The House Of Medici: Its Rise and Fall

I really enjoyed this book, but if you are like me and a linear thinker, the Italian tradition of reusing the same names over many generations gets a bit confusing. I actually made a family tree to remember who was who. There are also about 16 historical figures named Niccolo, so good luck keeping them straight. I thought the book was well written though. I pretty much only read historical nonfiction, and really enjoy Barbara Tuchman and Hugh and Stephen Amrbose and I liked this one a lot, so if you enjoy those authors, you might enjoy this as well.

Don't be put of by the length of this tome on the Medici - Hibbert is immensely readable and will carry you along quite effortlessly. Despite the many names at play, Hibbert never loses the reader. The book certainly focuses on the family, rather than trying to be, say a complete history of Florence or an exhaustive compendium of the art of the period covered, but the reader will certainly get a good dose of both. I highly recommend it. If, however, you really are concerned by the length or are just dipping your toe into the history of the Medici for the first time, try Tim Parks' Medici Money, a wonderfully concise and very readable history of the Medici, the creation of their banking empire, and the context within which they built it.

I have read only a few books about the Renaissance in Italy; other than Ross King's book about the creation of the Sistine Chapel amid the drama of the late 15th and early 16th Century, a recent biography of Savonarola, and a bunch of art history books, nothing comes to mind. I have been to most of the art museums in Rome and Florence, and other than that, I'm a complete novice when it comes to this stuff. I knew virtually nothing about the history of the Medici family, and I found this book compelling and easy to follow. If you're looking for a book that tells the story clearly without requiring any background, this is the one. Now I'm going to read his book about the Borgia family. Excellent book!

Well researched, but lacks narrative power. Starts off strong, tapers off toward repetitiveness by the end. Solid history, however, one tends to believe there had to be more to the latter-day Medici than extravagant expenditure, obesity and syphilis. Ends abruptly, no attempt at a grand conclusion. It would have been both useful and entertaining to attempt a summation of the family's impact on the future of a united Italy, for good or ill. Or its legacy on international banking. Alas, no such luck. The last heir of the Medici dies and that's it.

I probably would not have read this book except it was on my book club list. In the end, I’m glad I read it. There is a huge amount of information in it and too many names to absorb but I came away with a clear appreciation for what the Medici family accomplished over a period of many generations. It was very thoroughly researched and well presented. Easy to read considering it was non-fiction.

I was expecting the storytelling to actually provide details about what drove the Medici to power and what was there downfall. Also, there are no facts presented about the family business other than dates and facts about public records. It's an ok introduction if you want to learn more about the Medici family and important dates.

Extraordinarily researched and exhaustively detailed...in fact, these are relative weaknesses. This account is far more than would be of interest to the average reader. The level of detail, including especially the frequent relatives to distant relatives and loosely associated places, is very confusing. The book would have been helped by less detail, but more general, brief, descriptions and accounts of the general socio-geopolitical landscape of Europe at the times of the individuals the author is specifically profiling at that instant.

After watching the series on Netflix, I wanted to know more and more about this family. Book is not easy reading, but definitely gives you more insight into this strange family... I’m still reading the book. I pick it up from time to time. As I said, it’s not easy reading, but most definitely gives you insight. Wish they would have included an “organization” chart of this family. It’s hard to keep track of who’s who ...

An excellent companion to a visit to Florence, the book brings the city's history alive and the city brings the book alive.

Arrived as described - used but in good condition. Large enough font to read in bed and well set out with history about the Medici. A good accompaniment to the Netflix series

A little superficial in places, this book, essentially, gives a synopsis of individual members of one of the most powerful and influential families in Europe, from Giovanni di Bicci de Medici, born in 1360, across some 400 years and several generations of Bankers, Popes, Dukes, Queens of France etc. until their eventual dissipation and extinction.

A good read. Informative

I bought it as a present for my mum, she thought it was good.