Lorenzo Il Magnifico

September 18, 2017 8:15 PM

Ada Palmer refers to Lorenzo de Medici as a "perfect humanist prince." What is the best single-volume biography of Lorenzo? Best single volume history of the Medicis? And best single-volume history of Medieval and/or Renaissance Florence?
posted by the man of twists and turns to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

Have you asked Palmer?
posted by clew at 10:54 AM on September 19, 2017

Try Judith Hook, who has a good bio on Lorenzo (and a very good book on the history of Siena), and A History of Florence 1200-1585 by John Najemy.
posted by PussKillian at 11:18 AM on September 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

I don't have a biography to recommend, but Vasari's Lives of the Artists is a great entry into the world of Renaissance Florence. It's a contemporary source and it's easy6 enough to read that my high school used it.
posted by bq at 1:32 PM on September 19, 2017

Response by poster: Have you asked Palmer?


Me now
posted by the man of twists and turns at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2017

Well, all right then, I will! Turn over a glass, I may be some time, roll a rock down, etc.

(That is, given that she has students and writes a popularizing blog and willingly became a SF&F writer; I am expecting way too much excellent recommendation, possibly some months from now.)
posted by clew at 10:47 AM on September 22, 2017