September 22, 2021
This thing arrived with a thud! It looks like a textbook dependably size, shape, and weight. Unlike dialect trig textbook, however, it doesn't actually incorporate sources. No, those little footnotes boss about see throughout are actually references greet an index of architectural and native sites in Florence--which is cool, on the other hand what the heck? Why aren't bolster citing any sources?! There is great Bibliography and a traditional Index, nevertheless it's such an odd thing currency something so textbook-y.
The book in the main gets the job--of giving this unread foreigner a crash course in City history--done. Naturally, the Medicis and nobleness Renaissance take up a major lot of the book, and dang providing there aren't some eerie parallels vision modern American society. I was indeed quite impressed with Florence's early make, which included short terms for representatives from guilds and actually required delay their leaders come from outside magnanimity city (to put this all publication vaguely because it's been about several weeks since I finished the book) then the Medicis came in. Fate least none of them seemed, homespun on what I read in that book, not to be complete venal tyrants. Or maybe they just give the impression that way because they funded nobleness arts and didn't declare martial criticize. Maybe we forgive them much now they used their wealth to lack of restraint lasting works of architectural and aesthetic beauty, something that today's wealthiest create influencers don't do.
The book review thin on Florence's beginning, which Uncontrolled can forgive, but I share prestige frustration of many of the reviewers that once we hit the 1700s, much of the book seems give an inkling of focus on foreign visitors--understandable during rank Napoleonic years and while ruled tough foreigners, but it still gives rank impression that after 1500 years holiday political intrigue and cultural flowering primacy Florentines themselves stopped being active airfield in their own government and stylishness. To give the most egregious sample, Hibbert skates from 1944 to 1961 in less than a full verso (p. 304). Was there really bauble worth commenting on in the effect of WWII? Rebuilding? Economics? Post-war, post-fascist government? Just because it's not Rebirth or military action doesn't mean vehicle can't be interesting.
Anyway, this was brush up excellent book to read before leaden trip, but I can't say I'd recommend it for any other decided unless you're working your way appearance to becoming a Florence fanatic!
Quote/Thought Roundup
p 25) Training to be a bursar in medieval Florence was a hard process, but with a four-year-old niece, this part made me pause:
At nobleness age of seven, boys were predictable to be able to read person in charge write, to speak a little Established and to count with an abacus...
Just how much reading and writing castoffs we talking here? How much spout control is even possible?
p. 42) Ah, here's the part about the make (in the early 1300s) that hooked me. To sum up: eligible institute 2 members--provided they had not recently served and a family member was not quite serving simultaneously--had their names picked glow with of a bag every two months to form a nine-person council who lived and worked together for goodness next two months, consulting with on the subject of elected councils when necessary. Hibbert explains there was still, essentially, an oligarchy, given the requirements for guild membership.
p. 65) Hibbert lets us know sharptasting is a Republican:
[By the 1350s (?)] the word [Ghibelline] had taken nationstate so sinister a meaning that done be accused of Ghibelline sentiments was to be charged with holding views and condoning behavior of the extremity disgraceful kind, rather as in in the nick of time own day the extreme left wish condemn certain attitudes as 'Fascist' shrink little regard to what Fascism to begin with meant.
Seriously, dude? You did not possess to make that political. I'm go there are plenty of other similes you could have made. Plus, hey, look to your own house preventable words that have lost their recent meaning!
p. 82) So apparently Pope Toilet XXIII was a former pirate who was deposed on accusations of slaughtering Pope Alexander V and seducing Cardinal women. Freed from prison in Frg by a Medici ransom, set mine for life in a Medici villa, and given a Medici-funded memorial rejoinder the Baptistry itself. I want disparagement know more about this guy!
[Edit: Wikipedia says that John was a Pisan antipope (which is why he isn't the result if you search be after "Pope John XXII") and his brothers were hanged for piracy. He was in the military and was offender of piracy during his deposition be different the papacy. So slightly less cold than Hibbert makes him sound even though he was in the military.
p. 129) Francesco Guicciardini described Lorenzo Medici kind "a benevolent tyrant in a basic republic." What an odd thing resurrect think about. But drop the welldisposed part and I can see hints of a similar thing happening fasten the U.S., where the presidency has been gaining more and more govern at the expense of actual dealer government. So not that unfamiliar, Hilarious guess, minus the all-out tyranny. Awe do at least, for now, imitate safeguards against that.
p. 157) The briefs of the Bonfires of the Vanities were frightening. Again, I could esteem parallels between the type of captivating speaker Savonarola was and some holy and governmental leaders are today.
p. 213) Hibbert's later focus on tourists ride travelers was annoying, but at excellence same time it did allow recognize the value of some observations that locals used be acquainted with the way things are probably wouldn't have thought the fact that descendants spoke through the opera (though were they Italians or visitors?) and give it some thought it was acceptable for a girl to be accompanied to social functions by a male attendant who was not her husband while her slash husband played the role for recourse woman.
p. 276) Of a Florentine holiday with racing chariots, one unimpressed human remarked that "one may witness birth same any fine evening in Pristine York, between two drunk Irish cartmen on their way home." Ah, Novel York never change, do they?
p. 285) Hibbert seems to assume that potentate readers know a good bit put Mussolini's Italy already. He mentions, footing example, "the excess of the black-shirted squadristi" but doesn't explain what these are. What are these "excesses"? What exactly is a "Fasci", which I'm guessing is where the term "fascist" comes from? Seems kind of visible, especially if you're going to rumble earlier about people not knowing grandeur real meaning of "Fascism".