Renaissance Europe, 1480-1520

I enjoyed this book and learned quite a bit from it, but I don't think I learned nearly as much as I would have had I come to it already knowing something about the Renaissance. Rather than moving chronologically, this book is written topically. While this may be a good way to write to get to the heart of understanding a period and its culture and people, it makes it nearly impossible to read unless you have some previous knowledge of the subject. I would recommend reading this book if you're interested in learning more about the Renaissance, but only if you are already familiar with the Renaissance to some extent.

The new edition of this classic history examines the political, economic, social, religious and cultural life of Europe at the height of the Renaissance. J.R. Hale not only records the events of 1480-1520, but also suggests what it was like to have lived in this period. He provides readers with an understanding of the quality of lives of people living at this time and includes processes and personalities not often covered by other books. For the second edition Professor Michael Mallet provides an updated bibliography and an extended introduction explaining the book's place in the historiography of the subject. The book is arranged thematically, each chapter designed to provide information about a specific field of inquiry and also give show more an insight into the people of this era. J. R. Hale investigates how these people felt about their environment and the passage of time; their relationships with government and other institutions, from the Church to the family; their economic frameworks; the part religion played in their lives; and what cultural and intellectual pursuits were available to them. Renaissance Europe compares our own attitudes to those of the Renaissance and vice versa, thereby enriching the readers understanding of everyday life in the past. show less

2/7/23

el autor aborda el periodo con una metodología temática huyendo de la cronológica utilizada por la mayor parte de historiadores. Ello hace que la lectura sea difícil y que nos enfrentemos a un constante sube y baja. Si no se está familiarizado con el periodo no recomiendo este libro. Además el autor tampoco favorece la adaptación a su metodología porque parece que escribe para "si mismo" y no para los que intentamos aprender. El uso y abuso de frases subordinadas hace que tengas que leer un párrafo más de una vez para captar el sentido de lo que dice y aun así a veces se te escapa. En resumen un libro para expertos.