If you loved Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture by the same author you will revel in the scholarship and the love with which this book was crafted. If, however, you were looking more for a human interest story with a backdrop of Florence you will be disappointed. As a former librarian I confess I love the recent spate of stories about bookstores and libraries set all over the world, in both modern and historic times. This work was not of that genre so be advised. For the individual who wants to know how a time piece is made, this is right up your alley. If you only want to know what time it is, I suggest looking elsewhere.

The book about the history of book making during Renaissance period in Italy. Written with verve and subtle humor, it is a very enjoyable experience. There are so many arresting stories in the book, an enterprising reader could turn any of them into a full historical novel. I especially enjoyed pages following the main character going to Cosimo Medici' s palace and descriptions of medieval process of book making. Fascinating book to read now when we can't travel and see all those places.

The rare book trade is not unique to the modern era. It has, in fact, been a staple of society since there were books to trade, whether said books were in the form we know them as today, handwritten manuscripts, or scrolls. Once something has been written down and declared to be valuable– either for the words written within or for its status as an artistic object. In Florence in the mid-fifteenth century, the book trade was especially vibrant in the city that is often seen as the epitome of the Italian Renaissance. One man, Vespasiano da Bisticci, was at the heart of the Florentine book trade, and while his occupation did not bring him wealth, it brought him fame among the literary and artistic circles of the time. His clients included artists, noblemen, poets, popes, and generations of the Medici family itself. Even in the latter half of his career, with the Gutenberg moveable-type printing press made hand-copied books nearly obsolete, Vespasiano continued to have scribes copy texts by hand, creating beautiful editions of works by such luminaries as Plato and Petrarch long after most bookmakers had switched to using the printing press.

Ross King’s latest popular history, The Bookseller of Florence, is more than a biography of a single man. He uses Vespasiano’s life as an anchor point from which to expand his history of books, bookmakers, booksellers, and readers, and while the narrative roves from ancient Greek philosophers to the 1453 conquest of Constantinople by the Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire, it always finds a line back to Vespasiano and his bookshop in Florence. Still, the scope of bookmaking is vast, and King doesn’t hesitate to go into detail about the history of bookmaking and the materials used, taking the reader back to Egypt and Rome to explain the origins of the materials and detail the process that took us from papyrus to vellum to paper, and from scrolls to the books we know today. There is a good deal of discussion, too, about the Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato; their works were beloved and discussed by Renaissance philosophers and church officials who argued about the ancient philosophies about whether or not they were too pagan to be read by good Christian people, or whether they enhanced the teaching of the Bible and so were acceptable to be disseminated.

Italian writers get a suitable page count, too, with Petrarch’s poetry, Dante’s Comedy, and Boccaccio’s Decameron. King makes special note of Boccaccio, whose critics warned that the raunchy stories were not fit for ladies’ eyes (indicating that, contrary to common modern opinions, upper-class women, at least, were educated and prone to buying books).

And because art and literature are not separate from historical events– and because those events affected Vespasiano’s life and trade– King discusses the major events of the time, from the fall of Constantinople to the infamous Pazzi conspiracy of 1478, as well as the election of popes, the doings and deaths of poorly-behaved noblemen, and how monks and nuns got into the book industry themselves- and not just for religious texts.

For readers lacking a solid foundation in the history of the Italian Renaissance, The Bookseller of Florence could be difficult to read. King sketches out the backgrounds of most of the figures he mentions, but there are enough of them that the flood of names and places could be overwhelming. Keeping a Wikipedia page open to look things up might be a good idea.

But for those who have an interest and grounding in Renaissance history, The Bookseller of Florence provides a treasure trove of facts and insights about books, their history, and our ongoing fascination with them. At times it feels elegiac, like when King discusses the lost works from Greece and Rome, but more often than not it lights up with the love of the written word that all readers feel when presented with a beautiful book.

Detailing the humble beginnings of and eventual rise to the stature of “the king of the world’s booksellers,” Vespasiano da Bistecci, The Bookseller of Florence is expertly researched and sophisticatedly presented.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Vespasiano, his history, and the esteemed artistry of the ancient scribes.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic Atlantic Monthly Press for the read of Ross King’s, The Bookseller of Florence.

It is hard to look beyond your moment in history to see the importance of preservation. Vespasiano di Bisticci looked beyond his courtyard and encompassed the world of philosophers , early poets, writers, mathematicians and took every means possible to keep their words safe. To call his a bookseller does him a disservice. He had the vision to enlist the wealthy early in his vision to preserve the finest minds within his walls. He offered his finds to popes, kings and royalty. Among the educated , he reasoned the wealthy would like today want to be in the know. He employed the best in their craft to record visually as well as scribes for written record. The fact that he lived decades speaks to truth of his mission. A real find in the world of historical preservation.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Florence - my favourite place in the world and will always be attracted to books and places here

This has been so well researched and absolutely loved it

A thoroughly researched and well presented book about the book makers and sellers in Renaissance Florence, Italy. One man in particular is at its center, Vespasiano da Bistecci. He became known as the king of the worlds booksellers. This book goes into great detail about the processes and people involved in the emerging cultural Mecca of Florence. This is a spectacular look at a crucial time for books in history.

I have read comfortably over 70% of this nonfiction book. I may finish it or I may not, but I feel prepared to review it. This is an academic work of nonfiction detailing the life and world of a man called Vespasiano, who was "the bookseller of Florence". He lived at the time of the Gutenberg printing press and personally experienced the transition from manuscript to printed books. He knew all of the important people who lived in and around Florence, Italy at that time.
As a biography, this book is well researched and intelligently written. It includes all of the details anyone could possibly want. The author covered the subject very thoroughly. Depending on your interests, all or parts of it can be fascinating. Personally, I enjoyed the technical aspects of creating manuscripts and early printed texts. I found the overlap between the two very interesting. The book also provides a vivid picture of life in Florence at that time.
In my opinion, this would make excellent reading for a senior or graduate level university course in library science, history, or any other course of study involving the importance of the printing press on European civilization
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Vespasiano, a bookseller in 15th century Florence, is the person referenced by the title of this history. The author tells of how books were produced, which before the printing press, involved scribes hand copying the text. The history of the printing press and movable type is also discussed. He describes the intrigues of Florence, involving ecclesiastical figures and powerful men, wars, plagues, and murders, so there is a lot more involved than just Vespasiano and his book shop. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Atlantic Monthly Press for an advanced copy of this book.

Ross King has written another exploration of Italian life during the Renaissance in his latest history The Bookseller of Florence: The Story of the Manuscripts That Illuminated the Renaissance. Focusing on the trade of manuscript acquisition, with many a story of brave souls in bug and water filled monasteries, and the knowledge and riches that were gained by them. The main protagonist is Vespasiano, a collector, dealer and ancient manuscript expert who knew of was familiar with many of the most powerful people in the city of Florence, with numerous biographical and historical sketches for all these only players. The writing does not bog down or become to fact heavy or sluggish. Mr. King has a way of writing that makes it seem he is more sharing rather than telling, this is fun you should know this, isn't this great without this and this we would not have that. For those interested in Italy, the Renaissance, or the importance of booksellers and collectors to history.

I'm a Ross King fan - I've read some of his other titles. I never find them fast reads, but I enjoy them tremendously. Like his others, this is exhaustively researched and densely told (think of a sauce reduced to its strongest flavor). I'm an archivist and particularly love history of the book, so this one was right up my street.

A fascinating book that tells the early history of books and bookselling through the story of a bookseller in Florence in during the Enlightenment. Shows how books transitioned from hand-scribed to in effect mass market.

It was an age when scholars studied the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers in search of answers to contemporary concerns. Book collectors scoured monasteries and abbeys across Italy and Europe seeking rare and neglected books.

Golden Age Florence was a a republic, a literate city that educated boys and girls, a place where both wealthy and tradesmen ordered volumes for their personal libraries.

It was also an age of cruel acts of vengeance, political intrigue and family wars, a time of plague, while the Ottoman empire threatened from the East. The church was in turmoil, powerless girls were married off or sent to an abbey, either way locked away from the world.

While some sought truth in Plato and Aristotle, others rejected anything but the Holy Bible and traditional Christian beliefs.

As one bookseller in Florence wrote,"All evil is born from ignorance, Yet writers have illuminated the world, chasing away the darkness." He was Vespasiano da Bisticci. He started life as an eleven-year-old assistant in a book shop, a stationer and bookbinder, doing manual work that required great strength. He went on to be renowned as the "king of the world's booksellers", a trusted friend to the wealthy and powerful and the scholar.

The Bookseller of Florence is the story of Vespasiano's career, set against the story of bookmaking during the shift from hand written and illuminated manuscripts bound in velvet and jewels to the mass production of the printing press. And it is the history of Florence and Italy during the early Renaissance.

Saving ancient manuscripts, copying them, and distributing them for scholarly study did not protect the texts. Without libraries to store and protected them, many sat neglected or where destroyed by fire and warfare, or carried off to disappear.

King covers a lot of territory! I was only vaguely familiar with Italian and Catholic history previously---and found it fascinating. I will read more! (Such as King's Brunelleschi’s Dome, on my Kindle TBR shelf.) I learned about every aspect of book making, the switch from papyrus to parchment to paper, the advances in writing fonts, how printing presses work.

Yes, the book is filled with a huge cast of historic people and events, but my interest never flagged. I was swept up in this epic history.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

This book revolves around Vespasiano the bookseller and Florence Italy in the early 1400s. I originally requested this book because I was interested in the topic and man, this did not disappoint!

The author provides so much detail, culturally and politically, but does it in a way that is not overbearing. No previous knowledge is really necessary going into this book. The level of detail was astounding and I could feel King's hard work on every page. I also don't think I'm ever going to forget the origin of certain words like 'library' and 'volume'.

While I enjoyed this book, I didn't always feel a draw to pick it up. (Perhaps it is because I am inherently lazy and knew that if I was going to read a chapter I must pay close attention as I would be learning a lot, ha!)

Excellent work and a great addition to the study of Italian history and renaissance.

The Bookseller of Florence is a fascinating account of the life and times of Vespasiano, the bookseller of the title. It is incredibly rich in detail in describing both Vespasiano himself, both also the political and social world of 14th Century Florence.. The author has a fluid style despite the density of the detail. Like another reviewer, I loved the description of how animal skin is transformed into the finest vellum. I think to do the book justice I will now reread to really savour the text. I am also inspired to plan another trip to Florence so that I can find the street of booksellers. A wonderful book. I am very grateful to Netgalley and to the publishers for the opportunity to review an ARC and wish it all the best on its publication.

This was too much for me, despite a lifelong interest in the book trade (and a career in librarianship). I enjoyed the first few chapters, but felt "done" after that long.

Born in 1422 and after only five years of formal education Vespasiano da Bisticci began working in Florence's Street of Booksellers. By the age of 20 he was a recognized expert on ancient classical manuscripts. Popes, Kings, powerful families such as the Medici's sought him out to locate ancient texts and to create beautiful copies for their libraries. Vespaisano was embraced by the group of intellectuals who recognized his talent and included him in their philosophical debates and discussions .His days of glory began to diminish with the invention of the printing press in in 1440.
King deftly weaves Vespasiano's biography into the broader framework of the classical world and the Golden Age of Florence during the Renaissance. Details of 15th century book production and collecting are fascinating. The work is meticulously researched and documented, accessibly written and a delight to read.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to meet Vespasiano.

From the author of Brunelleschi’s Dome and Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies (my personal favorite) come another well researched and written history of the Florence's booksellers and manuscript hunters. At the center of this history is Vespasiano da Bisticci, bookseller to kings and popes. Ross King tells the story of how Vespasiano was able to become the buyer and seller of knowledge, he was able to maintain his status because books and manuscripts were expensive, labor intensive, and time consuming. But towards the end of the 15th century the moveable type printing press exploded on to the scene making books cheaper than ever. I had never heard of Vespasiano until I picked up this book and as a librarian and book lover I really enjoyed learning about the history of books from a perspective I had never looked at before.

The Bookseller of Florence: The Story of the Manuscripts That Illuminated the Renaissance
by Ross King
Atlantic Monthly Press, 2021
496 p.

An extensive account of fifteenth century Florence’s literary world.

Familiar Italian history author Ross King sets his sights on fifteenth-century Florence, but especially pays attention to the role that manuscript copyists played during the Renaissance. King focuses in part on a general biography of Vespasiano di Bisticci, a bookseller and manuscript hunter who worked for the most demanding clients and with the heaviest purse. Throughout his forty years as a salesman of hand-copied manuscripts, he served popes, governors, and high-ranking people who sought the wisdom of the ancient Greeks and obscure religious writings which would enable them to win philosophical debates. Vespasiano who ‘was the most accomplished, prolific, and influential producer of manuscripts during the fifteenth century’ lived during turbulent political times: from the conquest of Constantinople and through the Pazzi Conspiracy, he dedicated his life to learn and rediscover lost currents of thought. He was the go-to guy for rare religious texts, new translations, and beautiful deluxe editions of already known philosophical works. And Florence was also the place where all knowledge converged, it was — at that time — one of the most cultural places of all of Europe and Vespasiano took advantage of that. It was thanks to the manuscripts that academics and theologians could prevail over their intellectual opponents since they had no longer to rely on memory or on suspicious translations. But the process of copying manuscripts was an arduous and costly one. Some editions costed more than entire farms or a year of one’s wages, and they took months to produce. However, the end result was a beautiful piece of art which people like Cosimo di Medici were happy to pay for. Author Ross not only outlines Vespasiano’s dealer trajectory, and not only does he give an extensive overview of Florence and its political events, but he also gives detailed accounts of some of the most important manuscripts of the day; when talking about a certain Cicero’s publication or one by Aristotle, he makes sure to inform the reader the contents of it and why people wanted them. The time of Vespasiano was one in which the old Greek works were being rescued and ‘married’ to a catholic way of living, but it was not always a very successful attempt since most of them were perceived as pagan. But it didn’t stop academics to learn the language and produce translations, and Vespasiano had a pivotal role in that. But this famous cartolaio also lived in a risky period for his trade, which was in the advent of printing. He was menaced by a machine by a certain Gutenberg guy which produced the same work as his but much faster and in larger quantities, and soon the office of copyist was no longer in great demand. Even though Vespasiano never embraced this new invention, his legacy remains as one of the most — if not the most — renown bookseller of his time.

This book will remain an authoritative work on the dissemination of manuscripts, and possible the one biography of Vespasiano da Bisticci that will be referred to for a long time. ~

The Bookseller of Florence was a remarkable man in Florence, Italy, that I knew next to little about. Vespasiano da Bisticci had connections to Cosimo de' Medici, Pope Nicholas V, and many prominent scholars both in Florence and abroad, who worked on the Street of Booksellers in the bookshop of Michele Guarducci. He influenced the works published for the "modest man", without intricate scribe work and detail that had formerly kept books out of the hands of all but the uber-wealthy elite. By his mid-twenties, he was the "king of booksellers", with connections to people and libraries across Europe.
This book, however, is much more than just the tale of Vespasiano. As with Ross King's other works, The Bookseller of Florence blends Italian history and politics, and important figures that influenced art, culture, and writing far beyond just Italy's confines and who's decisions can still be felt all these centuries later. King describes the process that developed from papyrus to scrolls to bookbinding, the creation of inks that copyists used, the long (and sometimes deadly) work that manuscript illuminators carried out to leave behind some of the most beautiful books in history.
With all of this detail, it can be easily overwhelming to the casual reader, so it's advised to do little sips at a time to avoid the flood. If you are anything like me, I would fall down the Internet rabbit hole researching individuals, places, and manuscripts mentioned in the book, easily losing hours of time. Take your time, for this heavily researched delight is well worth it.