LATEST BOOK REVIEWS FOR MAY

The  Indomitable Chiesa Di Santa Maria by Daniel Peltz OBE

I’ve always loved the idea of visiting Tuscany, so was delighted to be asked to read and review this beautifully written book which captures not only the Florentine culture, but also educates the readers about the history of this fascinating part of Italy.

The author, Daniel Peltz OBE.  Takes us quickly into the life of the student, Molly Cavendish, who worked in Florence as a museum assistant, while studying for her doctorate in Art Renaissance. I was delighted to learn about Warwick University where one of my own family members studied.

From the start, I was hooked on the author’s fast-moving narrative, spanning six centuries of this fascinating city. We are allowed to view the trials and troubles of that special little church Chiesa Di Santa Maria  dating from the fourteenth century through the time of the Napoleonic and later wars and the devastation brought to this lovely place and other parts of Italy.

              

Daniel has seamlessly woven many famous iconic characters through his book, although the dialogues were purely imaginary.  Yet, it didn't take long for me to visualise the Santa Maria church paintings, so beautifully described, and the colourful lives associated with this building. 

         

I found this an interesting and well-written book, from which I learnt so much more about Italy generally and about Florence’s little-known episodes during the Second World War. Then came the the terrible floods of 1966 which destroyed so much of this beautiful city and its frescoes.   An absolutely  fascinating read.  

Author Daniel Peltz lives in London and is CEO of London Freeholds Ltd. He is an Honorary Fellow of King’s College and Birkbeck College and sits on King’s Campaign Board and on the Estate Committee for both colleges. He is Chairman of Technion UK and Treasurer of The Anna Freud Centre. Daniel is a Trustee of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies at Oxford.