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.The Lives of the Artists (Oxford World's Classics)
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by: Giorgio Vasari

April 02, 1998
'In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.'

This is badly-written, badly-structured, gossipy, confused, misleading, and in too many places downright dishonest. Nevertheless it remians our main source of biographical information on the great artists of the Renaissance and Mannerist periods.

Most of these geniuses were considered so unimportant in their own lifetimes that the details of their lives weren't thought worthy to be recorded. It is telling therefore that it was Vasari, himself a rather vainglorious and self-important artist, who first conceived the notion of setting down the minutae of his own class. Unfortunately he was more a man of the brush than the pen and used his biographical duties to settle a ... Read More:
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.Mirror Mirror
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by: Gregory Maguire

June 02, 2005
I bought this book with high expectations of a wonderful,modern retelling of a traditional fairytale, however all I got was a disapointment. The author tries to combine too many ideas into this novel and ends up rambling for pages at a time,whilst generally leaving the reader behind. The book starts well enough and you become engrossed in a fantasy world but it all gets a bit dry and boring the further into the story he plods.
I give this one star just for the idea!
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.The Fall of Rome: And the End of Civilization
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by: Bryan Ward-Perkins

July 13, 2006
Ward-Perkins makes his case (that the Fall of Rome really was an epochal catastrophe) so concisely and elegantly, and without any loss of detail or academic rigour, that it shames many an academic historian whose works are heavy going, even for other historians. The seamless interweaving of documentary and archaeological evidence, the graphics and clear pursuit of a particular historiographical view and its relvance to us today - leavened by occasional donnish humour - make this an easy read.

Particularly interesting to read this alongside Peter Heather's (another Oxford historian) book on the Fall of Rome, coincidentally published around the same time but taking a different angle.


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.Dear Francesca: An Italian Journey of Recipes Recounted with Love
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by: Mary Contini

June 05, 2003
I want to see more stars against this book, which is why I am typing this review. Having lived in Italy, I was searching for an authentic Italian cookbook and when this book was given to me by a discerning friend, I knew I had found what I was looking for. It is a real delight...so full of useful tips ...not just about the process of cooking the recipes but about the ingredients themselves. It is the book every Italian mother should hand on to her daughter! Those readers who may be put off by the lack of photos of the actual recipes should think again...Mary's recipes are delicious and foolproof. Italy on a plate! I struggled for years making my own pasta using the instructions which came with the (Italian) machine....but once I followed Mary's instructions, ... Read More:
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.Italy: Quality Camping and Caravanning Sites (Alan Rogers Guides)
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from: Alan Rogers Guides Ltd

February 12, 2008
I want to see more stars against this book, which is why I am typing this review. Having lived in Italy, I was searching for an authentic Italian cookbook and when this book was given to me by a discerning friend, I knew I had found what I was looking for. It is a real delight...so full of useful tips ...not just about the process of cooking the recipes but about the ingredients themselves. It is the book every Italian mother should hand on to her daughter! Those readers who may be put off by the lack of photos of the actual recipes should think again...Mary's recipes are delicious and foolproof. Italy on a plate! I struggled for years making my own pasta using the instructions which came with the (Italian) machine....but once I followed Mary's instructions, ... Read More:
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.Florence: The Biography of a City
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by: Christopher Hibbert

October 27, 1994
A splendid general account of the history of Florence aimed at the general reader, with particular emphasis on the crucial Renaissance 14th-15th centuries. Well illustrated also. A must for anyone with a non-specialist interest in the city and/or its art and culture.

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.La Bella Vita: Life, Love and and Food in Southern Italy
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by: V. Adamoli

March 08, 2006
I was given this book to read by a friend in England, and was totally taken by surprise - this is a wonderful book; vivid, truthful and entertaining.
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.Sardinia: Car Tours and Walks (Landscapes): Car Tours and Walks (Landscapes)
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by: Andreas Stieglitz

March 01, 2008
I was given this book to read by a friend in England, and was totally taken by surprise - this is a wonderful book; vivid, truthful and entertaining.
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.Umbria (Eyewitness Travel Guide)
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from: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd

February 01, 2008
I was given this book to read by a friend in England, and was totally taken by surprise - this is a wonderful book; vivid, truthful and entertaining.
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.Art in Renaissance Italy, 1350-1500 (Oxford History of Art)
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by: Evelyn S. Welch

September 14, 2000
This book is a well researched and a thorough introduction to the art of renaissance Italy. It contains lots of full-page colour illustrations and has a nifty timeline at the back of the book. The author talks about how the art was created and its purpose.
I was expecting a headache after the second chapter but I was surprised to find it lucid and not migraine inducing at all.
It would provide anyone with a reliable introduction to this subject.
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