{"product_id":"the-borgias-power-and-fortune","title":"The Borgias: Power and Fortune","description":"Product Description\n\n\n· · A Daily Mail Book of the Week · ·The sensational story of the rise and fall of one of the most notorious families in history.____________________ 'A wickedly entertaining read' The Times____________________The Borgias have become a byword for evil. Corruption, incest, ruthlessness, avarice and vicious cruelty - all have been associated with their name. But the story of this remarkable family is far more than a tale of sensational depravities - it also marks the golden age of the Italian Renaissance and a decisive turning point in European history. From the family's Spanish roots and the papacy of Rodrigo Borgia, to the lives of his infamous offspring, Lucrezia and Cesare - the hero who dazzled Machiavelli, but also the man who befriended Leonardo da Vinci - Paul Strathern tells the captivating story of this great dynasty and the world in which they flourished.'A vivid insight into the hothouse world of papal politics in the tumultuous years before the Reformation.' Daily Telegraph'Authoritative and well-written' Wall Street Journal\n\n\nReview\n\n\nStrathern strikes a successful balance between gorblimey\nHorrible Histories and the reverence due to Renaissance men. Don't be beside a pool or under a loggia in Italy this summer without a copy from which to read (luridly) aloud...\nThis history of ruthlessness, intrigue and men broken on Fortune's Wheel is a wickedly entertaining read. ―\nThe Times\n\n\nA vivid insight into the hothouse world of papal politics in the tumultuous years before theReformation. ―\nDaily Telegraph\n\n\nAuthoritative and well-written... Strathern has an admirable talent for the biographical sketch, particularly of artists and writers. ―\nWall Street Journal\n\nThe Borgias, Mr Strathern explains, did not merely acquire their reputation through roistering and making the bureaucracy run on time. They also earned it through the ruthless elimination of their enemies - and friends...\nThis is a book rich in such telling details. ―\nThe Economist\n\nStrathern's latest venture into Renaissance Italy proves just as exciting as his previous histories... One of the author's great strengths has always been his ability to keep the many assorted players from confusing readers, and that holds true in his latest.\nStrathern's smooth narrative and comprehensive insight bring the Borgias to life. ―\nKirkus Reviews (Starred Review)\n\nEngaging and informative... To be immersed in this group biography is to visit a particularly exciting and consequential period in European history in all its high drama and richness of character...\nOutstanding ―\nBooklist\n\nIn this accessible look behind the curtain, Strathern lays out the history of the infamous Italian clan.\nStrathern makes a tangled and thorny history readable. ―\nPublishers Weekly\n\n\nHighly recommended for readers interested in the drama surrounding the Borgias that spurred a number of scandalous rumors that continue to circulate today. ―\nLibrary Journal (Starred Review)\n\n\nBook Description\n\n\nThe sensational story of the rise and fall of one of the most notorious families in history, by the author of The Medici.\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\nPaul Strathern studied philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin. He is a Somerset Maugham Award-winning novelist; author of two series of books -\nPhilosophers in 90 Minutes and\nThe Big Idea: Scientists who Changed the World - and several works of non-fiction, including\nThe Medici, The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior,\nSpirit of Venice and\nDeath in Florence.","brand":"Atlantic Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39663071264853,"sku":"9781786495464N","price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/products\/e656ddfe-511a-4a59-9654-401d2b75632d.jpg?v=1644292798","url":"https:\/\/smeikalbooks.co.uk\/en-us\/products\/the-borgias-power-and-fortune","provider":"smeikalbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}