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The Shortest History of Italy

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

Discover the prodigious global influence of il bel paese in this star-studded retelling of Italy's past—from a foremost author of historic Italy. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read.

"Each page brims with Bill Bryson-like trivia that is sure to delight."—Booklist, starred review

The calendar. The Senate. The university. The piano, the heliocentric model, and the pizzeria. It's hard to imagine a world without Italian influence—and easy to assume that inventions like these could only come from a strong, stable peninsula, sure of its place in the world. In this breakneck history, bestselling author Ross King dismantles this assumption, uncovering the story of a land rife with inner uncertainty even as its influence spread.

As the Italian tale unfolds, prosperity and power fluctuate like the elevation in the Dolomites. If Rome's seven hills could talk, they might speak of the glorious time of Trajan—or bemoan the era of conquest and the Bubonic Plague that decimated Rome's population. Episodes of wealth like the First Triumvirate and the time of the Medicis are given fresh life alongside descriptions of the Middle Ages, the early days of Venice, the invasion of Napoleon, and the long struggle for unification.

Highlighting key events and personalities, King paints a vibrant portrait of a country whose political and cultural legacies enrich our lives today.

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    • Booklist

      April 1, 2024
      Few countries can rival Italy for our collective fascination. The name alone evokes food, fashion, and cars, to say nothing of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. King (The Bookseller of Florence, 2021), who has written extensively on the history, art, and culture of Italy and is known for his impeccable research and engaging style, is the perfect Virgil to guide us from The Aeneid to COVID-19 in this densely packed volume of tantalizing details. King dexterously moves from the founding of Rome to the rise and fall of the empire, noting such highlights as Julius Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon and Hannibal's crossing of the Alps. We learn that Italy has been occupied by many foreign forces, including the Greeks, Huns, Ottomans, and Normans, resulting in "a land of many races and of many tongues," or what Dante called the "cacophony . . . of Italian speech." King has a keen eye for the provocative anecdote, ranging from the debauchery of the emperors to papal history and the origins of the Mafia. We're reminded of Italy's enormous impact on literature (Dante, Petrarch, Collodi), art (da Vinci, Michelangelo), and luxury brands (Fiat, Gucci, Versace, Ferrari). Each page brims with Bill Bryson-like trivia that is sure to delight. Ridi spesso, ama molto.

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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  • English

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