Italy Books

After a decade together their ardor had cooled. It was then, in 1900, that Bernhard Berenson (he later dropped the "h" in his first name) and Mary Costelloe married, placing imprimatur on a symbiotic partnering that lasted until her death in 1945. The civil ceremony in Florence's Palazzo Vecchio united an unusual pair. He was a polylingual bon vivant; she spoke grade school Italian, which remained virtually unimproved throughout her 50+ years in Tuscany.

Art historian, critic, and, as he preferred, connoisseur, Berenson was a Lithuanian Jew who established an impressive reputation as an authority on Italian Renaissance painting. "The Drawings of the Florentine Painters" and "The Venetian Painters of the Renaissance" are among his better known works.

A widow with two children and also a writer, Mary was a Philadelphia Quaker who addressed her husband archaically. Reporting to him on their home's refurbishment, she wrote, "So thee sees the main things (except the electricity) are done." When construction went awry: "Thee wd. rage at the way the red fire-place is put up."

For Berenson, she was sometimes a catalyst, often a goad who collaborated with him on his written work, and patiently assisted in endlessly revising his lists of Italian paintings. They shared a penchant for extravagance, acquisition, and a tendency to overlook each other's infidelities.

In A Legacy Of Excellence William Weaver has rendered a graceful drawing of privileged turn-of-the-century life. His perspective is the Villa I Tatti in the vineyard strewn hills between Florence and Fiesole. Once the Berenson's home, it is now the Harvard Center for Italian Renaissance Studies. Recent color pictures as well as archival photographs enhance this well documented history, while exquisite reproductions of Berenson's art collection add to its luster. When first leased by the Berensons, I Tatti was modest compared to its imposing villa neighbors. Previous tenants eschewed modern conveniences; there was only one bath, no electricity or telephone. Mary engaged 40 workmen to begin rudimentary improvements, hoping to provide Bernard with a salubrious atmosphere in which to study and collect. Apparently she succeeded. He amassed photographs and books - his Fototeca eventually held 300,000 items, his library 50,000 volumes. Works by Giotto, Sasseta, and Lorenzo Lotto were included in his art collection.

With an income derived largely from commissions on art sales, Berenson was employed by the English art dealer Lord Duveen to give his seal of approval to the Renaissance paintings Duveen sold to monied Americans, notably Frick, Kress, and Mellon.

Weaver, a thorough author as evidenced in Marino Marini, overlooks a significant aspect of Berenson's connoisseurship: the substantial sums he earned in the picture trade later brought Berenson's impartiality into question, resulting in the downgrading of many of his attributions.

Nonetheless, when the villa's 20th century owner, a wealthy English eccentric, died childless, the cash strapped Berensons obtained a loan to purchase the estate only through the intervention of an American friend.

Once they owned the villa, Mary engaged architects to plan further refurbishing, as well as the building of magnificent formal gardens. In years to come I Tatti would be visited by Edith Wharton, Walter Lippman, Yehudi Menuhin, Adlai Stevenson, Gertrude Stein, who, as Mary put it, swam in a nearby artificial lake "clothed only in her own fat," plus a host of that era's literati and glitterati.

Often separated during World War I, Mary stayed at the villa while Bernard worked and romanced in Paris, where he had become friends with Matisse, Gide and Proust.

Postwar unrest in Italy presaged the rise of fascism, which Bernard vehemently and vocally opposed. His stance caused him to be considered untrustworthy by many Italian intellectuals and some influential Americans. Expulsion from Italy seemed probable, but it did not occur.

In late summer of 1944 war again reached Florence. Bernard wrote in his diary, "Our hillside happens to lie between the principal line of German retreat along the Via Bolognese and a side road...We are at the heart of the German rearguard action, and seriously exposed." Miraculously the villa was unharmed by its German occupants.

While Mary wanted the villa and its 75 acres left to her children, Bernard was adamant that their beneficiary be his alma mater, Harvard University. Although Mary persistently derided his dream of "a lay monastery of leisurely culture" as "a wayside inn for loafing scholars," he bequeathed the villa and grounds, his library, and works of art to Harvard.

Initially, the University was somewhat daunted by his demanding bequest. Native Florentines viewed their new neighbors unenthusiastically, dismissing them as more "anglo-beceri" (becero literally meaning boor), as earlier Tuscan based English and American cliques were known. That was to change with the disastrous flooding of 1966.

Members of the national and international art communities selflessly responded when an irreplaceable portion of the world's art history was jeopardized. I Tatti became a focal point of that aid. Art experts performed herculean salvaging tasks - delicate glass negatives from the Uffizi's Gabinetto Fotografico had to be rescued from the muck. It took over a week for the 30,000 slides to be bathed then laid out to dry.

An air-lift of enormous drying-machines organized by Harvard's Renaissance art historian saved countless books and documents from the Biblioteca Nazionale. I Tatti housed as many art experts as possible; others were guests only long enough for a hot bath.

The Center's dedication to minimizing the flood's devastation altered its image in the minds of many Florentines who had previously viewed it with a shrug. Strangers became colleagues and friends. Today, fifteen students are nominated annually to study at I Tatti, while according to a stipulation in Bernard's will, the library is open free of charge "for all students of Italy and other countries." Scholars from dissimilar backgrounds walk together along impeccably raked gravel paths, where they "speak the same language; the language of the Italian Renaissance." Bernard Berenson's dream came true.

As the author of the recently published Geoffrey Scott and the Berenson Circle, I can tell you that this history of the Villa I Tatti is an exceptionally beautiful book about a most fascinating place. William Weaver, the most important of today's translators of Italian fiction and a great stylist, has written an exciting history of a most exciting place. It would make an ideal gift for any Italophile.

The newly married art historians Bernard and Mary Berenson made their home at the Villa I Tatti near Florence in 1900. In the following years Mary, supervised the rebuilding of the villa and the creation of its elegant gardens. The Berensons pursued their work at I Tatti over a period of nearly six decades, and here they entertained a remarkable circle of friends :art historians ( Kenneth Clark, John Walker, John Pope-Hennessy), writers (Edith Wharton, Alberto Moravia), political thinkers (Walter Lippman, Gaetano Salvermini), musicians (Yehudi Menuhin) and countless other visitors from every part of the world. At I Tatti Bernard Berenson assmbled a choice collection of Renaissance art, including works by Giotto, Sassetta, Domenico Veneziano, and Lorenzo Lotto. He also formed a prodigious art historical research library and photograph collection. When he died in 1959, he bequeathed the house, its contents, and the gardens to Harvard University as a Center for Renaissance Studies. This book documents the colorful life the Berensons led at I Tatti, the rich intellectual atmosphere they fostered there, and the spirit that continues and is nurtured by the Harvard Center. Berenson was associated with the famous art dealer, Baron Joseph DUVEEN (1869-1939) who noticed, early in life, that Europe had plenty of art and America had plenty of money, and his entire astonishing career was the product of that simple observation (S.N. Behrman, Duveen). The American plenty has been well invested in I Tatti, as the superb photographs by David Finn show. William Weaver has lived for many years in Italy, reporting on the Italian cultural world for American and British publications. This book has also a detailed alphabetical index, showing the quality of the research made by the author. Jan A. MORTELMANS.

This is a wonderful book. From one of the best Sicilian writers of all times, an insightful and extremely entertaining story of life, religion, and spirituality.

The Little Jesus of Sicily is a wonderful story that transcends both age and religion. The author recounts his experience as a young child chosen to be Jesus for a day for the Feast of Saint Joseph in a small village in pre-World War II Italy. As the story winds through the fanciful imaginations and commonplace activities of a youngster, the reader is reminded of his/her own experiences as a child and is introduced to an historical glimpse of a bygone era. The translation from the Italian is superb -- it was awarded the PEN American Center's 1996 Renato Poggioli Translation Award -- and the thoughtful illustrations, which burst off the page, are an asset to the work.

The Little Jesus of Sicily can be read at many different levels. On the surface it is a captivating tale. At a deeper level, it is a voyage in time, an account of life in a rural Sicilian community, a reality that has almost vanished. Pasqualino ponders the loss of customs and traditions of his native village while reflecting on the impact of industrialization and modernization on society. It is possible to discern a still deeper level--a spiritual one where Pasqualino shares his Christian beliefs without ever resorting to pious platitudes. Imagination, poetry, and faith are at the core of Pasqualino's spiritual quest as he asks simple but fundamental questions about the meaning of existence. A profound meditation on the human condition, this novel depicts in great detail the hardships and the ordinary pleasures of day-to-day life while examining the beliefs and forces that sustain people through suffering and adversity. The novel renews a tradition of literature found in works of regional and southern Italian inspiration and belongs to that category of rare books which are suited to please children and adults alike: Grimm's legends and fairy tales, La Fontaine's fables, Saint-Exupery's Little Prince, or Cervantes' Don Quixote. I decided to translate The Little Jesus of Sicily for one simple reason: I feel in love with it. I started the novel and could not put it down. I saw myself in it, I saw my child, and I saw the child who resides in all of us and longs for wonder. It was beautiful, it was funny, and it made me happy; I wanted to share this precious feeling of joy with other readers. I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed translating it.

Being written near the time of the events this book portrays the lives of the first 12 Caesars in the writing style of the period.This is not how history is written today;and it allows a bright light to be shone on both public & private lies of the Caesars.It feels as if Suetonious is speaking to the reader privately.It is a superb account of the time.

I have read many biographies of famous historical figures, written by modern scholars, but none had the immediacy, the thrilling emphasis to minor details and the power of words that Suetonius' work features. The Roman historian proves that he was a true child of the classical world, having the gift of telling his stories in a few but full of meaning sentences. I think that after reading Suetonius one has a powerful image of every emperor as a human being first and as a ruler second. Hats off to the ancient writers who are the top specialists to explain the inner secrets of their society and epoch!

When you need a break from memorizing the dates of the Punic Wars, are bored speculating over what kind of salt the Romans used to sow Carthaginian fields, have given up on finding Philippi on any modern map, and can't quite recall the names of the dramatis personae during the year of the three emperors, this book will re-stimulate your interest in history by gratifying the natural human desire to learn more about crime in high places.

Imagine, all the gravitas reeking Romans were up to treason, homicide, intrigue, incest, bestiality, gifting poison mushrooms and assorted produce, adultery, simple theft, complex theft, tax cheating, forgery, perjury, matricide, patricide, fratricide, suicide, sistercide, and murdering or marrying thier neices, and all sorts of stuff not normal entertainment at church family picnics nor encouraged at the office.

A question does arise - was Suetonius accurate or fair? I think not; he is a delightful scandalmonger who makes no pretense at being fair and his sources undoubtedly included talk show hosts from the Forum's late night hour. Tiberius is for example portrayed as a monster; but he seemed to be a talented administrator himself or had the sense to hire those who were. Claudius while making very poor choices in wives and prone to some silly enthusiasms was very prudent in his foreign policy, by-and-large avoiding killling foreign folks who didn't enlist for suicide.

Overall a great book; just take it with a pinch of Roman salt.

Every once in a while a book comes along that doesn't try to be dark and mysterious, or technical and scientific, or highfalutin in any way. Instead this book simply wants to tell some pleasant stories. Many Beautiful Things is a book that does just this, it shares great stories (and recipes) in a simple, yet unforgettable way.
In his new book, Vincent Schiavelli takes us along on his journey to Polizzi Generosa, a quaint Sicilian town. Along the way, we witness the natural beauty of Polizzi; meet its people, who find joy and happiness in the simple lives they lead; and taste Polizzi's exquisite culinary creations (don't worry, Mr. Schiavelli gives you the recipes for them all)!
Although Mr. Schiavelli has successfully taken on many roles as an actor, in Many Beautiful Things, he takes on a role in which he is equally successful - that of a masterful writer. Schiavelli brings to life the landscape, people, and food of Polizzi through vivid images that seem to come more from the strokes of an artist's brush than from an author's pen.
"...[S]emolina bread toasted in the wood-burning pizza oven and topped with the ripest chopped tomatoes mixed with fragrant fresh basil, and drizzled with local extra-virgin olive oil" makes a dish that is, basically, a typical "bruschetta" seem worthy of being displayed next to the Mona Lisa in the Louvre!
Those unfamiliar with Polizzi Generosa need only to read Schiavelli's words to understand what an incredible place it is; "Before us lay a mountain pasture, dotted with olive trees ...The room filled with clean, cold mountain air. It was scented with wild fennel, and bay laurel, and earth - rich, fertile earth."
Reading Many Beautiful Things seems to transport you to a different world where the only things important in life are helath, friends and family, and a good spread of food. This book is filled exactly with what the title says, "many beautiful things!" There is one problem, however, that you may have with this book after reading it - you won't know whether to hop a flight to Sicily or fire up the stove! Thanks Vincent for showing us "many beautiful things!"

The author/actor Vincent Schiavelli has done it again. His latest cookbook with stories and recipes is a real treat, not only for the tummy but for the soul too. The recipes I have tasted so far are wonderfully delicious. The stories are so touching to the heart that I found myself teary eyed over the pasta sauce. This beautiful book should be in everyone's cook library, and it can hold it's place in any other library as well. Bravo Mr. Schiavelli for another great installment of Sicilian cuisine and culture.
I highly recommend this book. 5 stars in my book.

I happened to pick this book up while needing something to read on a traveling layover. I instantly recognized the name of the author and the size of the volume promised to add little to the weight of my baggage, so I chose it over the hundreds of other cookbooks at the out of town Barnes and Noble I happened to find in my travels.

In the back of my mind was the opinion that this was an exercise in exploitation of the actor's fame in movies and on the stage. Although Vincent Schiavelli has had relatively minor roles, they were in some major films such as `Amadeus' and `One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and a major TV show, `Taxi'. The blurbs on the back cover from Martin Scorsese and Danny DeVito did nothing to change this prejudice. But here was also a blurb from Alice Waters. Not exactly your typical show business paison. Rather, a culinary heavyweight of the first Water (sic). The watercolor painting on the cover also enchanted me. Not exactly the sort of thing used by Patti LaBelle or Al Roker on their tie-in culinary efforts.

The first thing which gave the lie to my prejudice was the fact that the bio at the inside bottom of the dust jacket briefly mentions that Schiavelli is an actor and goes on to focus more on the fact that this is the fifth book he has written, all apparently on Sicilian / culinary topics.

This book is very much about both food and Sicily, specifically a small hilltop town in north central Sicily named Polizzi Generosa. The book opens with the story of the town's rather odd name. The town was founded in Roman times and the full name came to be in the thirteenth century. Read the book for all the spicy details. The relevance of the town to the author is that Schiavelli's family came from this town and some distant relatives still live there.

It took less than two pages to be hooked on the story in the book that provides a framework for the recipes. I often judge cookbooks by how interested I am in making the recipes after reading them. A comparable `gut level' criterion for non-cookbooks is how interested I am in reading other books by the same author. Schiavelli made me very interested in reading his earlier books. Unlike most other culinary memoir writers, Schiavelli also succeeded in my wanting to make the recipes in his book. Most of the recipes are absurdly simple and certainly inexpensive to make. The potato gratin recipe, for example, has immediately become my recipe of choice for this dish, avoiding all the headaches of dealing with curdling dairy products by replacing it with olive oil. This is Sicily, after all.

Not leaving things at that, Schiavelli adds significant value to the book by including a supplementary table of contents which list all recipes by category, since the primary table of contents is ordered more to events in the author's visits to Polizzi Generosa than to things culinary. The categories are Antipasti, First Courses (usually pasta), Second Courses (usually protein), One Course Meals (pastas with hearty ragu, for example), Side Dishes (conturni), desserts, and liquers.

The book is a true gem at a list price of $27. Given a reasonable discount, the book is a real treat. Highly recommended.

This is probably the most famous book of Iris Origo, who at the same time offers to the world the most extensive study of Francesco di Marco Datini, a Tuscan merchant of the pre-renaissance. The book is directly based on thousands of letters and contracts that were found in the 1870's and that allow this unique insight into the life and the work of a merchant, but also a private person of his time (1335-1410).

The book is divided into two parts. The first part discusses the merchant; the second part discusses the head of the private household. Since the source used is extremely large (500 account books, 300 associate contracts, insurances, transport documents, etc., but above all more than 140000 letters, of which 11000 are private correspondence). With such a source, and the research efforts that went into this book, we thus get a very detail insight, which is a delight to read. Not only, does the author discuss the career of a true self-made man, but also does she explain, in the first part, how international trade, at the eve of the commercial revolution that preceded Datini's life-time, was organised. In the second part we learn about his marriage, his life in the 14th Century, and of course his excesses.

The style is easy and straight-forward. The author goes into great detail, almost a flauberian style, to explain everything that the reader might want to. Five stars are awarded for this truly excellent piece of work!

Superbly researched and written, this is a book of history taken from the detailed dairies of a successful merchant in 14th century Prato, Italy. Any one interested in daily life in this period will appreciate this book.

This is probably the most famous book of Iris Origo, who at the same time offers to the world the most extensive study of Francesco di Marco Datini, a Tuscan merchant of the pre-renaissance. The book is directly based on thousands of letters and contracts that were found in the 1870's and that allow this unique insight into the life and the work of a merchant, but also a private person of his time (1335-1410).

The book is divided into two parts. The first part discusses the merchant; the second part discusses the head of the private household. Since the source used is extremely large (500 account books, 300 associate contracts, insurances, transport documents, etc., but above all more than 140000 letters, of which 11000 are private correspondence). With such a source, and the research efforts that went into this book, we thus get a very detail insight, which is a delight to read. Not only, does the author discuss the career of a true self-made man, but also does she explain, in the first part, how international trade, at the eve of the commercial revolution that preceded Datini's life-time, was organised. In the second part we learn about his marriage, his life in the 14th Century, and of course his excesses.

The style is easy and straight-forward. The author goes into great detail, almost a flauberian style, to explain everything that the reader might want to. Five stars are awarded for this truly excellent piece of work!

This book was illustrated after the Sistine Chapel was cleaned and Michelangelo's vibrant colors were brought back for us to enjoy. The author gives a short history of Michelangelo's life, places him in the context of the rennaisance that he was such a major part of. She shows some of his other works, but this is all unimportant. What is the grabbing point of this book are the photographs of the Sistine Chapel after the cleanning. The colors that glow from the paintings Michelangelo did are so beautiful and unexpected from what we have seen of the Chapel before the cleaning. Michelangelo's genuis shows through at last and this book gives you the chance to enjoy every bit of it. The photography is excellent and for such a small price the whole beauty of the ceiling is yours to enjoy over and over. I highly recommend this jewel of a book.

This book is the unveiling of Michelangelo's unappreciated genius. The glory of the cleaned and restored Sisten Chapel bursts forth in the high quality pictures throughout the book. Because it was written by an artist, there are lovely little bits and pieces one does not normally find (such as a page of faces . . .). I was so smitten with this book that I read it cover to cover in one evening. It is well written, clear, concise, and understandable without being condescending. This collection of picutres of the restored Sistine Chapel is wonderful. It surpassed all my expectations.

This book is the unveiling of Michelangelo's unappreciated genius. The glory of the cleaned and restored Sisten Chapel bursts forth in the high quality pictures throughout the book. Because it was written by an artist, there are lovely little bits and pieces one does not normally find (such as a page of faces . . .). I was so smitten with this book that I read it cover to cover in one evening. It is well written, clear, concise, and understandable without being condescending. This collection of picutres of the restored Sistine Chapel is wonderful. It surpassed all my expectations.

In preparation for my trip to Italy I wanted a better understanding of this magnificent man and the work that he did. Specifically, I was looking for a relatively easy read that covered the history of Michelangelo from birth to death. This book met all my expectations. The pictures were not very good quality but I didn't mind since I was going to see most of it in person. Great traveler's history of Michelangelo!

The text in Michelangelo is marvelous. It is charmingly and knowledgeably written, so much so that I hope one of the reprints will be made into a coffee-table extravaganza. It is a superb guide which we will take with us on our next visit to Italy. The appendixes are a triumph in themselvers, and a worthwhile trip into the great master's progression through life. It is a wonderful job.

In Michelangelo: In The Footsteps Of The Master, Charles Washington offers an engaging account of Michelangelo's life and art in the form of an Italian travel guide specifically suited to those who would like to visit the cities and towns where this master artists worked including Caprese, Florence, Bologna, Ferrar, Venice, Siena, and Rome. The modern traveler to Italy can see Michelangelo's artworks preserved in museums, churches, public buildings, plazas, and streets. Michelangelo is very highly recommended and informative reading for both armchair travelers and on-site visitors seeking to enhanced their awareness of, and appreciation for, the life and accomplishments of the great man. The informative text is supplemented with black and white photography, maps, chronologies, bibliography, and an index.

An early reference to marble work in Lee, Massachusetts caught my attention and drew me deep into this unique and fascinating account of the marble quarries that provided the raw material for the genius that we all now know as Michelangelo. I glimpsed the quarries from a train window on a trip to Italy a year ago, mistakening them for snow at first, and it's an amazing sight. I highly recommend this book - the stone that inspired the Rennaissance is still there and this story of the mountains of marble is told with a passion that reflects the emotion of those times. A great read.

Of the millions of people who have stood in line waiting at Florence's Galleria dell' Academia di Belle Arte to see the incomparable statue of David by Michelangelo, I wonder how many thought about the marble with which the artist worked. Very few, I'd imagine. Yet the story of the marble quarries of Carrara is as dramatic as many of the beautiful pieces wrought from their stone. Eric Scigliano, whose ancestors were quarrymen and stone carvers in Carrara, relates the fascinating story of Michelangelo's search for the stone he wanted, his continuing relationship with the city where he found it, and that city today.

Only recently the 17-foot-tall statue of David was restored, and the world was reminded of its beauty. Scigliano reminds us of the risks taken by quarrymen and by Michelangelo himself as they worked together to find the perfect stone, one that would do justice to Michelangelo's vision. The artist's quest is set among the machinations and maneuvering of Renaissance Rome, Florence, and Carrara, a compelling story in itself.

Readers will learn that there is over 2,000 years of "extractive industry" in Carrara, and it continues today. During his lifetime, Michelangelo probably spent two years there, first arriving in 1498 to find the stone for the Pieta. In regard to the San Lorenzo Church facade, there was all but open warfare between the Carrara marble masters and the Medici rulers in Rome and Florence.

Author Scigliano researched assiduously, laboriously searching Renaissance archives and often deciphering documents that had not been translated before. The result is a memorable work, one that will fascinate not only art lovers and historians but all.

- Gail Cooke

All of the people who think "Michelangelo" when they think of the Renaissance should read this work by a "Renaissance man" himself, Eric Scigliano, environmental journalist, humorist, art aficianado, and regular contributor to Harper's, Discover, and other magazines. I read his last book, "Love, War, and Circuses," which brought the world and land of the Asian elephant so alive I felt as if I were on his harrowing adventures with him, and have been seeking out his articles ever since. Both the layman and the expert alike will be fascinated by one of the few real prose stylists in journalism to write a part-biography, part-"reporter's notebook" account of Michelangelo, the city of Cararra (the third pole of Michelangelo's artistic endeavors, and no less important than Florence in the development of his masterpieces), and the rare, wondrous, "living" marble from that fascinating source of masterpieces the world over. Don't be distracted by the geological sidenotes or short discussions of the artists' tools; in Michelangelo's first appearance it is as if he walked up to a group of wiry, spry stone carvers and this journalist/artist/poetry translator, said hello, and joined them, as alive as ever, to admire the "mountain," a glistening white cliff of fossilized sea shells (you can't get much more alive, for stone, than being made out of the backs of ocean-dwellers, as marble is).

A passionate writer on a passionate subject, Scigliano's love for the artist and his sunlit-snow-like inspiration is "alive" on every page (and I learned enough about the Renaissance to wax intelligent at parties on neoplatonism, Michelangelo's own poetry, and the Umberto-eco-like intrigues of the patronage system, just in the first 50 pages!). You will never look at the "David," or a marble bathroom counter, in quite the same way. Scigliano is a huge talent.

This incredibly generous volume presents three different Pieta sculptures by Michelangelo, each representing a different phase in the development of his artistry. The black and white photography is exquisite, and captures every conceivable angle of the pieces in a huanting, illuminating manner. The volume is slipcovered and is a work of art in itself. HIGHLY recommended.

Michelangelo's pietas are a monument, a testament in stone to the life and struggles of this strange tortured genius. The book is actually a bargain. The lavish,beautiful photographs show all 3 pietas in their entirety,not just the face{as a previous reviewer noted}. Since these works{especially the first} are not asaccesible {due to the unfortunate incident in the early 70's} we get a full view here of these works that explain the spiritual struggles of this giant.Each pieta is carefully,lovingly photgraphed form every angle. Curiosly, the second and third pietas are equally compelling,though it is the first with which most people{myself included} are most familiar. Save going over to each of the three cities in Italy where these pieces are,i cannot fathom a better book. I Think this is as compelling spiritual "reading' as any ,and is almost overwhelming in its purity,its emotional beauty , and its sublime passion. This is one to pass on for generations.

This book has excellent photography of Michelangelo's pietas. One is allowed a glimpse of his work at all sorts of angles one could not get to in actual life. The St. Peter's Pieta in the Vatican and the Rondanini Pieta in Milan are both not accessible from the back to the general public, thus this book gives you the opportunity to study these works close up.