The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy - Audiobook Review

Kliatt, March, 2002 by Helen Elizabeth

Jacob Burckhardt. 1860/ 2001. Read by Geoffrey Howard. 10-1.5 hour tapes. Blackstone Audio Books. #2790. 0-7861-2021-5. $69.95. Vinyl binder; content, author notes. A

First published in 1860, this seminal work still dazzles us with its insights and erudition. Swiss historian Burckhardt starts with the politics of the Italian city states, then explores art, religion, education, fashion, everyday life, and more. While Northern Europe was held back by feudalism and a conservative worldview, Italy burst out of medieval habits and beliefs, and set Western culture on its present course. Discovering the past, 14th and 15th-century Italians looked to Greece and Rome for inspiration in art and literature; but forging the future, they plumbed the secrets of nature and sailed the globe. Individual merit and achievement came to be esteemed more than high birth. The giants of the age--Columbus, Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli--still tower in human history, but even the nameless were accomplished. Learning and the arts flourished, fashion changed at dizzying speeds, and the values of wit, taste, and sophistication infused urban society.

This classic book will be tough for most high school students, and parts of it may intimidate even the history buff. (Listeners can be warned that the heaviest material comes at the beginning.) Reader Howard delivers the text briskly and in a no-nonsense tone, which underscores the fact that this isn't light entertainment. However, for the serious student of the Renaissance, it's a landmark work, full of unexpected delights and rewards. High-quality history collections will be strengthened by this classic. Helen Elizabeth Woodman, Andover, NH