Reading Wednesday

[sabotabby]

Just finished: Inventing the Renaissance: The Myth of a Golden Age by Ada Palmer. I went to art school semi-on-purpose. Which is to say I always loved art, loved drawing, but was it my passion? Who knows what a 13-year-old's passion is? I was nerdier about other things. But I was bullied in grade school and wanted only to get away from my tormentors when I finally graduated, and so I auditioned for the art school as an escape. I was good at drawing, good enough that they plucked me out of my boring town and away from everyone I hated. There I had teachers who truly were passionate about art, and art history, and I fell in love with not just the paintings and sculpture and architecture but the stories and personalities behind them. We scrimped and saved so that I could go on the school trip to Italy and there I got to see the art, and fall in love with Florence in particular, and walk in the footsteps of Michelangelo and Leonardo and Machiavelli and Lorenzo the Magnificent and it was the most incredible thing to happen to me in my life thus far.

So anyway reading this book was like reliving that, only—as Ada Palmer says throughout the book—"Ever-So-Much-But-More-So." Because there is more history than I knew, or learned since, more stories, more people, about 100 pages of footnotes, and it's contested history, histories complicated by someone who loves this era even more than I do. Despite the book's heft, it's a very fast read. Also I cried a l'il. Fight me. But read it.

Currently reading: Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This is a re-read of my favourite SM-G book For Reasons and my God, Meche is even worse than I remembered. I love her. Ahaha. What a nightmare child.

Comments

[blogcutter]

That book on the Renaissance sounds absolutely fascinating, although the chances of my reading the whole thing are somewhat remote, given how much my reading time has declined lately. I can relate to the bullied-in-grade-school thing and am a firm believer in following one's passion in life. Florence - and anywhere in Italy for that matter - is still on my bucket list!

[sabotabby]

It's not a heavy read, mostly because while she does throw a lot of information, names, and dates at you, it's funny as fuck, and she reminds you who was who (especially because so many of the people have the same or similar names, or changed them when they became Pope.

Florence is incredible. Obviously touristy as all get-out but worth the crowds if you can ever manage it. Granted, I'm going on experience from three decades ago, but I don't think it's changed.

[frandroid]

It was the same 10 years ago...

[sabotabby]

A relief to know.

[ioplokon]

Room With a View made me remember how gorgeous Florence is. ♥

[frandroid]

And they barely showcased it!

[sabotabby]

I just read the wildest story by him (The Machine Stops).

[naomikritzer]

Ed and I went to Florence this past winter and it was great. Beautiful city, amazing art. If you go in February it's a lot less crowded. Spring weather is nicer, though. (Spring basically arrived our last day there.)

[sabotabby]

If I ever manage a sabbatical (or get to retire) I can do it in February!

Back when I was a kid, I went in March, and the weather was perfect.