Showing titles in Renaissance

Professor Farah Karim-Cooper grew up loving the Bard, perhaps because Romeo and Juliet felt Pakistani to her. But why was being white as a ‘snowy dove’ essential to Juliet’s beauty? Combining piercing analysis of race, gender and otherness in beloved plays from Othello to The Tempest with a radical reappraisal of Elizabethan London, The Great White Bard entreats us neither to idealise nor to fossilise Shakespeare but instead to look him in the eye and reckon with the discomforts of his plays, playhouses and society.

The Borgia family have become a byword for evil. Corruption, incest, ruthless megalomania, avarice, and vicious cruelty - all have been associated with their name. And yet, paradoxically, this family lived when the Renaissance was coming into its full flowering in Italy. Examples of infamy flourished alongside some of the finest art produced in western history.           

What was it actually like to live in Elizabethan England? If you could travel to the past and walk the streets of London in the 1590s, where would you stay? What would you eat? What would you wear? Would you really have a sense of it being a glorious age? And if so, how would that glory sit...

In The Prince, it is asserted that a good ruler is one who works for the benefit of the state at all times, even when this requires acting immorally or unethically. Basically, the ends justify the means, even if the means are killing innocent people, blackmailing, and being deceitful. This idea was contentious then and now - many people believe that rulers should act with kindness and lawfulness above all, rather than bending ethics to achieve the ends they want.

When her late father was branded a traitor to the king, Catherine Percy found sanctuary in Scotland. But a case of mistaken identity put her in a compromising position with the Highland earl sworn to protect her. Marriage to him saved her reputation, but nothing could save her from the stormy passion that bent her innocent body to his will - and shattered his last defense. The acclaimed author of The Thistle and the Rose presents an exciting new trilogy. Three sisters each hold a clue to their family's treasure - and the key to the hearts of three Highland warriors....

This magnificent biography of Henry VIII is set against the cultural, social and political background of his court - the most spectacular court ever seen in England - and the splendour of his many sumptuous palaces. An entertaining narrative packed with colourful description and a wealth of anecdotal evidence, but also a comprehensive analytical study of the development of both monarch and court during a crucial period in English history.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The award-winning author of The Memphis Murders presents “a rich and vibrant tapestry” (The Star-Ledger) of the fabled Tudor dynasty—and some of the most enigmatic figures to ever rule a country. “A thoroughly readable and often compelling narrative...

In this engaging, accessible account, Nadine Akkerman and Pete Langman explore the methods spies actually used in the period, including disguises, invisible inks, and even poisons. Drawing on a vast array of archival sources, they show how understanding the tricks and tools of espionage allows us to reimagine well-known stories such as the Babington and Gunpowder plots.

In the course of their investigation into Leonardo da Vinci, Lynn Pickett and Clive Prince found clues about his strangely passionate belief in the importance of John the Baptist. Here, along with a re-assessment of the significance of Mary Magdalene and the Sacred Feminine, the authors reveal...

In 1474, a 23-year-old woman ascended the throne of Castile, the largest and strongest kingdom in Spain. Ahead of her lay the considerable challenge not only of being a young female ruler in an overwhelmingly male-dominated world but also of reforming a major European kingdom that was riddled with crime, corruption, and violent political factionism. Her pivotal reign was long and transformative, uniting Spain and setting the stage for its golden era of global dominance.

Explore the gritty underworld of European social history, where plague and raw urban survival shatter golden age myths. Perfect for your morning commute, this immersive audio experience swaps marble palaces for the reeking, chaotic alleys of the past. Listen as the hidden daily struggles of...

Enter the gritty world of Renaissance art history, where creative survival meant battling poverty and ruthless patrons. Perfect for your daily commute, this atmospheric historical deep dive trades the myth of effortless genius for the smoky workshops and echoing churches of fifteenth-century...

Thrust into a gripping historical survival adventure, you have one day to outsmart Renaissance Italy and stay alive. Perfect for your daily commute, this immersive journey drops you into a dazzling yet unforgiving world with no luggage, no contacts, and no way home. You are not a passive...

Witness the dawn of a cultural revolution where radical art and cutthroat politics shattered the dark Middle Ages. Perfect for an intellectually stimulating morning commute, this immersive historical journey transports you straight to the bustling streets of Florence and Venice. Experience the...

Step into the dramatic cultural rebirth of European history, where radical ideas clashed with ancient traditions. Perfect for an immersive commute or an evening of deep focus, this vivid narrative breathes life into a continent emerging from plague, war, and religious anxiety. Experience the...

Plunge into history's most baffling unsolved mystery and the unbreakable code defeating modern cryptography. Perfect for a focused commute, this gripping historical journey tracks a medieval encrypted artifact across Renaissance courts and shadowy collections. Experience the intellectual thrill...

Step into Renaissance Florence, where a flawed block of marble became art history’s most immortal masterpiece. Rival factions, ambitious patrons, and fiery preachers collide in a fragile republic desperate for a civic talisman. Amidst this turbulence, a fiercely competitive young visionary...

Enter Renaissance Rome as a reluctant genius battles papal power to forge a dramatic historical masterpiece. Perfect for an immersive commute, this vivid narrative bypasses dry academic lectures to plunge you directly into the dust, noise, and fierce ambition of the sixteenth-century Vatican...

Unlock the ultimate historical mystery and dive into medieval cryptography with an artifact that defies decipherment. Perfect for deep focus listening, this atmospheric journey transports you from dusty Jesuit libraries back to the secret-shrouded courts of Renaissance Europe. Satisfy your...

Immerse yourself in gripping Renaissance history as a modest Tuscan commune transforms into a ruthless banking empire. Perfect for your daily commute or preparing for an Italian getaway, this atmospheric narrative plunges you into the tumultuous birth of capitalist finance. Witness how a fierce...