• The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy

  • By: Jacob Burckhardt
  • Narrated by: Geoffrey Howard
  • Length: 14 hrs and 9 mins
  • 3.7 out of 5 stars (77 ratings)

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The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy  By  cover art

The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy

By: Jacob Burckhardt
Narrated by: Geoffrey Howard
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Publisher's summary

In this landmark study of Italy from the 14th through the early 16th centuries, Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt chronicles the rise of Florence and Venice as powerful city-states, the breakup of the medieval worldview that came with the rediscovery of Greek and Roman culture, and the new emphasis on the role of the individual. All these, Burckhardt explains, went hand in hand with the explorations of science and the more naturalistic depiction of the world in art and literature.

Within the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Burckhardt finds the first stirrings of the modern world and, in the Renaissance Italian, the first modern man. His book-length essay includes discussions of all aspects of Italian civilization: art, fashion, literature, and the music of the time, as well as the flourishing of intellectual and spiritual life.

(P)2000 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"An engrossing world of politics and popes, religion and renegades, lifestyles and literature that few historical works encompass....a joy for devotees of the Renaissance." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy

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    4 out of 5 stars

A nest as beautiful as the bird(s) it bore

Often, when writing about the Renaissance there is tendency among experts/writers/historians to focus on the well-plumed bird and ignore the nest. Burckhardt spends nearly 400 pages carefully detailing the Tuscan nest of the Renaissance that embraced, protected, and incubated the great Italian artists of the Rinascimento (Giotto to Michelangelo, etc).

Burckhardt first describes the state in Italy and carefully describes the rise of the despots, the energy of the republics, and the push and the pull of the papacy. He builds on this, describing the development of the individual, Italy's relationship with its Classical past. Finally, Burckhardt details the science, society and religion of Italy during those impressive years between 1350 and 1550.

I think Daniel J. Boorstin summarized it best when he said Burckhardt "offered a classic portrait of the men and institutions that gave the era its characters and made it the mother of modern European civilization."

Like Gibbon's fantastic 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' it is tempting to gloss over how drastically the craft of history was changed by this book. Burckhardt wasn't interested in a stale or utilitarian history. He wanted a nest that was just as beautiful as the bird it bore.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Like a questionnaire

I regret purchasing this book. I gave it up after listening for close to 3 hours because I feel that it reads like a questionnaire. A long list of names and accompanaying each: Was he gruesome? Yes, no. Did he try to grab wealth wherever possible? Yes, no. Did he have a wife renowned for her beauty and devotion to the local church? Yes, no. Did he murder someone? Yes, no. Was he murdered? But no presentation, and no future promise of one, on what these facts may possibly relate to use about the renaissance in Italy. Extremely boring in my opinion.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

A Learned Book from 150 Years Ago

For a contemporary author of history to write a book of real merit it is required that the author have mastered the material that is the subject of the book, found wisdom in those studies, and most importantly must be able to present his work in a style that renders the material comprehensible and appealing to a wide readership.

When reading a work penned 150 years ago, one must allow for the change in writing styles from then to now. For example just try reading On War by Carl von Clausewitz or even Geoffrey Chaucer or even William Shakespeare in their original wordings. It should also go without saying that when the author refers to now he means his contemporary now of a 150 years ago, which means, his ideology reflect his era not ours.

Thus, Jacob Burckhardt's The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy like The Prince by Niccol?? Machiavelli or The Inferno by Dante Alighieri needs some knowledge of the era to be truly appreciated. Because of the arcane style of this book, if you don't already have knowledge of both the Renaissance in Italy and the author's 1800's this work may not be the best place to acquire it.

Geoffrey Howard did an able job in his narration.

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Reads more like a dissertation,

very factual but without any flow, could be a good reference source for students and scholars.

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Difficult for listening

This is a difficult book to enjoy in audio format. The somewhat archaic prose is difficult to follow if you use audiobooks as I do, which is often during some other menial task (driving, cleaning, ect) that doesn't require my full attention. Books like this are more suited towards the concentration that comes from reading. Also, this book assumes you already know a lot of the fundamentals of renaissance and medieval Italy. For example one is assumed to already know and understand the conflict between Guelph and Ghibelline, as well as what the Condottieri are and their role. Without some prior knowledge this book will be confusing, and for most it would be better read than listened to.

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