The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy

A distinguished scholar explores innovations in art and attitudes in this classic of cultural history. It chronicles the revival of humanism, church/empire conflicts, and the rise of modern government and individualism.

Kirkus Reviews

Another yarn set in Asaro's far-future Skolian Empire (Catch the Lightning, 1996, etc.). This time, Jagernaut Kelric Valdoria, the Emperor Kurj's half-brother, is attacked and disabled by Traders; he crash-lands on Coba, a planet run by women and protected by treaty from imperial incursions. For various reasons (not least because she falls in love with him), Coban Manager Jeha Dahl is reluctant to turn Kelric over to the Skolians. So 20 years pass while Kelric raises a family and, ultimately, precipitates a civil war before he can return to the imperium, leaving behind a daughter who may one day challenge the ruthless Kurj or his successor.

Independently intelligible but likely to appeal most to existing fans.

Peter Gay is Sterling Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University and director of the Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library. His many books include the three-volume The Enlightenment: An Interpretation; Schnitzler’s Century: The Making of Middle-Class Culture, 1815–1914; and Freud: A Life for Our Time.