Margaret L. King is Professor of History, Emerita, Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center, CUNY.
By far the best collection of sources to introduce readers to Renaissance humanism in all its many guises. What distinguishes this stimulating and useful anthology is the vision behind it: King shows that Renaissance thinkers had a lot to say, not only about the ancient worldone of their habitual passionsbut also about the self, how civic experience was configured, the arts, the roles and contributions of women, the new science, the new world, and so much more. Christopher S. Celenza, Johns Hopkins University A rich and coherent collection of primary sources spanning the 14th to the 17th centuries and the breadth of Europe. . . . Teachers will welcome this text for classes on the Renaissance and intellectual history. Students will benefit from Kings thoughtful introductions to each author and work as well as suggestions for further reading and research in the appendix. Nancy Bisaha, Vassar College An ideal coursebook, providing students the broadest range of humanist sources in English to date, and adding helpful introductions and bibliographies to each selection. Timothy Kircher, Guilford College An invigorating introduction to Renaissance humanism, both its 'core' and its periphery. Especially welcome is the attention given to women and other worlds. King is a lively and succinct writer who knows how to draw her readers into the big picture while entertaining them with the scintillating detail. Jane Tylus, New York University