The Measure of Man
Liberty, Virtue, and Beauty in the Florentine Renaissance

I enjoyed reading this history of Florence at its height of cultural relevance the way I'd enjoy sitting at the Caffetteria delle Oblate with a very good view of the Duomo on a cool fall day in September after the summer tourists have gone home. The name of the book--unabashedly called the measure o......more

Extremely well written. I had no idea art and writing in Renaissance Florence was shaped so much by the question of what type of government is best. The question was discussed endlessly among various influencers, including craftspeople, families, alliances, philosophers and individuals. Our custom o......more

For a person who is unknown of European history, this book can be a good starter. history of Florance from around 1300s.......more

Very engaging history! The author succeeded in bringing larger than life characters like Da Vinci and Michelangelo into perspective of the much larger epoch of the Renaissance. The historical aspect of the book was on point and easily digestible. Even the numerous alliances and backstabbings were ke......more

Few times and places are as central to history as Florence in the 15th Century. It was a veritable "Who's Who" with the Medici family, Michelangelo, da Vinci, the Borgias, Savonarola, Machiavelli, Crusaders, Kings and Popes all rubbing and throwing elbows. They had everything from a broadly particip......more