Unfortunately, I got 40% into this book and it wasn't holding my attention anymore. I really enjoyed reading the parts about Vittoria but found the historical details to be tedious and dry. I understand that the author was trying to provide historical context to the life of Vittoria but it was hard for me to continue reading.

I love reading about lives of forgotten women in the past so I am glad I was introduced to Vittoria.

This book provides a unique glimpse into the 16th century. Vittoria Colonna was an intriguing historical figure, and her poetry and letters leave us a record of her life that give perspective on the church, treatment of women, and art of the era. I was particularly interested in the analysis of her relationship with Reginald Pole. Her view of him provides insight into his character not found in other sources.

We tend to bandy around the term "Renaissance Man" but Vittoria Colonna, the subject of this biography, truly deserved the name.

She corresponded with popes and emperors, was involved in settling political disputes, wrote the first book of poems by a woman to be published in Italy, and was a close friend of Michelangelo. In short she touched much that happened during her time.

The book is thoroughly researched and well-written. The author even translated, for the first time in English, many of her poems.

It's a great biography of a woman who should be better known.

Renaissance Woman is the long overdue biography of Vittoria Colonna, a woman who can not really be described accurately in a single sentence. She was a poetess, a much sought after literary critic, a friend to Michelangelo, a devout Catholic yet much interested in Protestantism. Through friendship with political powers, she had some political influence. She inspired other women to write and attempt publication.

Thanks to the author the thorough research, and for telling the story of Vittoria.

Well researched and well written. Perfect for history buffs or fans of trivia.

This is a good popular biography of Vittoria Colonna, whose Roman family married her off to a leading noble from the Spanish court of Naples, involving her in a 40 years of 16th century political and religious machinations. Widowed at 35, after her husband died of wounds suffered in his military career in service to the Holy Roman Emperor, she wanted to become a nun, but was explicitly forbidden by the pope to do so. Instead, she turned the talent for poetry which had fueled passionate letters to her (neglectful and adulterous) husband to religious sonnets, became a patron of Michaelangelo, and kept her erratic brother, Ascanio, on an even keep (probably why the pope wanted her out in the world). Steeped in the cross-currents of the Renaissance, Colonna was deeply Catholic, and open to ideas from Protestant reformers, accepted the traditional role as a wife and widow, but wielded enormous money and power, and balanced the aims of her family with the independence to do what she wanted.