The Feminist Encyclopedia of Italian Literature will be a useful addition to collections on feminism and/or Italian culture at all levels. It nicely complements Italian Women Writers by the same editor and publisher, published in 1994.

This fourth edition of Sir John Hale’s classic history of England and the Italian Renaissance includes a detailed introduction by Edward Chaney surveying scholarly developments since the book was first published.

Will Durant - The Story of Civilization 05 - The Renaissance
5th in the Civilization series - A word painting of the Italian Renaissance, a magnificent cultural flowering.
V. The Renaissance (1953)
1. Prelude: 1300-77
2. The Florentine Renaissance: 1378-1534
3. Italian Pageant: 1378-1534
4. The Roman Renaissance: 1378-1521
5. Debacle
6. Finale: 1534-76
7. Envoi