The Biography Book written by Daniel S. Burt and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2001-02-28 with total page 636 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From Marilyn to Mussolini, people captivate people. A&E's Biography, best-selling autobiographies, and biographical novels testify to the popularity of the genre. But where does one begin? Collected here are descriptions and evaluations of over 10,000 biographical works, including books of fact and fiction, biographies for young readers, and documentaries and movies, all based on the lives of over 500 historical figures from scientists and writers, to political and military leaders, to artists and musicians. Each entry includes a brief profile, autobiographical and primary sources, and recommended works. Short reviews describe the pertinent biographical works and offer insight into the qualities and special features of each title, helping readers to find the best biographical material available on hundreds of fascinating individuals.

Download or read book Golden Image written by Henry Bendow and published by Grosvenor House Publishing. This book was released on 2011-06-14 with total page 582 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fascinating insight into the life of Benvenuto Cellini, a 16th century sculptor, who was the greatest goldsmith ever known. His work remains the standard against which other goldsmiths are still measured today.He was both the friend and enemy of Cardinals, Popes and Kings. Exiled and thrown into prison, he became a fugitive when he escaped. He brawled, fought and quarrelled, and was himself responsible for several killings both on and off the battlefield. He had no compunction about cavorting with someone else's wife, mistress or with prostitutes.This highly researched book will both educate and entertain.

Download or read book All Things Julius Caesar 2 volumes written by Michael Lovano and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2014-12-02 with total page 1022 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Julius Caesar's life and example have fascinated and motivated generations of people for nearly 2,000 years. This book explores the people, places, events, and institutions that helped define arguably the most famous individual in the history of Rome. Far from being "ancient history," Roman history and culture from the time of Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire have surprising parallels with the political strife and societal issues in 21st-century life. Interest and awareness have also been bolstered by recent successful Hollywood films as well as television series that depict Roman history. All Things Julius Caesar: An Encyclopedia of Caesar's World and Legacy provides a unique reference on topics and themes related to the life and times of Julius Caesar. It offers historically accurate information about what he did—and did not—do, and examines his impact on later eras via images and idealized depictions of him popularized in literature and other media up to the present. The approximately 200 entries in this two-volume set are organized alphabetically according to topic or theme—for example, individuals such as Marc Antony, places such as the province of Gaul, events such as Roman elections or battles in the Civil War, and institutions such as Roman classes, slavery, patrons, and clients. The entries cover all the territories of the Roman Empire during Caesar's time, from Britain to Egypt. The set includes primary documents such as excerpts from ancient letters, essays, and biographies and supplements the text with images and maps. The bibliography provides print and electronic resources suitable for high school and college student research as well as further reading for general audiences.

Download or read book The Vatican Princess written by C. W. Gortner and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2016-02-09 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, bestselling author C. W. Gortner effortlessly weaves history and drama in this captivating novel about one of the world’s most notorious families. Glamorous and predatory, the Borgias fascinated and terrorized fifteenth-century Renaissance Italy, and Lucrezia Borgia, beloved daughter of the pope, was at the center of the dynasty’s ambitions. Slandered as a heartless seductress who lured men to their doom, was she in fact the villainess of legend, or was she trapped in a familial web, forced to choose between loyalty and survival? With the ascension of the Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI, a new era has dawned in Rome. Benefitting from their father’s elevation are the new pope’s illegitimate children—his rival sons, Cesare and Juan, and beautiful young daughter Lucrezia—each of whom assumes an exalted position in the papal court. Privileged and adored, Lucrezia yearns to escape her childhood and play a part in her family’s fortunes. But Rome is seductive and dangerous: Alliances shift at a moment’s notice as Italy’s ruling dynasties strive to keep rivals at bay. As Lucrezia’s father faces challenges from all sides, the threat of a French invasion forces him to marry her off to a powerful adversary. But when she discovers the brutal truth behind her alliance, Lucrezia is plunged into a perilous gambit that will require all her wits, cunning, and guile. Escaping her marriage offers the chance of happiness with a passionate prince of Naples, yet as scandalous accusations of murder and incest build against her, menacing those she loves, Lucrezia must risk everything to overcome the lethal fate imposed upon her by her Borgia blood. Beautifully wrought, rich with fascinating historical detail, The Vatican Princess is the first novel to describe Lucrezia’s coming-of-age in her own voice. What results is a dramatic, vivid tale set in an era of savagery and unparalleled splendor, where enemies and allies can be one and the same, and where loyalty to family can ultimately be a curse. Praise for The Vatican Princess “In a literary exploration riven with Shakespearean quantities of murder, lies, deceptions, and treachery, Gortner’s narrative gains veracity with his atmospheric exploration of fashion, architecture, and art on the stage of ‘loud, filthy, and dangerous’ Rome. Gortner has imagined Lucrezia Borgia’s life from a feminist perspective.”—Kirkus Reviews “[Gortner] has invested his novel with impressive historical detail that is woven neatly into the threads of the story, and his afterword and references offer excellent insight.”—Historical Novels Review “Assiduously researched and expertly crafted, this novel takes readers inside the treacherous world of the Borgias—one of history’s most dysfunctional ruling families—and brings to life the sympathetic and freshly imagined character of their leading lady, Lucrezia. This unholy plunge into Rome’s darkest dynasty is wholly engrossing.”—Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of Sisi: Empress on Her Own “The world of Renaissance Italy is vividly brought to life—I’m captivated by this knowledgeable author’s take on the controversial Borgias.”—Alison Weir, New York Times bestselling author of Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen “Impressive research, a lush background, and deft characterization of these turbulent times make for a fascinating read.”—Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of Elizabeth I

Download or read book A History of the Papacy written by Allan Hall and published by Thunder Bay Press (CA). This book was released on 1998 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: