33 pages 1 hour read

Gene A. Brucker

Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in Renaissance Florence

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1986

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Before You Read

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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.

Reviews & Readership

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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 this

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.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Themes

Relationships: Marriage

Topics

History: European