Renaissance People

School Library Journal

Gr 4-12-- As she did for Medieval People and Medieval Places (both Millbrook, 1992), Howarth now illuminates the world of the 15th and 16th centuries through 13 people ranging from banker to witch to beggar, and 13 places from palace to sculptor's workshop to the observatory. Unlike many two-page spread formats often found in the history section, each section of these books is not independent, but rather is interrelated to the whole of Renaissance life. There is little repetition between the two books. The composite of both gives a fairly good picture of trends in art, science, and religion; the revived interest in classical thought that underpinned them; the patronage system and the rise of merchants and trade; world exploration and travel; and the first stirrings of what would eventually lead to the industrial revolution and democratic systems of government. Well-chosen illustrations, although occasionally small, add depth and color; quotations add realism; infrequent questions ask readers to challenge contemporary views. These attractive, accessible titles will be useful for supplemental information on specific topics, such as the advent of printing, Elizabethan theater, or biographies of figures like Michelangelo or Galileo. --Sally Bates Goodroe, Houston Public Library