Venice, Cita Excelentissima ─ Selections from the Renaissance Diaries of Marin Sanudo

The work of diarist and historian Marin Sanudo has long been mined by scholars of the Renaissance, Reformation and the history of his home of Venice. Now his work has been edited by the late scholar Labalme, White (Italian, Rutgers University) and Carroll (Italian, Tulane University. This is an abridged version of Sanudo's prolix work, which covered the years from 1496 through 1533, arranged by topic rather than in chronological order. This, along with a thorough index, will enable researchers to locate specific information more quickly although it does mean a lack of continuity. The time in which Sanudo lived was one of drastic change for Venice and Europe as a whole with the rise of the Protestant movement affecting Catholic hegemony and Atlantic exploration creating new spice routes. In between major international events, Sanudo provides an intimate glimpse in Venetian life and politics. The translations are prefixed by historical notes from the editors putting the entries in context. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Patricia H. Labalme (1927–2002) was a highly regarded scholar of Renaissance history and a tireless supporter of the humanities. Laura Sanguineti White is a professor of Italian at Rutgers University. Linda L. Carroll is a professor of Italian at Tulane University.