The Medici: Rise of a Parvenu Dynasty, 1360-1537

Superbly written and full of insight into the time that fostered the modern european era.

It describes the various events and personalities in great and vivid detail. The various families, rulers, parties and artisans were discussed at great and clear length and detail.

Very well written for the history buff. The author weaves the reader through the many parallel histories which, brought together, tell the whole story of the rise of the Medici's.

Great talent for communicating meets passionate in-depth research, history becomes alive and fun in this book - Loved it, it !

This author is terrible. His details are spot on. He has two major writing flaws. Both probably due to ego issues. First - he gives way too much background info. Things that could be covered in a sentence or two he goes off on for a page or two or three. Constantly. Second - word choice. He uses words that are forced to fit into what he is saying. Which is extremely distracting when reading. He will use a word where the definition and usage are for something other than how he chooses to use it.I adore the subject matter. Reading his writing style is very painful.

Well written book full of twists and turns felt as though I was transported back in time to renaissance Italy.

Fascinating read.