Dark Brilliance

Paul Strathern<b> </b>studied philosophy at Trinity College Dublin. He is a Somerset Maugham Award-winning novelist; author of two series of books - <i>Philosophers in 90 Minutes</i> and <i>The Big Idea: Scientists who Changed the World</i>; and several works of non-fiction including <i>The Borgias</i> <i>The Florentines </i>and<i> The Other Renaissance</i>. <b>A sweeping history of the Age of Reason which shows how although it was a time of progress in many areas it was also an era of brutality and intolerance by the author of <i>The Borgias </i>and <i>The Florentines</i>.</b><br><br>During the 1600s between the end of the Renaissance and the start of the Enlightenment Europe lived through an era known as the Age of Reason. This was a revolutionary period which saw great advances in areas such as art science philosophy political theory and economics.<br><br>However all this was accomplished against a background of extreme political turbulence and irrational behaviour on a continental scale in the form of internal conflicts and international wars. Indeed the Age of Reason itself was born at the same time as the Thirty Years' War which would devastate central Europe to an extent that would not be seen again until the twentieth century.<br><br>The period also saw the development of European empires across world and a lucrative new transatlantic commerce began which brought transformative riches to western European society. However there was a dark underside to this brilliant wealth: it was dependent upon mass slavery. <br><br>By exploring all the key events and bringing to life some of the most influential characters of the era including Caravaggio Rembrandt Newton Descartes Spinoza Louis XIV and Charles I Paul Strathern tells the story of this paradoxical age while also counting the human cost of imposing the progress and modernity upon which the Western world was built. <b>A sweeping history of the Age of Reason which shows how although it was a time of progress in many areas it was also an era of brutality and intolerance by the author of <i>The Borgias </i>and <i>The Florentines</i>.</b> <b>Strathern's canvas is immense yet the picture he paints is never less than pellucid and packed with lively detail and fascinating facts</b> <b>Strathern has a good eye for striking details and arresting anecdotes</b> <b>Strathern combines diligent research with an exemplary narrative verve and keeps the pages turning</b> <b>Strathern has done his research thoroughly and tells a good story well</b> <b>This is popular history at its narrative best - rich in colour character and consequence</b> <b>He [Strathern] is adroit in bringing together his personalities and wider currents and illuminates them with vivid detail.</b> <b>Strathern's canvas is immense yet the picture he paints is never less than pellucid and packed with lively detail and fascinating facts</b> <b>Strathern has a good eye for striking details and arresting anecdotes</b> <b>Strathern combines diligent research with an exemplary narrative verve and keeps the pages turning</b> <b>Strathern has done his research thoroughly and tells a good story well</b> <b>This is popular history at its narrative best - rich in colour character and consequence</b> <b>He [Strathern] is adroit in bringing together his personalities and wider currents and illuminates them with vivid detail.</b>