Lucrezia Borgia (Women in History S.) [Paperback]

Maria Bellonci (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2003 | Series: Women in History S.

Maria Bellonci depicts Lucrezia as a passionate, womanly figure moving uncertainly through the Papal court and through the intrigues, ambitions and political chicanery that swirled about her. Married three times for her family's political advantage Lucrezia also entertained, for her own pleasure, a long list of eminent lovers, particularly the poet Pietro Bembo. Her father, Pope Alexander VI, emerges as a fiercely devoted parent while the catlike and sinister Cesare Borgia is seen as a relentless and unscrupulous power-seeker.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Maria Bellonci was born and educated in Rome. Married to the distinguished critic Goffredo Bellonci she wrote and sponsored literature throughout her life, through the Strega Prize and the Italian P.E.N. society, of which she was the Vice-President. With the publication of Lucrezia Borgia in Italy she won the Viareggio Literary Award and the Galante Prize. It was then published throughout the world to great acclaim. She wrote numerous distinguished works of history and also wrote for newspapers and radio.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Press (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1842126164
• ISBN-13: 978-1842126165
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Italian Masterpiece, January 20, 2009

By 

SSB - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lucrezia Borgia (Women in History S.) (Paperback)

Winner of two coveted Italian literary awards when it was published in 1950, this book is masterfully translated to English and is one of the most well-written books I've read. Some of the passages are almost esquisite! The subject--Lucrezia Borgia, illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI--was obviously well-researched and the text based upon documents maintained in Italian archives, including at the Vatican. I learned a lot about Italian history of the period, social life, and the role/plight of women by reading this excellent book. I didn't want it to end and intend to read the other books written by this author.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Primary Sources, August 10, 2009

By 

P. J. Sullivan (Northern California USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lucrezia Borgia (Hardcover)

This is probably the most accurate biography of Lucretia Borgia. (Yes, she spelled her name Lucretia, not Lucrezia.) The author accessed many primary sources--official documents, Vatican archives, contemporary letters and diaries. It is not an easy read, as there are many characters and titles to keep track of. The political alliances are complicated and keep changing. It is worth the effort, but I could have done without the detailed descriptions of wardrobes, pomp, and ceremony.

This book will surprise you if you are expecting a notorious poisoner putting arsenic and henbane into drinks right and left. Lucretia's sinister reputation is myth, mostly guilt by association. I haven't seen any evidence that she ever poisoned anyone. She can be faulted for aiding and abetting her brother Cesare, but what choice did she have against such a monster? She was a pawn in the power games of her father and her brother. Deep down, she was a pious conoisseur of poetry and poets.

The Borgias are enshrouded in mystery and "the mystery is insoluble," says Maria Bellonci. This book may not answer all your questions, but it will give you authentic glimpses into Renaissance Italy.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and well-written, but somewhat lacking., December 7, 2009

By 

L. Phillips "V. Valentino" (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lucrezia Borgia (Women in History S.) (Paperback)

I first got this book because of the subject's intriguing reputation. Called both the Pope's daughter, lover, and daughter-in-law and known famously as a poisoner, I thought the book would be irresistible. But the first half of the book is more about her father, the lecherous and nepotistic Pope Alexander VI, and her two brothers. It weaves together the story of the tumultuous political situation in the Italian Papal court under Alexander VI, mentioning Lucrezia here and there as the background character she really was during her life. There's understandably a lot of guesswork about what Lucrezia must have been feeling and thinking during the events of her life, as there is not very much information about her. She was married three times for her family's political gains, forcibly divorced from her first husband, and widowed when her violent brother Cesare murdered her second husband. Even though the second half of the book is more about her than the first half, Bellonci glosses over the twisted allegations against Lucrezia and the other Borgias by either brushing them aside, or mentioning them briefly without going into detail. She mentioned the time period at which the Borgia's became known for poisoning, but she did not explain how specifically Lucrezia gained the reputation as a poisoner. It was a dissapointing read for that reason, but in other areas it was an excellent historical biography. It was well written and interesting for one thing. Names were not just thrown out and unqualified. Alexander and Cesare are interesting characters whose lives and actions are explicitely defined and well told. It's too bad the book was supposed to be about Lucrezia instead of them.