Review
From the book
jacket: Escaping the sack of Rome in
1527, with their stomachs churning on
the jewels they have swallowed, the
courtesan Fiammetta and her dwarf
companion, Bucino, head for Venice, the
shimmering city born out of water to
become a miracle of east-west trade:
rich and rancid, pious and profitable,
beautiful and squalid.
With a mix of courage and cunning they
infiltrate Venetian society. Together
they make the perfect partnership: the
sharp-tongued, sharp-witted dwarf, and
his vibrant mistress, trained from birth
to charm, entertain, and satisfy men who
have the money to support her.
Yet as their fortunes rise, this perfect...
Beyond the Book
A Brief
History of The
Renaissance
The Renaissance
period (from the
French word
'rebirth',
Il
Rinascimento
in Italian) was
a period of
scientific and
cultural
changes. The
Renaissance was
triggered by a
new interest in
the ancient
classical texts
and a desire to
learn how they
could be applied
to the arts and
sciences - the
result was a...
