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The Borgias
Seven Letters to Mike Tyson on Egyptian Temples
The Irish: Our History
Toivo, a Man with Sisu
Christianity in Today's China: Taking Root Downward, Bearing Fruit Upward
Fire and Love: In the Midst of the Great War
Fire and Love
A Modern Pilgrim in India
The Lone Navy Eagle
Daddy's Concubines and Me!
Templar Organization: The Management of Warrior Monasticism
Templar Organization: The Management of Warrior Monasticism
To Fight with Intrepidity--: The Complete History of the U.S. Army Rangers, 1622 to Present
The Intolerable Hulks: British Shipboard Confinement 1776-1857
History and Tradition in Early Israel
The Kuna Gathering: Contemporary Village Politics in Panama
Indian Depredations in Utah
Tinderbox: East-Central Europe in the Spring, Summer, and Early Fall of 1956
Tinderbox: East-Central Europe in the Spring, Summer, and Early Fall of 1956
Afghanistan: An Abridged History
Our Liberators: The Combat History of the 746th Tank Battalion During World War II
Leyte Revisited
Dachau Liberated: The Official Report
The Pivot of Civilization in Historical Perspective: the Birth Control Classic
Across Asia on a Bicycle: the Journey of Two American Students from Constantinople to Peking

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What got me interested in history...
COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!
Hazards of being Royal, Oh my!
Come into the Borgia Parlor ...
Dark & Sensual

The Borgia Bride: A Novel
Jeanne Kalogridis
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312341385
Release Date: 2005-04-21

Book Description

In the tradition of The Birth of Venus and The Other Boleyn Girl comes a dramatic and compelling story of a princess from Naples who marries into one of the most glittering and infamous families of the Italian Renaissance Sancha of Aragon, beautiful and vivacious, arrives in Rome after marrying an heir to the Borgia dynasty. But Rome, seething with conspiracy and intrigue, is a world away from the sunlit Naples of her childhood. When she discovers her new husband in the embrace of not one, but several women, she is heartbroken. Lonely, she befriends her glamorous and tantalizing sister-in-law, Lucrezia Borgia, whose reputation as a seductress is unparalleled; among her conquests, it is rumored, is her own brother, Cesare. Her jealousy is legendary and some say she has used poison to rid herself of rivals. Gradually, the two women develop a cautious friendship, and Sancha comes to admire Lucrezia's ability to navigate the dangerous political currents. But when Sancha is seduced by none other than Cesare himself, whose sexual magnetism and cruelty have made him notorious, she realizes she has placed herself in serious danger. If her secret is discovered, it could not only destroy her, but threaten her beloved Naples. Possessed of an indomitable spirit, she must summon courage and cunning to protect her country, her family and herself.

Customer Reviews:

What got me interested in history..........2007-05-01

I was carousing through my local bookstore about three years ago, and I came across The Borgia Bride, which had an interesting cover, and I had read Gregory Maguire's "Mirror, Mirror" which featured both Cesare and Lucrezia-the book was just Okay, but I was intrigued by the mysterious characters of the Borgia's, so I picked it up, thinking I would perhaps get another mediocre read or an interesting expierence. Boy was I wrong. I can confidently say that this book set me on the path that I am today(history major, aspiring historian).

I read the first two chapters hastily, becuase I had little to no clue the functioning of the Royal Family, so I paused to do a bit of research. After that, the book really picked up pace. I found myself losing hours in the tale of Sancha, Lucrezia, Cesare, Alfonso and Alexander. Each and every character had depth, even when it would have been easy for Kalogridis to turn them into a simple caricature(Cesare and Alexander). There is a reasonable amount of mystery and suspense and if you have no clue as to the background of the Borgia's-be prepared for a heart-wrenching surprise about 3/4 of the way into it. Sancha was a fiery wench-perhaps a bit too much so for a 15th century woman, but I did not know this at the time-and I found myself sympathizing with her even when she was probably in the wrong. Lucrezia turned out to be surprisingly sympathetic-extremely different than that of Maguire's portrayal of her.

Be warned-the Borgia's are a sketchy family, and it is difficult to find reliable biographies on them if you are wanting to do some biographical research. Sancha's family is even more marginal, and I have yet to find anything more than a paragraph dedicated to her-and the majority of information about her chiefly biographical and tell little of the attributes that Kalogridis gives her in this novel-so one must keep in mind it is purely fictional. However,Kalogridis does not step out of the acceptable bounds of historical fiction and as far as I can tell seems to have what little facts are known straight.

After finishing this novel, I went on to Henry VIII, where I've been dwelling for a while, but have also expanded my learning to all of English history and I will occasionally read a novel about the Borgias(though I have yet to find a good biography-if anyone wishes to point me in the direction of a good one it would be much appreciated), and all pale in comparision to this one. Kalogridis is an amazingly talented writer, and I look forward to reading more of her works.

COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!.......2007-02-09

I LOVED this book. I read it in two sittings. If you like the works of Philippa Gregory, Karleen Koen, Sarah Dunant, Anya Seton, Susan Carroll, and Alison Weir you will enjoy this novel immensely.

Hazards of being Royal, Oh my!.......2006-12-28

A good read, it kept me interested but I did not care for this book as much as Jeanne Kalogridis', "I, Mona Lisa".

Dysfunctional is too kind a word for the Borgia family.

Come into the Borgia Parlor ..........2006-11-18

This is an interesting tale spun about who may have poisoned Pope Alexander VI and Cesare Borgia and why they were poisoned. I love the history and the intrigues of the period especially the intense and complex structure of the Borgia family. Cesare is darkly sensual, and deliciously evil as he manipulates his family and is consumed by his obsession with Sancha D'Aragon. Sancha is strong and determined, and the friendship she develops with Lucretia in their mutual love for Alfonso is definitely the highlight of this novel for me. Even Jofre Borgia is made interesting as we see his involvement in the Borgia's vendetta for control of 15th century Italy. Cantarella is still the poison of choice and readers should watch how this poison gets into the hands of Sancha. Historical readers will not care for the romance of the story, but the romance is crucial in driving the motive for revenge and justice in this novel as a turbulent love turns to consuming hatred because of an act of murder.

Dark & Sensual.......2006-07-19

I'll be frank here ~~ it wasn't what I expected at all but that didn't stop me from reading. I thought it'd be similar to "The Ruby Ring" but it's nothing like that novel. This one is darker and more sensual and more troubling. I couldn't put the book down though as I wanted to see how this book ends.

This is probably the first book I've ever read on The Borgias. Like one reviewer here mentioned, they sure bring new meaning to dysfunctional family! This novel focuses on Sancha of Aragon who marries the Pope's youngest and ineffectual son, Jofre Borgia. Once she arrives in Rome with Jofre, Sancha becomes ensared with Lucrezia and her brother, Cesare, who are also Pope Alexander's children ~~ and Sancha becomes deeply ensared in the sinister web of the Borgia family. Incest, murder, jealousy, adultery, lavish gluttony, and rumors swirl around Rome and Sancha had to rely on her own cunning to remain alive and beat the Borgias at their game.

This is a dark novel ~~ very sensual and troubling. Everything that man can possibly do to his loved ones ~~ are written here. It is a fast page-turner and while disturbing, it's also fascinating. I have not heard much about the Borgias and if this historical fiction is anything to go by ~~ they are intriguing and definitely interesting. That old saying that power corrupts definitely fit this family. It is an interesting historical fiction ~~ one that won't leave my mind for a long time.

7-18-06

Average customer rating:

It reads like a novel
The Portrait Tells the Story

Lucrezia Borgia (Phoenix Press)
Maria Bellonci
Manufacturer: Phoenix Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1842126164

Book Description

Although Lucrezia Borgia was a daughter of Pope Alexander VI and chiefly remembered as a raven-haired poisoner, Bellonci depicts a passionate woman moving uncertainly through the papal court and the intrigues, ambitions, and political chicanery that swirled about her. Winner of the Viareggio Literary Award and the Galante Prize in Italy in 1953.

Customer Reviews:

It reads like a novel.......2006-01-13

Murder. Money. Politics. Religion. Sometimes life is so much better than fiction. I loved it so much I bought it for a friend -- which I never do. This book is a great introduction to the Borgia clan. I highly recommend it.

The Portrait Tells the Story.......2002-06-16

There are few portraits as sharply drawn as that depicting (or considered to depict) Lucretia Borgia: smart, beautiful, edgy and dangerous. The illegitimate daughter of Roderigo Borgia, who reigned as the most notorious Spaniard of the High Renaissance, Pope Alexander VI, she spent her most adult life (and great swathes of her childhood) being ferried from fiancé to fiancé, husband to husband and lover to lover as the Borgias sought to establish an Italian dynasty. Originally written
in the 50s, this is the leading biography and is fairly sympathetic to both Lucretia (whom it paints as romantic, literate and cultured) and also Alexander (whose worst abuses are excused as acts of an oversolicitous father). There is no sympathy whatsoever for Cesare Borgia, who is ascribed responsibility not only for murdering Lucretia's
lovers but also his (and her) own brother.

The Codex Borgia: A Full-Color Restoration of the Ancient Mexican Manuscript

Average customer rating:

The Other 5 Star Reviews are Right
Un libro que no puede faltar
A Gem
Excellent, and at this price...
Terrific insight

The Codex Borgia: A Full-Color Restoration of the Ancient Mexican Manuscript
Gisele Diaz , and Alan Rodgers
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486275698

Book Description

First publication of remarkable repainting of outstanding Mexican codex — priceless original is in Vatican Library — thought to have originated in the Cholula area, ca. AD 1400. 76 large full-color plates show an astounding array of gods, kings, warriors, mythical creatures, and abstract designs. A work of rare power and beauty. Introduction.

Customer Reviews:

The Other 5 Star Reviews are Right.......2007-03-16

I will not go over their 5 star comments except to say that I agree. The amazingly colourful and crisp art in this short book is rivetting. As much as one may credit the reknowned author, deep congratulations should also go to the publisher for a masterful print job.

Un libro que no puede faltar.......2007-01-09

Sin duda este es un título que no debe faltar en ningúna biblioteca personal, ya que la restauración de uno de los principales códices es perfecta, para aquellos interesados en la cultura y ciencia ancestral este códice es de gran ayuda.

A Gem.......2005-02-15

This is a very strange and beautiful book in pictures. It reads like a dream if you tune in to it, and reveals very deep meanings about the relation between life and death, the human relation to the forces of nature, and time. Even though there are no words, it is possible to understand. If you get into it the symbols become more and more recognizable, and they begin to speak. the calendrical symbols and the spirit deities are completely recognizable. The sequences are all about times, and there is a big element about sacrifice. It has to do with the consequences of change; there is no life without death. The book has a very powerful image of life and death fused back to back that pretty much is the epitome of all the book is about. It's all about life and death in relation to time.

Excellent, and at this price..........2003-01-18

This is a wonderful resouce for those interested in ancient Mexico. Full photographic facsimilies of these codices are hideously expensive, and really, most are not in great shape. After extensive research, we have here a great reproduction of what this important work looked like when it was "fresh off the presses." It is beautiful, and in comparison to Dover's similar Codex Nuttall, this work comes with a MUCH better introduction that explains more of the text, the context, and the ideology. Readers will be able to better understand some of the religious principles of the ancient Mexicans (and there is some debate whether this book was painted by Aztecs or Mixtecs, which I won't bore you with!). It shows gods, ceremonies, the calender, and other religious iconography which is interesting, and would be a revelation for more the artisticly inclined. The visuals are wonderfully presented and all in all this is an astonishing bargain. Those with even a casual interest in New World archaeology or art NEED to get this book.

Terrific insight.......2001-03-16

This book gives terrific insight into the ancient Mexicans, their theology and world view, and their way of life. The illustrations are extremely well done, and the interpretation is on the mark. A must-have for anyone interested in ancient Mesoamerica.

Average customer rating:

Life in the World Unseen by Anthony Borgia
Truth be Told
Good Details!
Another Great Book by Anthony Borgia!
A real treat for anyone

Life in the World Unseen
Anthony Borgia
Manufacturer: M B a Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0963643509

Customer Reviews:

Life in the World Unseen by Anthony Borgia.......2005-10-22

What can we expect after we die? Does life really continue?
What will be our relationship to God? Does heaven have
physical properties; water, dirt, air, food, bodies? What can
we expect to do in heaven; transportation, relationships,
occupations, government, religion, worship, free will? What
about hell and punishment? What happens to good Catholics who
strongly believe in purgatory; to Christians who fear God; to
humans who fear death; and humans who do not want to leave
earth? How does an abused physical body affect the astral
body? What are the levels in heaven, and what determines the
level that can we expect? All of these questions are answered
in great detail by Mgsr. Robert Hugh Benson who made his
transition in 1914. He clearly was an exemplary human while on
earth, and he was also a prolific author, and he still is.
After he died, he wanted to come back and get rid of the books
that he had written, but that was not possible. However in the
1940's Mgsr. Benson was finally able to tell us about the
heaven that he experienced through the psychic Anthony Borgia.
This book probably answers every question about heaven that
you have ever considered and probably many more. Another book,
which focuses on the lower levels of heaven, and which is out
of print, but which is available on the internet is "The
Astral City" by Francisco Xavier. This account of heaven is
similar to Benson's story, but most humans go to a lower level
initially, before going to higher levels. Benson also
describes the lower levels of heaven, as well as even-higher
levels. Finally, we have believable stories about life beyond
the physical.

Truth be Told.......2005-08-19

Although raised as a catholic, I believe what the author is saying about the afterlife, and about the great misconception of religious dogmas. I was amazed at the details of the descriptions of the afterlife, and what spirit life will be like when I cross over. There are times that I just can't wait to "kick the bucket".

For those of you who can't find all the books anywhere, try this link. http://www.angelfire.com/ne/newviews/life.html

Also, if you like this one, you might like the teachings of Silver Birch. Very much the same in that what is written comes directly from a spirit on the other side.

To read the writings of Silver Birch, click on the following links. http://www.the-synergy.com/silverb/contensb.html

also http://www.angelfire.com/ok/SilverBirch/Tcon.html

Good Details!.......2005-08-15

I thought the book exhibited fantastic detail about the spirit world! If we were to describe our own earthly life, could we give the type of details this gentleman gave to the readers?

I was in agreement with the Monsigner about the misuse and abuse of the many religions that have existed throughout history. Especially in light of the potential conflict between Christianity and Islam in this modern age. True peace starts with each individual and we must look deeply into our own hearts to make sure that we are on the path to reach these heavenly realms by our own efforts! We must never use religion to hate other religions or other people!

Another Great Book by Anthony Borgia!.......2005-06-18

This is the 2nd book I've read by this author (Here & Hereafter was the 1st), and I am amazed at how in-depth both books are re: what may await us after death.

As I stated in my review of "Here & Hereafter", I believe that each book on after-death communication has something to offer, but what is brought forth is going to be dependent on where the soul is "residing" at that time. It seems to me that it's like the story about the blind trying to describe an elephant - where one feels the trunk & thinks that is what the elephant is, another feels the tail, one feels the ear, and so on... Each one is partially correct, but not completely - and this is how I see each of the wonderful books out there re: the afterlife.

In terms of what this book contains... It includes info. channeled from the late Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson re: the realm of "Heaven" that he's been residing in since his death. Apparently, he had written a book while on earth that has led to the misguidance of many who've read it (it basically stated that info received psychically is "of the devil"). As a result, he has felt a need to write a book from the "Other Side" to correct this "mistake", as well as give an appraisal of what he's experienced since his passing.

I found this book to be quite insightful, and filled with the wonders & beauty that will await most of us upon death. I say "most of us" because he does discuss the "lower realms", where those souls go that have led hideaous lives while on earth. However, it's stated quite clearly that these souls have not been banished to this horrible afterlife, instead, they have complete control in moving themselves up "the spiritual ladder", and many are waiting to help these souls as soon as they should give up the negativity that binds them there.

I found many of the beautiful descriptions to match those given in "Within Heaven's Gate" - a book about a woman who had an NDE while quite ill. The main difference is that "Heaven's Gate" is written from a decidedly christian standpoint, whereas "world Unseen" specifically states that people from ALL religions (as well as those with no religion at all) inhabit the beautiful realms of Heaven.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in after-death communications &/or the afterlife in general. A word of caution though, an open mind is needed to gain anything from the reading of this book.

A real treat for anyone.......2002-10-18

This book just proves what I have been reading before.Written in a very colourful language, easy to understand. Very powerful!! Gives you a piece of mind and hope.
I encourage you to read this book and compare to your own knowledge of the Spirit World and its laws.

Thank you very much,

Alex

The Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Everyday Life in the Court of a Borgia Prince

Average customer rating:

brilliant yet, occasionally, tedious
An Important Dusting of the D'Este Archives
AN INCOMPARABLE VIEW OF DAILY LIFE IN RENAISSANCE ITALY
Accounting for an Up-and-Coming Cardinal

The Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Everyday Life in the Court of a Borgia Prince
Mary Hollingsworth
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

The Cardinal's Hat is the fascinating story of how Ippolito d'Este, the second son of Lucretia Borgia, acquired the coveted cardinal's hat and became the Archbishop of Milan. Working with Ippolito's letters and ledgers, recently uncovered in an archive in Modena, Italy, Mary Hollingsworth has pieced together a fascinating and undeniably titillating tale of this Renaissance cardinal and his road to power and wealth in sixteenth century Europe.

Customer Reviews:

brilliant yet, occasionally, tedious.......2006-08-07

The beauty of this book is that it uses account books and letters to put together a
very detailed account of the life of an Italian noble churchman who aspired to be
(and near the end of the book becomes) a cardinal. And he's no ordinary cardinal --
he's a favorite of Francois I of France, a patron of Cellini, and the like.

The downside of the book is that every so often you feel as if you're reading an
annotated Visa bill. Long discussions of how much money was paid for different
items, where the best items came from, etc. Not everything is likely to be interesting.
In my case I enjoyed details of how clothing was made (and discovering that furs
were often recycled from one piece to another) but was bored by long discussion of
fees to bargemen and carters for hauling produce.

An Important Dusting of the D'Este Archives.......2006-01-11

One of the most admirable tasks of an art historian is to endure long hours, days, and weeks in cold, often musty, archives to produce an incomparable image based on documents. Since the two previous reviews elaborate on the central figures of the D'Este family, their history, roots, and struggle for power, let me guide the reader to the fine details of Mary Hollingsworth's transcriptions of the family ledgers.

We learn about all levels of the "famiglia," the group of servants around the young Cardinal Ippolito, from men who clothed and fed him, to those who emptied his chamber pots and cleaned his bedchambers, made his candles, embroidered his shirts, and looked after his ledger books. Fascinating is the author's account of crossing the Alps in wintertime, the management of Ippolito's large entourage, transport of huge travel chests and the Cardinal's four-poster bed, worries about miniscule details like the cold feet of his favorite dogs. We learn about the life of a prince who spared no money to buy his cardinal's hat and to promote the image of his noble family.

Try a good glass of Italian wine, fresh semolina bread, and the oil from the former D'Este lands while paging through the book. Great reading for scholars and general readers alike.

AN INCOMPARABLE VIEW OF DAILY LIFE IN RENAISSANCE ITALY.......2005-07-06

Few historical periods are as intriguing as the Renaissance; few families fascinate as much as the Borgias. However, we've not been privy to many firsthand accounts of daily life among the powerful in 16th century Italy. Now, thanks to a bit of luck and assiduous research, art historian Mary Hollingsworth presents a detailed picture of Ippolito d'Este, the second son of Lucretia Borgia who later became Archbishop of Milan.

In Modena, Italy, Hollingsworth came upon a treasure - over 2,00 letters and 200 account books pertaining to the days of Ippolito. The ledgers contain such minute details as the items in his wardrobe, what he ate. He wasn't timid about keeping a log of his women right along with his horses, dogs, falcons, peacocks, and a plethora of servants. Nor, was he embarrassed to note how much was spent on bribes and to whom he paid them. Thus, readers have the unparalleled experience of seeing courtly life on a daily basis, even to Ippolito's visit to the mistress of the King of France while she was in her bath.

Ippolito reached the ripe old age of 29 before he received the cardinal's red hat, which at that time was a guarantee of wealth and power. He was a man who enjoyed women thoroughly and often, gambled frequently, and spent time hunting rather than in prayer. Thus, his elevation to such a lofty position had naught to do with religiosity, much to do with politics.

Mary Hollingsworth has created an amazing view of everyday life among the rich and powerful in Renaissance Italy. Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke

Accounting for an Up-and-Coming Cardinal.......2005-07-06

A boon for the historian of Renaissance Italy is that it was remarkably bureaucratic, and paper trails are all over the place. They do need finding, sorting, and placing in context. Mary Hollingsworth is such a historian, and was forced by weather to make a detour to Modena in 1999. As long as she was there, she started looking through the archives. A friend had already told her that the story of Ippolito d'Este would be worth looking up, and she started to do so. There were 2,000 of his letters, letters written to him, and 200 account books. She had found "a unique account of life in sixteenth-century Europe, a detailed record of how a Renaissance prince lived." Not just a Renaissance prince, but an archbishop who was a climber, aiming for a cardinal's hat and perhaps the papacy. In _The Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Everyday Life in the Court of a Borgia Prince_ (Overlook Press), Hollingsworth has set out her findings in detail. Ippolito has, of course, been written about before, but mostly as an important patron of the arts; he built the magnificent Villa d'Este at Tivoli and he was a patron of the musician Palestrina. The life and career have otherwise been ignored, and Hollingsworth here corrects this void through the remarkable documents she found.

Ippolito d'Este was born in 1509 in Ferrara, the second son of Alfonso d'Este and Lucretia Borgia. The firstborn son was fated to be the Duke of Ferrara, and Ippolito was fated to enter the church. Ippolito was no more pious than his brother; their respective careers were merely a matter of birthright. Ippolito became Archbishop of Milan at age nine, and his family was thereupon interested in making him a cardinal. The means for acquiring the cardinal's hat was financial. The cardinalship was in fact purchased from the corrupt Pope Paul III by the Duke for his brother, although there were many complicated arguments made as all the parties involved attempted to improve their positions in the arrangements. Ippolito's candidacy was greatly improved by his friendship with Francis I of France, with whom he seems to have had a sincere friendship. The two men were interested in the sorts of things young men were interested in, hunting, tennis, gambling, and women. A great deal of Hollingsworth's research has been into account books, and many of the entries are for elaborate, strange, or funny items. Ippolito was a dandy, favoring bright colors, especially expensive reds, with elaborate shirts, doublets, coats, breeches, and hose. One inventory includes 611 shoelaces. Another lists fifteen pairs of gloves, and while gloves themselves were relatively cheap, glove-wearing was expensive, because they were perfumed with ambergris and musk. There are relatively few religious items inventoried, evidence that Ippolito liked his pleasures more than his religious duties. Even his rosaries were filled with musk and ambergris.

Much of Hollingsworth's narrative necessarily involves listing of such properties. This is not really a biography as so many of the details of Ippolito's life are not known, but it is a splendid examination of how rich people of the age spent their time and money. The idea of a cleric and his family spending in such a way might strike our own sensibilities even as immoral, but Ippolito was a man of his time. He seems not to have been any sort of tyrant, and he did some modest good in his patronage of artists. Given his own time and his own goals, he was successful. He very nearly missed getting to be Pope, and he would probably have been as good a one as there were in his times. He and his brother did successfully campaign to get him the cardinalship, and after all the expenditures to that end, Ippolito racked in lucrative titles, becoming titular Abbott or Archbishop of Italian or French branches that brought in money. Francis got what he needed, too, as Ippolito went to Rome as Cardinal-Protector of France. The magnificence described here in such detail proved to be a necessity for political power and a virtue for theological advancement.

Average customer rating:

Fascinating storyline
Those Infamous Borgias
Good read...worth a chance.
Not Puzo's Best
Good...but not Puzo-fantastic.

The Family
Mario Puzo
Manufacturer: Regan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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The Fourth K

ASIN: 0061032425

Book Description

"We are a family," Alexander told his children. "And the loyalty of the family must come before everything and everyone else. For if we honor that commitment, we will never be vanquished -- but if we falter in that loyalty, we will all be condemned."

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating storyline.......2007-05-29

Unlike most of the other reviewers, I actually enjoyed this novel as much as any of Puzo's. The Borgias are an extremely interesting family, and Mario Puzo manages to make them even more so. Perhaps my review is a bit colored by the fact that I read the book shortly after returning from the Vatican, but if you are a fan of Puzo, or interested in the Papacy during the Renaissance, you owe it to yourself to read this book.

Those Infamous Borgias.......2007-02-26

If you're not a history buff, then what you know about the Borgias is probably limited to whatever your high school World History teacher told you: namely, they were a powerful, treacherous Italian Renaissance family who poisoned their enemies and ended up grasping a little too far. I learned a lot more from Puzo's tale, which seeks to humanize the notorious family by painting Rodrigo Borgia's children as the hapless pawns in their father's schemes to unite the Italian peninsula. And I admit, I did feel sympathy for Lucrezia and even papa Borgia, the big Pope Alexander VI himself. But even with all the intrigue, the murder, the sordid details of Borgia incest, the story just sort of plods along. If the focus had remained with just one family member, I might have enjoyed the story more. Instead, it felt fragmented, always jumping from one character to the next. And I understand it's the story of a family, not just an individual. I just think it might have worked better with a more focused narrative.

Good read...worth a chance........2006-09-27

This was the second Puzo book I read, the first of course being the Godfather. While it obviously isn't as great as the Godfather novel, it is still a well-written book, and although the story is fictional, it has a lot of history in it. You can tell Puzo knew a lot about the Borgia family as well as the Holy Roman Empire. There are probably some parts in this book that some people would find boring, but I was able to make it through without skipping pages. As far as the incest, I'm a Stephen King fan, so I'm used to disturbing happenings like that. Just keep an open mind and realize that stuff like this REALLY DID HAPPEN. That it wasn't just some sick-minded thought from Puzo. I checked it out from the library and read it, but ended up buying it. I liked it that much. Very entertaining, but probably not for everybody.

Not Puzo's Best.......2006-09-08

This was not Puzo's best work, that much is for sure. Found myself flipping through pages as the plot droned on and on and on. The incest was disturbing, to say the least. I just really did not enjoy much of this book. Some of his other books are worthy of re-reading over and over again, but this one will remain on the bookshelf for a very long time...at least until I trade it in to the used book store.

Good...but not Puzo-fantastic........2006-09-01

I read this book after returning from a summer in Italy. I am really into historical novels and this was interesting because of the time I spent in Rome beforehand...although it would have been even better had I read it while there.

Anyhoo, the book is obviously awkward toward the end where I'm assuming Puzo's girlfriend took over...it ends quite abruptly. However, most of the book is intriguing--though THOROUGHLY disturbing--and it was quite a shock to realize (after some research) that all the people were, in fact, REAL and the stories were based on factual events...CREEPY!! But that just makes it more interesting...

What is strange about this book is how Puzo writes about these characters. These characters who are traditionally looked upon with disgust (Lucrezia the poisoner, Alexander the man--POPE!--who lead his children to incest, Cesare the warlord who wears creepy masks...), Puzo writes about them lovingly...with obvious deep emotion. For example, Alexander is merely a loving father who wants his children's happiness over all else but in achieving that has to sacrifice other things (oh..like making saints of people in exchange for ducats in order to make Lucrezia more marketable to her THIRD husband). This was a very interesting aspect of the book.

It's a relatively quick read and very enjoyable. A few things that were added I considered "unneceessary" but such is the history of the Catholic church.

Human Vision and The Night Sky: How to Improve Your Observing Skills (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)

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Human Vision and The Night Sky: How to Improve Your Observing Skills (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)
Michael P. Borgia
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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Star Ware: The Amateur Astronomer's Guide to Choosing, Buying, and Using Telescopes and Accessories

ASIN: 0387307761

Book Description

This book is intended for amateur astronomers who are readers of Sky & Telescope magazine or similar astronomy periodicals – or are at least at the same level of knowledge and enthusiasm. In particular, those of us who have reached a point where enjoyment is fading because the challenges have run out will appreciate it, because it takes such people to the "next level" in observational astronomy.

It begins with teaching astronomers to use their most important astronomy tool, their eyes. Then it discusses how to select the right telescope – taking into account that everyone is unique – and shows readers how to set up and care for their instruments. Subsequent chapters take the readers on a tour of the solar system as they have never viewed it before… through their own eyes. We start close to home with the hidden treasures of the Moon, on to investigate the power of the Sun, incredibly hot Mercury, the subtleties of Venus, the changing surface of Mars, the outer solar system and then on into deep space. Each chapter includes a series of observing challenges that will entertain and push the reader to continually higher levels of achievement.

Amateur astronomers will learn, through this book, many of the same lessons that professionals learned as they conducted similar observations.

The Renaissance Popes: Statesmen, Warriors and the Great Borgia Myth

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Renaissance Popes by Gerard Noel
Bad Popes or Bad Scholarship?

The Renaissance Popes: Statesmen, Warriors and the Great Borgia Myth
Gerard Noel
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Renaissance | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Marking the Hours: English People and Their Prayers, 1240-1570

ASIN: 0786718412

Book Description

Between the years of 1447 (Nicholas V) and 1572 (Pius V), the Vatican became the official home of the Church, and a succession of Renaissance Popes — who were statesmen, warriors, and patrons of the arts as well as churchmen — turned Rome into an unparalleled center for culture, and turned the Church into the world’s largest bureaucracy.

These mercurial popes, such as Alexander VI, the infamous Borgia patriarch, and Julius 'Il Terrible' II, contributed to cultural achievements — the Basilica of St. Peters and Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel — through the sale of indulgences, and targeted heretics with Inquisitions and witchhunts.

In the midst of this explosion of great culture and violent debasement, Alexander VI, father of the ruthless Cesare and jezebel Lucrezia, came to be seen as the embodiment of this iniquity. But Gerard Noel shows that Alexander's legacy was tainted by false confessions and historical myth. In fact, Alexander created the blueprint for reform — the first of its kind — that would eventually lead to the Counter-Reformation.

In his survey of the colorful reigns of the seventeen Renaissance Popes and his examination of the great Borgia myth, Noel brings to light the true legacy — political, artistic, religious — of an extraordinary time.

Customer Reviews:

Renaissance Popes by Gerard Noel.......2007-05-25

This is one of the worst - if not the worst - work of history that I have ever read. It is dreadfully written, often comically so. It is repetitive, contradictory in its many moralizing judgements, and highly subjective in its usually unsubstantiated (by respected historical authority) conclusions. The editors where either asleep at the wheel or non-existant. It is a shameful comment on its publishers that it ever went to press. The Da Vinci Code of non-fiction, without the commercial success. Save your money. Do not buy this book.

Bad Popes or Bad Scholarship?.......2006-12-28

Awful book. Very poorly written. This is junk scholarship at its best. Claims to dispel myths about the Renaissance Popes, and to "carefully identify...rumors and legends," but then provides only 150 footnotes in a 342 page volume, with many repetitions. Again, there are five footnotes for the last three chapters. If you want to find out the sources of the rumors, forget it. With friends like this, the Renaissance Popes don't need enemies.

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Cesare Borgia: His Life and Times
Sarah Bradford
Manufacturer: Phoenix Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1842124528

Book Description

Accusations of treachery, rape, incest, and murder: almost five centuries have passed since Cesare Borgia's death, and his reputation still casts a sinister shadow. Yet the real man was a mesmerizing figure who inspired Machiavelli's classic The Prince. During the brief space of time when he occupied the stage, he shocked and stunned his contemporaries with his lofty ambitions and daring, becoming the most feared, hated, and envied man of his day. By 31 he was dead: his story assumes the proportions of Greek tragedy.

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Sophisticated

O Cesar O Nada
Manuel Vazquez Montalban , and Manuel Vazquez Montalban
Manufacturer: Planeta Pub Corp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Customer Reviews:

Sophisticated.......2003-04-21

Montalban is not only one of the great spanish (some would insist "Catalan") living writer, but he's also one of it's most dedicated critic. Better-known for it's mysteries involving the strange and disconcerting cop, Carvalho, Montalban has shown in a few other books that he can also master other subjects like history. Most of his non-mystery novels involve some catalan characters in one way or another and this one is no exception. This is the story of the ascension of the Borgia family from obscurity to papacy, and back. Not knowing much else about this particular family of Renaissance Italy, I learned - amongst many other things - that the Borgias were catalan immigres to a family-obsessed and power-hungry Rome. Told with an extremely sophisticated twist, wonderful language, much details and imagination, this novel is pure pleasure. And in the style of some of his other works, there is always that particularly sardonic view of history, its leaders, its heroes, and ultimately some of its major lessons. Namely, that men are not exactly as good a species as they pretend to be.

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