Civilization of Europe in the Renaissance

by J.R. Hale and John Hale

Book Overview

From Simon & Schuster, The Civilization of Europe in the Renaissance is John Hale's exploration of Europe during one of history's most expansive period.

Exploring every aspect of art, philosophy, politics, life and culture between 1450 and 1620, this enthralling panorama examines one of the most fascinating and exciting periods in European history.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684803526
• ISBN13: 9780684803524
• Release Date: June 1995
• Publisher: Touchstone Books
• Length: 672 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Civilzation of Europe

John Rigby Hale (1922-1999) was a legendary Renaissance scholar, this was his last and probably greatest work. The title is an allusion to Jacob Burckhardt's The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (1860) - which seems presumptuous considering Burkhardt is the single most important historian of the Renaissance; however it succeeds - Hale has written a modern up to date version of Burckhardt's masterpiece. Just a few months after the final draft Hale had a debilitating stroke, with the final version touched up by his wife and some professional friends. It is one of those rare books that enters the realm of the mythological. Hale's style can be compared to a French impressionistic painting. The texture and details awash over the reader like so many dots forming grand narratives and themes; one not so much understands in so many words, but experiences understanding through the revelation of others. Unlike many historical surveys which tell the reader how things were, Hale shows it through direct quotes from the people who lived the age. This is not always easy going, the mind has to constantly shift between examining the dots and the image it paints, sort of like the optical illusion of a vase, or two faces looking at one another, back and forth between perspectives, it is not a book for speedy reading but contemplation and absorption. Although many subjects are covered in this imaginative social survey, the consistent theme of "civilization" has a title role. In the Middle Ages, Europeans envisioned themselves as belonging to one of three "Estates": The Clergy, The Nobles (warriors), The Peasants. The vast majority were peasants who worked on behalf of the other two estates, who in turn protected and prayed for them. Those who work, fight and pray lived ideally in a sort of balanced harmony according to Christian precepts. However the Peasant estate also included urban merchants, and with increased prosperity in the latter Middle Ages, the distinction between peasant and noble became blurred as merchants became as powerful as nobles (Medici). Other things changed like guns and longbows allowed peasants to fight just as well as knights (100 Years War), so the three estate view started to break down. By the Renaissance, with the rediscovery of Classical texts, they looked back and asked how the Ancients structured society and found it was based on a 2-tier system: civilized and "barbarian" (uncivilized). The 3-tier Christian view was gradually replaced with the 2-tier secular system, which we still use to this day (civil laws, clash of civilizations, uncivilized behavior, civics, etc..). Order, peace and harmony is maintained through civilization and all it entails (education, prosperity, freedom, etc), and what that meant was being worked out in this period. Hale shows a profound and noticeable change within a single generation starting around the middle of the 15th century, people were conscious and aware of a shift, often saying how they

An interesting book, but a challenging read at times

Mr. Hale's book is full on insight into the transformation that occurred in Europe during the Renaissance. His research is extensive, his analysis detailed, and his knowledge of the subject extensive. I feel that I really learned a lot about this interesting era in European history. Also, the author uses numerous illustrations and prints when discussing various points, which helped me a lot since I do not possess much of a background on this subject. The book will make for a most enjoyable read for anyone already familiar with this time period.For those of us who do not know a lot about the Renaissance, sections of the text can be challenging. As one other reviewer mentions, Hale takes a thematic approach, rather than a chronological one which did prove challenging for me. Also, some sections are rather "text book like", and somewhat dull. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I just found it more challenging to finish than other historical books that I have read.I recommend this book to anyone intersted in learning more about the Renaissance in Europe. If you do not know a lot about the subject, like myself, you may want to find a different starting point than this text. Otherwise, you may end up like me wondering how much you missed out based on your ignorance of the materials provided.

Extremely Insightful

My second year history teacher in college used this book as our text book. Reading this book was like looking at history form the street level, enabling one to understand why they did what they did during that time. And it's also very fun read.

A masterpiece of historic writing

I write this just a few days after the death of Prof. Hale, and can only express agreement with what the other reviewers below have said. This book is a wonderful monument to a great historian and scholar, and is an unmitigated delight to read, and to return to.

An outstanding and lively thematic survey

Hale is the distinguished author of many books on the history of the Renaissance, and this work--written near the end of his career--is a synthesis of a lifetime of thought, study, and research on the subject. This is a masterful look at European civilization during the age we identify with the somewhat liquid term "Renaissance." Hale's approach is thematic rather than strictly chronological, and the general reader may find this a bit distracting if he does not have any previous knowledge of the history of the period. For that reader it may also be somewhat scholarly in tone, but it is not a tedious or dry read by any means. On the contrary, Hale's wide range of learning and his use of many wonderful illustrations give the work a distinct and fascinating life, and an even flow that can be taken in easily-digestible chapters and sections. Each chapter is filled with Hale's insight and gift for making complex issues accessible. This is no small task when dealing with a period as complicated and multi-faceted as the Renaissance. Hale's grasp of the original sources is impressive, and he frequently allows them to speak for themselves, showing that we are not so far away from this period in our history (just as we are not so far from the world of classical antiquity which the Renaissance revived). The result is a magnificent study which looks at how Europe (and by extension the world) changed during the "long century" of 1450 to 1620: a period of tremendous discovery, violence and intellectual/artistic achievement.