The Medici

Power, Money, and Ambition in the Italian Renaissance

De: Paul Strathern

Narrado por: Derek Perkins

A dazzling history of the modest family that rose to become one of the most powerful in Europe, The Medici is a remarkably modern story of power, money, and ambition.

Against the background of an age that saw the rebirth of ancient and classical learning, Paul Strathern explores the intensely dramatic rise and fall of the Medici family in Florence as well as the Italian Renaissance, which they did so much to sponsor and encourage. Interwoven into the narrative are the lives of many of the great Renaissance artists with whom the Medici had dealings, including Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Donatello as well as scientists like Galileo and Pico della Mirandola.

In his enthralling study, Strathern also follows the fortunes of those members of the Medici family who achieved success away from Florence, including the two Medici popes and Catherine de' Medici, who became queen of France and played a major role in that country through three turbulent reigns.

©2016 Paul Strathern (P)2016 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"A fantastically comprehensive history covering the breadth of the great learning, art, politics, and religion of the period." ( Kirkus)

Excellent history!!

I became obsessed with listening to this excellent read about the Medici! If you’ve watched the Medici tv series, you can easily put faces with names and it makes the listen more real! I will listen again! It gives an excellent family lineage outline as well as that of artists and scientists that helped shape the world!

I couldn’t stop listening….

Fantastic insightful review of the Medici history. Been to Firenze several times but, now I really want to go back and experience everything again and with a revised perspective. Superbly written and delivered exquisitely.
Thank you.

Fantastic!

Elegantly written with clear connections of the rise and transfer of power within the Medici family both in commerce, politics and religion.

Nothing short of splendid

Well written, and gives a good historical, financial and social account the lives of the Medici family

I loved this book

The quality of the writing, the understanding of what makes history interesting, the in-depth look at the personalities of the Medici families, make this a fabulous book, beautifully done. And the reader gets six stars. I couldn’t put it down. Not since Barbara Tuchman have I read such good history.

The intimate view of 250 years of the family

Brings history alive is what I like most about this book………………have read all of this series.

Very good story on the Medici history.

The story flowed easily and context was interestingly provided. This was very enjoyable and informational.

Great listen!

I’m listening to this for the second time. There’s too much information for a one time listen. I wouldn’t recommend it to people who don’t have much knowledge of the Medici. I got this a while ago and returned it because I didn’t know anything about the history surrounding it. Once I had that I got it again. It’s a fantastic book about the beginning and the power of the Medici! It’s also superbly narrated!

Captivating history

Extremely well researched and written. Some of the chronological skips might be difficult for some readers to follow.

Performance excellent

The Rest of the Family Story

The narrator is superb and makes all the difference, but the story itself is beautifully written in rich and detailed language and moves right along. This biography of the Medici traces the rise and fall of the Medici family and Florence from 1300 to 1800 . They rise from merchants to bankers to royalty in the courts of Europe. They end up squirrely, decadent and disgusting as Grand Dukes of Florence. But along the way there was Lorenzo the Magnificent, Giuliano the Pope, Catherine de Medici, Maria de Medici and many other great characters you probably didn't know about. The most stunning fact for me was that the last of the line, a childless Duchess living in the Palazzo Pitti, left the family's great art treasures to the City of Florence where they can be seen today. The ancient manuscripts and classical treatises became the Vatican Library. How amazing that these collections were not scattered, destroyed or sold off - in spite of the profligacy and neglect of their owners. Really good history.