Italy

In an attempt to appeal to the Medici family during the Italian Renaissance, Machiavelli outlines the way to acquire and retain political power, and how great men should behave in a princely government....

Michelangelo, God's Architect is the first book to tell the full story of Michelangelo's final two decades, when the peerless artist refashioned himself into the master architect of St. Peter’s Basilica and other major buildings....

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE From National Book Award finalist David I. Kertzer comes the gripping story of Pope Pius XI’s secret relations with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. This groundbreaking work, based on seven...

In Red Sauce, Ian MacAllen traces the evolution of traditional Italian-American cuisine, often referred to as "red sauce Italian," from its origins in Italy to its transformation in America into a new, distinct cuisine. It is a fascinating social and culinary history exploring the integration of...

For listeners eager to experience Gibbon’s brilliant primary historicism, to understand the long decline of Rome—and the reasons for the Empire’s demise—there exists no better or more accessible condensation of Decline and Fall.

On August 19, 1418, a competition concerning Florence's magnificent new cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore was announced: "Whoever desires to make any model or design for the vaulting of the main Dome...shall do so before the end of the month of September." The proposed dome was regarded far and...

It is not an easy job to draw the border between the history of Italy and the history of Rome. In so many places, the two political and geographical entities collide. They wouldn’t be possible without each other, but they each have their own story....

No city stirs the imagination more than Venice. From the richly ornamented palaces emerging from the waters of the Grand Canal to the dazzling sites of Piazza San Marco, visitors and residents alike sense they are entering, as fourteenth-century poet Petrarch remarked, “another world.”....

Since its formation in 1861, Italy has struggled to develop an effective political system and a secure sense of national identity. Christopher Duggan's acclaimed introduction charts the country's history from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West to the present day....

Despite the Roman Empire's famous 500-year reign over Europe, parts of Africa and the Middle East, Italy does not have the same long national history as states such as France or England. Divided for much of its history, Italy's regions have been, at various times, parts of bigger, often...

The Borgia family have become a byword for evil. Corruption, incest, ruthless megalomania, avarice, and vicious cruelty - all have been associated with their name. And yet, paradoxically, this family lived when the Renaissance was coming into its full flowering in Italy. Examples of infamy...

The harrowing story of one of history's most compelling military campaigns. In An Army at Dawn—winner of the Pulitzer Prize—Rick Atkinson provided a dramatic and authoritative history of the Allied triumph in North Africa. Now, in The Day of Battle, he follows the American and British armies...

Sicily has always acted as a gateway between Europe and the rest of the world. Fought over by the Phoenicians and Greeks, the Romans, Goths and Byzantines, Arabs and Normans, Germans, and the Spanish and the French for thousands of years, Sicily became a unique melting pot where diverse...

Join us on this journey of discovery as we traverse Sardinia's diverse regions, introduce you to its warm-hearted inhabitants, and unveil the magic that lies in every corner of this island.

Among the most beloved saints in the Catholic tradition, Francis of Assisi (c. 1181-1226) is popularly remembered for his desire to follow perfectly the teachings and example of Christ....

Hardly anyone who was educated was unaware of at least some of the more famous stories of Roman myth and history as told by Titus Livius....

Livy continues his magnificent epic, with Rome in complete ruin after the Gallic invasion and sack of the city in 310 B.C....

Bloomsbury presents Turning The Tide by Thomas McKelvey Cleaver, read by Christopher Ragland. Packed with personal accounts of the action, this is a vivid narrative history of the often-overlooked USAAF campaign in North Africa and Sicily in World War II. In 1942, the Western Allies needed to...

Pompeii was destroyed by the horrific eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, which buried at least 2,000 unlucky people. Pompeii became a mysterious tomb, hiding secrets of Rome and other civilizations that influenced the life and culture of the city and its people....

Romance, intrigue, and dangerous ambitions combine to create the perfect escape: welcome to the beautiful Hotel Portofino on the magical Italian Riviera. ***NOW A MAJOR TV DRAMA*** It is the summer of 1927 and Hotel Portofino is prospering under Bella’s stewardship. As the season begins, Bella...

An unprecedented portrait of the Renaissance-era Borgia family and their storied milieu, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Tudors “A vivid and at times startling reappraisal of one of the most notorious dynasties in history . . . If you thought you knew the Borgias, this book...

John Hooper's marvellously entertaining and perceptive new book is ideal for anyone seeking to understand contemporary Italy and the unique character of the Italians. Looking at the facts that lie behind - and often belie - the stereotypes, his revealing book sheds new light on many aspects of...

Starting with the reign of Emperor Gratian (d. 383) Gibbon's survey moves to political and religious issues in the East and West before covering the increasing military power of the Barbarians....

Naples '44 is an unflinching autobiographical account of a year in Naples after the armistice and Allied landings in Sorrento in 1943. Working as a British counterintelligence officer under the Allied occupation, Lewis documents the rich pageant of life in the city and its surrounding areas....

The world is enamored with Italy: its culture, art, food, and fashion, its beautiful landscapes, and famous cities-and, of course, its wine. From the ancient Greeks to the Medici, and from fascism to feminism, Italy has always been entwined with wine. Through the millennia, it has been a...

Explore the dramatic European history of a coastal metropolis defined by endless conquest and cultural resilience. Perfect for your daily commute or armchair travel, this evocative journey transports you to the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Discover how a glittering Greek settlement evolved through...

Uncover the dramatic Christian history and engineering brilliance behind the world's most awe-inspiring sacred space. Whether you are seeking spiritual reflection on your daily commute or preparing for a trip to Rome, this epic journey brings centuries of faith, rivalry, and genius to vivid life...

Step into the vibrant streets of the Roman Empire right before a catastrophic natural disaster freezes the ancient world. Perfect for an educational commute, this immersive historical narrative walks you through bustling neighborhoods where elites, merchants, and enslaved people thrived in the...

Uncover the European history and engineering blunders behind the world's most beloved architectural failure. Perfect for your morning commute, this engaging narrative transports you to the Piazza dei Miracoli to experience eight centuries of medieval politics, shifting soil, and human ingenuity...

Walk the ancient stones of the Roman Empire to experience an epic history of military conquest, power, and mobility. Perfect for an engaging daily commute or a long, reflective drive, this sweeping narrative transports you directly to the vibrant heart of the Mediterranean. Discover how a single...

Master three millennia of European history, journeying from the rise of Rome to the dazzling dawn of the Renaissance. Whether you are prepping for a Mediterranean getaway or seeking an absorbing narrative to fuel your daily commute, this fast-moving historical epic delivers profound clarity...

Dive into sweeping European history where Mediterranean splendor collides with the gritty resilience of human survival. Perfect for your daily commute, this magnetic armchair travel experience transports you to the shadow of an active volcano. Discover a coastal metropolis forever negotiating a...

Uncover the European history of how an underestimated Roman outpost became the political laboratory of a united Italy. Perfect for a focused morning commute or immersive armchair travel, this evocative journey traces a fierce metropolis at the volatile crossroads of empires. From the strategic...

Experience a dramatic European history where ruthless political intrigue and visionary art birthed the Renaissance. Perfect for an educational commute or immersive armchair travel to Tuscany, this atmospheric narrative transports you to the medieval merchant streets. Here, cash, credit, and...

Walk the ancient cobblestones of history's most powerful highway and witness how a single road forged the Roman Empire. Perfect for an immersive commute or a deep-focus learning session, this epic journey transports you to the heart of the Mediterranean. Experience the brutal clashes, political...

Discover the epic medieval history of Scandinavian pirates who transformed into Europe's greatest military conquerors. Perfect for your daily commute, this dramatic narrative traces a breathtaking rise to power. From bloody coastlines to the creation of fierce principalities, witness how a band...

Dive into an immersive European history where three millennia of brutal conquests forged a vibrant cultural mosaic. Perfect for your morning commute or an engaging armchair travel escape, this dramatic narrative transports you to the heart of the Mediterranean. Watch a modest Phoenician outpost...

Uncover the epic ancient history of a lost civilization that built the foundations of Rome before vanishing into myth. Perfect for an immersive commute or a deep-focus learning session, this fascinating archaeological journey breathes life into Italy's most mysterious early empire. Explore the...

Dive into sweeping European history and witness how a single restless peninsula repeatedly forged Western civilization. Perfect for your daily commute or a session of focused learning, this immersive journey transforms a familiar landscape into a dramatic laboratory of power, art, and faith...

Uncover how a modest Roman settlement evolved into a global powerhouse of European history and economic innovation. Whether you are preparing for a trip to northern Italy or seeking an immersive morning commute, this story-driven narrative transforms centuries of urban development into a...

A rugged maritime republic traded cannons for contracts to secretly bankroll the entire European Age of Exploration. Perfect for your morning commute, this immersive historical audiobook reveals how a tiny Mediterranean port became the hidden financial engine behind global empires. Forget the...

Experience the epic European history of a shattered Roman world forging a unified nation against impossible odds. From the ashes of antiquity to the glittering courts of the Renaissance, foreign kings and papal rivalries used this majestic peninsula as a strategic chessboard. Witness centuries...

Experience the epic maritime history of a rugged Mediterranean harbor that evolved into a ruthless global trading empire. Perfect for your daily commute, this immersive narrative transports you directly to the bustling shipyards and chaotic council chambers of a fiercely independent commune...

Trace three millennia of dramatic European history as a volcanic Mediterranean outpost transforms into a royal metropolis. Perfect for your daily commute or an immersive armchair travel experience, this evocative narrative reconstructs the teeming harbors and ancient streets of a fiercely...

Unearth the ancient history of a forgotten civilization that built the foundations of the mighty Roman Empire. Perfect for your daily commute, this captivating historical deep dive transports you to the bustling city-states of pre-Roman Italy. Transform your listening hours into an epic...

Discover how a disastrous medieval engineering failure transformed into history’s most celebrated architectural wonder. Born from the soaring ambition of an ancient maritime republic, this flawed bell tower was built on treacherous ground. What began as a humiliating civic secret quickly...

Experience a vibrant Mediterranean history where ancient conquests fuel a living, breathing cultural melting pot. Perfect for an educational commute or armchair travel, this immersive audio journey transforms bustling markets and sun-drenched plazas into an atmospheric walking tour. Let the...

Experience the gripping military history of societal collapse as an eternal empire faces catastrophic siege warfare. Perfect for a thought-provoking morning commute, this dramatic narrative plunges you directly into the turbulent, panicked streets of antiquity. Watch anxious emperors and...

Watch how desperate refugees built a dominant maritime empire, turning a treacherous marshland into global supremacy. Perfect for an engaging daily commute, this immersive historical journey reveals the political brilliance, naval power, and sheer grit that forged an improbable superpower. Lose...

Step into an ancient Roman metropolis right before a devastating natural disaster froze its vibrant daily life in ash. Perfect for a captivating historical commute, this gripping narrative resurrects a lost world. Walk alongside ordinary citizens and wealthy elites as falling debris and...