John Larner examines all the major developments across the Italian peninsula in the period that saw the rise of Florence and Venice, the development of a commercial empire by Italian towns which stretched from England to China, as well as the extraordinary cultural growth of the time.

A stimulating and authoritative survey which examines the main aspects of the history of the Italian peninsula from the 1380s to the 1530s. The analysis takes place within a broad account of the social, religious, political and administrative development of the peninsula at a time when any notion of 'Italianness' was far from evident to the majority of Italians. Culturally this was a period of incomparable richness, and the authors give this most familiar aspect of the period its due. However, they argue that 'Renaissance Italy' was more influenced by its medieval past and Northern Europe than is often recognised.

This book covers one of the more obscure periods of Italian history. What we know of it is presented almost always pejoratively: an unrelieved tale of political absolution, rural refeudalisation, economic crisis, religious repression and cultural decline. But this picture is both incomplete and inaccurate, and in this important new survey Eric Cochrane has at last given the period its due.

Il Seicento italiano fu l'epoca di Galileo nelle scienze, di Monteverdi nella musica e di Bernini nell'architettura; un'epoca ricca di contraddizioni quanto feconda, la cui comprensione risulta fondamentale per chiunque voglia capire i successivi svolgimenti e le problematiche di fondo della storia italiana.

English, Italian (translation)

Established as a standard work - covers the whole of Italy not just the Risorgimento itself.

Martin Clark's book is established as "the standard history textbook" (as The Guardian described it) His study provides an analytical account of the political, economic and social history of Italy from unification to the present day. Throughout, there is particular emphasis on Italian society - on demography, literacy, religious practices and family life; and also on th