Renaissances Book

Lauro Martines does an excellent job of describing the pre-Renaissance period in the Italian city-states that led to one of the greatest periods of upheaval and change (and a few more centuries of anarchy in Italy). It is an interesting read and highly suggested to read before visiting cities in central and northern Italy such as Pisa, Florence, Milan, Sienna, etc because it gives you the historical context in which these cities became what they are today and how the period despite the violence everywhere still managed to produce some of western histories greatest artists - da Vinci, Michelangelo, etc.