The very name Lucrezia Borgia conjures up everything that was sinister and corrupt about the Renaissance: incest, political assassination, papal sexual abuse, poisonous intrigue, unscrupulous power grabs. Yet, as bestselling biographer Sarah Bradford reveals in this breathtaking portrait, the truth is far more fascinating than the myth. Neither a vicious monster nor a seductive pawn, Lucrezia Borgia was a shrewd, determined woman who used her beauty and intelligence to secure a key role in the political struggles of her day. Drawing from a trove of contemporary documents and fascinating firsthand accounts, Bradford brings to life the art, the pageantry, and the dangerous politics of the Renaissance world Lucrezia Borgia helped to create. "A lively view of Lucrezia, capturing the glamour and tragedy of her story." "Bradford's zest for this era is contagious…makes clear the practical intelligence that proved the foundation for Lucrezia's remarkable life." "The facts of Lucrezia's case are sorted out from fiction by Bradford's humanizing biography…Bradford's readable biography resoundingly succeeds." "What all biographies should aspire to be: meticulously researched and exquisitely written…A tender and intimate account of a misunderstood and passionate woman." "[A] biography that neither condemns nor exonerates the life of the notorious Renaissance femme fatale…A fascinating account of the true-life woman behind the Machiavellian legend." "This compelling biography is irresistibly interwoven with plenty of period gossip, sex, and intrigue." "The listener is lucky to be in the capable hands of a great narrator to sort through the wealth of information and dense historical details of Renaissance Italy. Forget the titillating rumors you've heard about the Borgia family-the truth is far worse!…Yet Lucrezia still shines as a strong-willed, compassionate woman who bucked the odds, and with her brains and charm wove her way through one land mine after another to be happy and successful in her own right. Lorner Raver's calm delivery is ideal as she guides the listener through one of the darkest times in history."
