The life of Poggio Bracciolini

"The Life of Poggio Bracciolini" by William Shepherd is a biography that shines a light on the world of Poggio Bracciolini, a key person in the Renaissance, known for bringing back to life old writings and humanistic thinking. Opening with the author's reasons for writing, it aims to fix what he sees as problems in earlier stories about Poggio's life. It sketches Poggio's early life, his studies in Florence, and move to a job in Rome, setting the stage for a look at the relationships he formed, what he did as a scholar, and the problems he faced in a politically unstable Italy during the 14th and 15th centuries.