HOW TO DO IT by Rudolph M. Bell ( 9780226042008 ) - Books & Audio Books at Pickabook.co.uk

Item Details

Title:

HOW TO DO IT
GUIDES TO GOOD LIVING FOR RENAISSANCE ITALIANS

By:

Rudolph M. Bell

Format:

Paperback

List price:

£23.00

Our price:

£20.70

Discount:

10% off

You save:

£2.30

ISBN 10:

0226042006

ISBN 13:

9780226042008

Availability:

Usually dispatched within 1-3 weeks.

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Stock:

Currently 0 available

Publisher:

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS

Pub. date:

1 October, 2000

Pages:

376

Description:

This work shows 16th-century Italy from an alternative perspective: through advice manuals which were staples in the households of middlebrow Italians just trying to lead a better life.

Synopsis:

Hope to conceive a boy? Tie a tourniquet around your husband's left testicle. Pregnant and fear a weak or malformed baby? Frequent hearty laughter should reduce the risk. And if you're a teenager of good repute, avoid dancing at all costs and stay away from wine, cosmetics, and flashy dress. What may seem quirky to today's readers certainly wasn't to its original audience - Renaissance Italians. They read advice manuals prodigiously, seeking guidance from the latest books by best-selling alchemists and snake-oil peddlers like Mrs. Isabella Cortese and Dr. Leonardo Fioravanti with an avidity not bestowed even on a Dante or a Machiavelli. This work shows 16th-century Italy from an alternative perspective: through manuals which were staples in the households of middlebrow Italians just trying to lead a better life. Rudolph M. Bell uncovers a culture much like our own in which people sought advice for everything from reining in a wayward spouse to running an efficient household.Italians who faced such timeless challenges turned to these books, which were written specifically for families of moderate means, complete with indexes, tables of contents, and marginal summaries making them easy to consult as problems arose.

Illustrations:

11 line drawings

Publication:

Imprint:

University of Chicago Press

Returns:

Returnable

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