33 pages • 1 hour read
Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in Renaissance Florence
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Book Brief
160
Book • Nonfiction
Florence, Italy • 1450s
1986
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
In Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in Renaissance Florence, historian Gene A. Brucker details the relationship between Giovanni di Ser Lodovico della Casa and Lusanna di Girolamo, highlighting their romance, secret marriage, and subsequent court trial in fifteenth-century Florence. This microhistory underscores how Florentine society handled issues of love, marriage, and social class.
Romantic
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
466 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Gene A. Brucker's Giovanni and Lusanna has been lauded for its meticulous use of archival sources to illuminate a dramatic 15th-century marriage dispute. Reviewers praise Brucker's narrative skill and historical insight. Some critique it for lacking broader socio-political context. Overall, it's recommended for its vivid portrayal of Renaissance Florence.
Who Should Read Giovanni and Lusanna?
Readers interested in social history, gender studies, and Renaissance Florence will enjoy Giovanni and Lusanna by Gene A. Brucker. Comparable to Natalie Zemon Davis's The Return of Martin Guerre, this book engages those intrigued by personal stories woven into broader historical contexts.
466 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
160
Book • Nonfiction
Florence, Italy • 1450s
1986
Adult
18+ years
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