Publication

1999 - University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois

Language

English

Word Count

93,750 words, Guess

Page Count

375 pages

Identifiers

and 3 more
  • Library of Congress Control Number98035105
  • Goodreads6053630
  • LibraryThing344131

Classifications

  • DDC646.7/00945/09031
  • LCCHQ629 .B45 1999

Description

Hope to conceive a boy? Tie a tourniquet around your husband's left testicle. Pregnant and fear a weak or malformed baby? Frequent hearty laughter should reduce the risk. And if you're a teenager of good repute, avoid dancing at all costs and stay away from wine, cosmetics, and flashy dress, too. What may seem quirky to today's readers certainly wasn't to its original audience - Renaissance Italians. They read advice manuals prodigiously, seeking guidance from the latest books by bestselling alchemists and snake-oil peddlers like Mrs. Isabella Cortese and Dr. Leonardo Fioravanti with an avidity not bestowed even on a Dante or a Machiavelli. How to Do It shows us sixteenth-century Italy from an entirely new perspective: through manuals which were staples in the households of middlebrow Italians just trying to lead better lives.

First Sentence

Our parents may well have consulted an advice manual telling them how to conceive us, along with information on choosing the right moment for our conception.

Subjects

Other Editions

  • How to do it: guides to good living for Renaissance ItaliansUniversity of Chicago Press1999-01-01

Similar Books

Reader Reviews

No reviews yet for this book.

Be the first to share your thoughts!