Historians and Historiography in the Italian Renaissance

by Eric W. Cochrane

A monumental study, Historians and Historiography provides a comprehensive survey of the vast body of historical literature produced in Italy during the Renaissance. Eric Cochrane traces the emergence of humanist historiography from the chronicle tradition of the Middle Ages; its increasing diversification in form, scope, and content; and, finally, its demise toward the beginning of the seventeenth century, when, he argues it succumbed to its own limitations. In the process Cochrane covers virtually every historian whose work appeared in print during this period, demonstrating how historical thinking and writing are intimately related to the political circumstances and intellectual outlook of an age.

Genres: History

650 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Eric Willam Cochrane Jr. (May 13, 1928 – November 29, 1985) was an American academic who specialized in the Italian Renaissance.

Cochrane was from Berkeley, California. He was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship from 1951 to 1953, and completed his doctorate at Harvard University in 1954. Cochrane then taught at Stanford University before serving in the United States Army. Upon his discharge, Cochrane joined the University of Chicago faculty. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1961, and the University of Chicago's Llewellyn John and Harriet Manchester Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 1965. He fell ill on a train traveling from Florence to Bologna on November 27, 1985, and died.[1][2] Cochrane was married to Lydia Goodwin Steinway, daughter of Theodore E. Steinway, with whom he had two children

Reviews

[Hubert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a delectable review of historiography of the Renaissance Florence period. I didn't necessarily have the patience to read this book all the way through, but it's a worthy study. Glad that I learned of it.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better as reference material than to read cover to cover, however it is essential to those looking to study the Renaissance.