The ideas in the swerve are tucked, cannily, inside a quest narrative. While the rediscovery and republication of on the nature of things takes a central role in how the world became modern, whats also critically important is the role of the humanists and the ancient book hunters who sought out such ancient texts as part of a revisioning of knowledge that started the renaissance. Read all or any of his works, but please dont miss the swerve. Greenblatt tells the story of how poggio bracciolini, a 15thcentury papal emissary.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 356 pages and is available in hardcover format. How the world became modern and millions of other books are available for instant access. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 356 pages and is. At the center of stephen greenblatts dazzling new book, the swerve. To quench the intellect, the swerve succeeds written by stephen greenblatt, the swerve. How the world became modern, a 356page study of the transformative cultural power wielded by an ancient. His most significant find, located in a german monastery. How shakespeare became shakespeare, a finalist for the 2004 national book award in nonfiction and a new york times bestseller, and hamlet in purgatory.
How the world became modern by stephen greenblatt, is an intellectual romp. How the world became modern paperback by stephen greenblatt. One of the worlds most celebrated scholars, stephen greenblatt has c. As stephen greenblatt explains in his 2011 pulitzer prizewinning book the swerve. Trueits a tale of passion and sacrifice, but also of fanaticism and philosophical determination. Stephen greenblatt has written a book, the swerve, about one of those discoverers who remade culture and gained fame in particular from one book, on the nature of things by lucretius. How the world became modern, a 356page study of the transformative cultural power wielded by an ancient latin poem. The book relates the story of poggio bracciolini, the former apostolic secretary to several popes, who became perhaps the greatest book hunter of the renaissance. The literary critic, theorist and shakespeare scholar stephen greenblatts new book, the swerve. One of the worlds most celebrated scholars, stephen greenblatt. How the world became modern, by stephen greenblatt w. Pdf the swerve how the world became modern by stephen.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the swerve. How the world became modern for him that stealeth, or borroweth and returneth not, this book from its owner, one of these curses runs, let it change into a serpent in his hand and rend him. The first edition of the novel was published in 2011, and was written by stephen greenblatt. How the renaissance began is a book by stephen greenblatt and winner of the 2012 pulitzer prize for general nonfiction and 2011 national book award for nonfiction. Winner of the 2011 national book award for nonfiction. How the world became modern, is partly about an obsessive book collector, and it begins. This beautiful and informative book by stephen greenblatt can be read as three separated but connected books. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. And he name dropped inumerable philosophers and writers who were irrelevant to the discussion again seemingly to.
Poggio bracciolini 801459 ce, a short, genial, cannily alert man. The fifteenth century was one of discovery and reinvigoration of culture. The war of beliefs that rages today is not new, but is merely a continuation of fear versus reason, and belief versus logic. How the world became modern by stephen greenblatt is the biography of a man named poggio bracciolini, and the history of a poem titled on the nature of things.
How the world became modern by greenblatt, stephen isbn. Read the book on paper it is quite a powerful experience. Winner of the 2012 pulitzer prize for nonfiction winner of the 2011 national book award for nonfiction one of the worlds most celebrated scholars, stephen greenblatt has crafted both an innovative work of history and a thrilling story of discovery, in which one manuscript, plucked from a thousand years of neglect, changed the course of human thought and made possible the world as we know it. One of the worlds most celebrated scholars, stephen greenblatt has crafted both an innovative work of history and a thrilling story of discovery, in which one manuscript, plucked from a thousand years of neglect, changed the course of human thought and made possible the world as we know it. First, a thorough biography of the italian politician. The swerve how the world became modern by stephen greenblatt. How the world became modern was published in 2011 and describes how the rediscovery of an ancient poem launches the renaissance and helps shape the modern age.
The swerve reading guide book club discussion questions. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Does the electronic version of the book completely replace the paper version. One of the worlds most celebrated scholars, stephen greenblatt has crafted both. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. By no means a bad book, the swerve simply sets its intellectual bar too low. That book was the last surviving manuscript of an ancient roman philosophical epic, on the nature of things, by lucretiusa beautiful poem of the most dangerous ideas. Best of all, if after reading an ebook, you buy a paper version of the swerve. I felt like the author was trying too hard to show how very well read he is and tried to force a concept that wasnt there. Winner of the 2011 national book award for nonfictionone of the worlds most celebrated scholars, stephen greenblatt has crafted both an innovative work of history and a thrilling story of discovery, in which one manuscript, plucked from a thousand years of neglect, changed the course. Bracciolini spent much of his life in the employ of the catholic. Stephen greenblatt is john cogan university professor of the humanities at harvard university.
Greenblatt humanitiesharvard univ shakespeares freedom, 2010, etc. The swerve offers a portrait of an unlikely hero, a fifteenthcentury humanist author, manuscript copyist, papal secretary and book hunter named poggio bracciolini. Nearly six hundred years ago, a short, genial, cannily alert man in his late thirties took a very. In the swerve, stephen greenblatt is essentially making the argument that a. How the world became modern is a book by stephen greenblatt and winner of the 2012 pulitzer prize for general nonfiction and 2011 national. The 15th century discovery of lucretius revolutionary on the nature of things is at the thrilling center of stephen greenblatts national book. This is a great short history about a long lost roman poem that encompassed the very humanistic. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The swerve won the pulitzer prize, the national book award, and the lowell prize. One of the worlds most celebrated scholars, stephen greenblatt has crafted both an innovative work of history and a thrilling story of discovery, in which one manuscript, plucked from a thousand years of neglect, changed the course of human thought and made possible the world as we. Book award for nonfiction, the swerve, how the world became modern. Life is one result of this swerve, as atoms assemble themselves into forms that.
It tells the tale of the creation of roman lucretiuss revolutionary, nonconformist poem on the nature of things, its ties to epicurus and epicureanism, its loss for centuries and then finding in the 15th century by a fascinating book hunter, its gradual dissemination and then growing influence on artists. We are free, liberated by the unpredictability of the swerve, as are all living things. How the world became modern kindle edition by greenblatt, stephen. Winner of the 2011 national book award for nonfiction one of the worlds most celebrated scholars, stephen greenblatt has crafted both an innovative work of history and a thrilling story of discovery, in which one manuscript, plucked from a thousand years of. The swerve is a romantic tale of a book lover, but it is so much more. Winner of the 2012 pulitzer prize for nonfiction winner of the 2011 national book award for nonfiction. How the world became modern, captures the story of poggio bracciolini, an avid book hunter and his chance discovery that influenced the creation of the modern world.
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