Magnifico: The Brilliant Life and Violent Times of Lorenzo de' Medici

A detailed, well researched look at the life of Lorenzo the Magnificent, Lorenzi di Piero di Cosimo de'Medici. A surprisingly engaging and engrossing read for a story rooted in Renaissance Italy, this book makes clear Lorenzo's impact on Florence at the height of its powers. Ultimately a sad tale, because this true Renaissance man died too young and his works were undone too quickly, this book makes one want to read more about the Medici family. I would have preferred more information about Lorenzo's personal life - his wife and children are only briefly alluded to in the book - but one is limited to the sources available, I expect. A fascinating look at a fascinating man in a fascinating period of time.

A full-scale biography of Lorenzo the Magnificent, filled with complexities of Florentine political, financial, and social machinations. This is far enough out of my area that it could well be full of errors large and small and I wouldn't notice, but I found it a good read, even if I had trouble at times keeping things straight. I would have liked more on Lorenzo's literary and artistic interests and patronage, but no real matter.

As some one who has studied Lorenzo's life, times, and writing since the 1960s, I can only offer what Sir William Schwenck Gilbert would have called -- obviously in another context -- modified rapture over this book. It is littered with dubious interpretations, such that its value is reduced to being, for English-language readers, value in default of anything notably bette. , Though It certainly beats Hell out of the old Roscoe biography, I think it's "feel" and credibilty are not much of an advance over Maurice Rowdon's book. With all the other things I do, myself will probably not take up the obvious challenge of doing a better job, but I suggest that readers with a serious interest are best advised to try to learn enough Italian to show more read Lorenzo himslef, to examine some of the academic works -- of which recent years have generated several fine ones -- and make up their own minds. show less