Review: History of the Renaissance Summarized by Devon Kade

 

I’ve been writing a series about four artists in the Renaissance, specifically Renaissance Italy, and thought I knew a bit about the time. After reading this book, I realized I knew next to nothing. It sharpened my understanding of the artistic rivalries, the romantic intrigues, the philosophical and religious tensions, and the political powder keg that shaped every brushstroke and every decision.

 History of the Renaissance Summarized by Devon Kade has been a heck of an eye opener. And incredibly informative. Told in a vibrant, almost gossipy style, Kade finds all the juicy character bits that academic history books leave out: who loved whom, who fought with whom, the political pitfalls that nearly destroyed lives. Kade lays it out from the dawn of Petrarch’s resurrection of the Greek classics to the Medici influence on art, science, and medicine. Through the Florentine influences to the Roman additions to the Venetian influences, leading right into the Baroque era. By the time I was done, I knew a lot more about Humanism, NeoPlatonism, and just about every other ‘ism’ practiced. I walked with da Vinci, understanding his drive to learn more about everything. I stood inside the mind of Michelangelo as he painted and sculpted his way into the zeitgeist of artists everywhere. I sat with Raphael and Botticelli.

 This doesn’t read like your average history. It’s anything but boring and dry, and the history is filled with the angst of the time. The best part of the Renaissance turned into the worst part. And I was hooked on every word, every page. Like I said, an almost gossipy style. Even if the Renaissance isn’t your thing, you’ll want to read this just to see how its turmoil and transformation mirror the geopolitical upheaval of our own world.

 This is only one in a series of histories about every subject you could possibly want to study. Forget school. School books should be this fascinating.

Definitely a five-star read!

Find your copy on Amazon by clicking here. Available in Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, and audiobook.