The Brilliance & Glory of the Italian Renaissance told through fiction
Explore the brilliance and glory of the Italian Renaissance through captivating fiction. Discover top books that bring this golden era to life with rich storytelling and historical depth.
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The Birth of Venus
by Sarah Dunant
Turning fifteen in Renaissance Florence, Alessandra Cecchi becomes intoxicated with the works of a young painter whom her father has brought to the city to …
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In the Company of the Courtesan
by Sarah Dunant
Set in Renaissance Italy, this follow-up to Dunant's "The Birth of Venus" recounts the fantastic escapades of Bucino Teodoldo, a wily dwarf, and his mistress, …
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The Ruby Ring
by Diane Haeger
From critically acclaimed historical novelist Diane Haeger comes The Ruby Ring, an unforgettable story of love, loss, and immortal genius . . . Rome, 1520. …
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The Borgia Bride
by Jeanne Kalogridis
Vivacious Sancha of Aragon arrives in Rome newly wed to a member of the notorious Borgia dynasty. Surrounded by the city's opulence and political corruption, …
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Lucrezia Borgia
by Sarah Bradford
Drawing from a trove of contemporary documents and fascinating firsthand accounts, Bradford brings to life the art, the pageantry, and the dangerous politics of the …
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The Secret Book of Grazia Dei Rossi
by Jacqueline Park
As she recreates life in Renaissance Italy in captivating detail, Park creates a timeless portrait of a brave and brilliant woman trapped in an unforgiving, …
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Leonardo's Swans
by Karen Essex
Isabelle d’Este, daughter of the Duke of Ferrara, born into privilege and the political and artistic turbulence of Renaissance Italy, is a stunning black-eyed blond …
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The Passion of Artemisia
by Susan Vreeland
"Susan Vreeland set a high standard with Girl in Hyacinth Blue.... The Passion of Artemisia is even better.... Vreeland's unsentimental prose turns the factual Artemisia …