As for the dunant book, it sounds like just the thing when im settling in for summerthanks, sarah. A novel is a 2003 novel by sarah dunant, a bestselling british author. Sarah dunant is the author of the international bestsellers the birth of venus, in the company of the courtesan, sacred hearts, and blood and beauty, which have received major acclaim on both sides of the atlantic. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. She writes like a painter, and thinks like a philosopher juxtapositioning the humane against the animal, hope against fanaticism, creativity against destruction. The birth of venus by sarah dunant book club discussion. Dec 03, 2009 just finished reading this book the birth of venus. Just finished reading this book the birth of venus. Sarah dunant, the author of eight widely praised thrillers, has switched allegiance with the birth of venus, a seductive and ambitious novel set in late 15thcentury florence. Sarah dunant books list of books by author sarah dunant. With her first historical novel, the birth of venus, dunant explores another scene. Jan 03, 20 buy the birth of venus by dunant, sarah isbn. A novel readers circle kindle edition by dunant, sarah.
Buy the birth of venus by sarah dunant from waterstones today. Alessandra cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a prosperous cloth merchant, brings a young painter back from northern europe to decorate the chapel walls in the familys florentine palazzo. I was conscious that she seemed to disappear off the scene and for a while there i got her mixed up with sarah waters. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Sarah dunant, the british bestselling novelist, has penned a delectable and extremely tempting historical fiction, the birth of venus that is set against the backdrop of the renaissance florence and that which revolves around a young 14 year old girl who is not beautiful or skilled like her elder sister, yet her talent and eye for art and mind for translating languages is extraordinary but with the changing times, she is. Sarah dunant has given us a story of sacrifice and betrayal, set during florences captivity under the fanatic savonarola. However, it is inappropriate for a young girl to be educated, let alone pursue a passion like art. The birth of venus by sarah dunant she reads novels. I first knew sarah dunant as a broadcaster on latenight arts shows in the late 1990s. The breast cancer that was thought to have killed her was neither cancerous nor mammary, and her aged monastic corpse was lavishly decorated with a.
For those who would like to feel what it was like to live in florence in the 15th century, and for those who are inspired by the creative arts, and for those who like a love story, but of which has tragedy linked to it, this is a book to read. This the birth of venus book is telling about alessandra cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a prosperous cloth merchant, brings a young painter back from northern europe to decorate the chapel walls in the familys florentine palazzo. Story imageryeleganceintelligence, in such a readable way, i flew through it or it. The story is set in the late 15th century in florence, italy. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 427 pages and is available in paperback format. It was first published by little, brown in 2003 with the title the birth of venus. Certainly the birth of venus has given me a lot to think about. Sarah dunant is a cultural commentator, awardwinning thriller writer and author of five novels set in renaissance italy exploring womens lives through art, sex and religion. Audio book sample courtesy of penguin random house audio. British novelist, broadcaster, and critic sarah dunant is well known on both sides of the pond for her bestselling series of mysteries featuring sleuth hannah wolfe. She does not have the training or the social opportunity.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the birth of venus. The birth of venus pdf about the birth of venus book pdf. She has two daughters, and lives in london and florence. Sarah dunant, the author of eight widely praised thrillers, has switched allegiance with the birth of venus, a seductive and ambitious novel set. Sarah dunants most popular book is the birth of venus. Detective stories, thrillers and historical novels have been. The birth of venus by sarah dunant 412pp, little, brown. The image of the serpent with a human head is a motif that runs through the novel in many different forms.
The postmortem ablutions of sister lucrezia reveal surprises. A child of the renaissance, with a precocious mind and a talent for drawing, alessandra is. Instead, alessandra is expected to marry and give birth to many children. Dunant has created a vivid and compellingly believable picture of renaissance florence. I didnt think id ever get into this book, despite a bookmark placed threequarters of an inch into the text. She is married with two daughters, and lives in london and florence. The birth of venus is a wellknown painting by sandro botticelli, which is presently displayed in uffizi gallery in florence but it has no connection with this book, beyond a passing reference.
Alessandra cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a prosperous cloth merchant, brings a young painter back from northern europe to decorate the chapel. It brings alive the history of florence at its most dramatic period, telling a compulsively absorbing story of love, art, religion, and power through the passionate voice of alessandra, a heroine with the same. Sarah dunant, quote from the birth of venus and, such was the sound that the chorus made together, that to have been a part of it at all was enough for me. Sarah dunants epic novel of sixteenthcentury renaissance italy is a story about the sins of pleasure the birth of venus buy the book read more. Nov 30, 2004 sarah dunant has given us a story of sacrifice and betrayal, set during florences captivity under the fanatic savonarola. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. She inhabits the blooming young alessandra cecchi with the enthusiasm found in the yet untested, when innocence is flawless and the serpent sill sleeping in the garden. In the name of the family, by sarah dunant sarah dunants latest novel follows one of historys most notorious families the borgias. The names of the era evoke a heady brew made up of. How far does the birth of venus explain why, in the great roll call of artistic geniuses of the renaissance, there are no names of women 2. During her extended visit and amidst what was something of a midlife crisis, dunants previous passion towards history was rekindled and she began researching the renaissances impact on the city of florence, during the 1490s. Jan 21, 2011 the birth of venus breathes life into the history of florence its art, philosophy, religion and politics but it is clearly alessandras story.
The birth of venus by sarah dunant february 16, 2015 february 16, 2015 i love books set in renaissance italy but although sarah dunant has written three or four of them, this is the first one ive read. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the birth of venus. Sarah dunants gem of a book, the birth of venus, is a brilliant period piece written painted on the page with all the fire of oils then finished off with a glow emanating from the veneer that comes after being highly glazed.
The first edition of the novel was published in 2003, and was written by sarah dunant. Alessandra is not quite fifteen when her prosperous merchant father brings a young painter back with him from holland to adorn the walls of the new family chapel. Pdf the birth of venus book by sarah dunant free download. The birth of venus, by sarah dunant the independent. Check out other translated books in french, spanish languages. Sarah dunant is such an author, someone whose historical novels are delectably real and deliciously provocative. A novel by dunant, sarah published by random house trade paperbacks 2004 online books in format pdf. The birth of venus is a novel by author sarah dunant. It was first published in london by little, brown in 2003 with the title the birth of venus.
Mar 15, 2003 the birth of venus by sarah dunant little, brown. She is the daughter of david dunant, a former welsh airline steward who later became manager of british airways, and his french wife. As soon as i finished this book i wanted to go straight back and read it all over again. The status of women, the value of art, and the question of the role of religion in society and politics are still subjects that have not been adequately explored or resolved, but within books like the birth of venus, the reader has the opportunity to learn from history and, with the exception of the readers guide at the back of the book, ask. The birth of venus by sarah dunant smart bitches, trashy books.
Following this, sarah wrote the highly acclaimed the birth of venus which was followed by two sequels. Pdf the birth of venus by sarah dunant download pdf free ebook. The birth of venus by sarah dunant books the guardian. The character of alessandra was born when sarah dunant, who owns a home in florence, discovered a lack of records about women artists during the fifteenth century. Mar 06, 2003 sarah dunant s gem of a book, the birth of venus, is a brilliant period piece written painted on the page with all the fire of oils then finished off with a glow emanating from the veneer that comes after being highly glazed. The birth of venus by sarah dunant smart bitches, trashy. The birth of venus by sarah dunant i first knew sarah dunant as a broadcaster on latenight arts shows in the late 1990s. This novel is set in thirteenthcentury florence where twelveyearold alessandra desperately wants to become an artist.
The birth of venus by sarah dunant, 9781844080359, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Saarh dunany has dived into a rich seam of tuscan history with her latest novel. Her earlier novels include more about sarah dunant. At its heart, the birth of venus is a story of longing and love, but the multilayered poltical, religious and familial storylines bring a richness to the reader that no ordinary romantic story could possibly deliver. Sarah dunant plunders the past with exquisite detail, sorting through the fifteenth century for the finest jewels of nuance and intricacy.
It was first published by little, brown in 2003 1 with the title the birth of venus. A novel by dunant, sarah published by random house trade paperbacks 2004 and read the birth of venus. Sarah dunant born 8 august 1950 is a british novelist, journalist, broadcaster, and critic. The birth of venus by sarah dunant great pick for 2020. Review of the birth of venus by sarah dunant, plus backstory and other interesting facts about the book. Sarah dunant s most popular book is the birth of venus. Sarah dunant has 26 books on goodreads with 262114 ratings. Its funny how you remember some people she always had very distinctive glasses. Fascinated by dunants reconsideration of lucretia borgia and renaissance italy in blood and beauty, i wanted to read what is perhaps her bestknown novel, the birth of venus. Sarah dunants gorgeous and mesmerizing novel, birth of venus, draws readers into a turbulent 15thcentury florence, a time when the lavish city, steeped in years of medici family luxury, is suddenly besieged by plague, threat of invasion, and the righteous wrath of a fundamentalist monk. The birth of venus by sarah dunant, paperback barnes. Sarah dunant has created, quite simply, a beautiful and engaging novel about art and florence.
She writes like a painter, and thinks like a philosopher. Genre writing has provided fertile ground for feminist fiction. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are alessandra cecci, tomaso cecci. Alessandra cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a pro.
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