Historical periods of change, for me, hold a great interest. I have, therefore, read several books about various aspects of the renaissance and the name of Lorenzo de' Medici crops up on a regular basis. A biography of the gentleman was clearly required and, by chance, I stumbled upon this one.

Finding Charles Mee's book was a stroke of good fortune because, it is a lavishly illustrated biography which gives a warts and all picture of the life of this extraordinary chap. Lorenzo is attributed with the creation of the modern city and the concept of 'Art for art's sake'. Through clever diplomacy, he rescued Florence from the displeasure of Pope Sixtus IV and was their leader for an almost perfect twelve years. Lorenzo also became a patron of the arts, encouraging Verocchio, Ghirlando, Botticelli and Michelangelo,amongst others.

This biography would not be detailed enough for anyone wishing to make an in depth study of Lorenzo de' Medici, but for the general reader, it is an ideal insight into the man and his world. ( )