Friday, February 13, 2009

February 13: The Frank Story of an Amazing Life (Vol. 31, pp. 68-80)

Another Italian author of whom I am not familiar. Benvenuto Cellini, an artist and sculptor of the 16th century, died on this date in 1570, but not before writing his "Autobiography." He was a contemporary of Michaelangelo and a first-class storyteller.

He started writing his autobiography at age 58, after he had shaved his head and entered a monastery to work on the tales of murder, passion and political and artistic creativity that marked the Renaissance. In this selection, he tells some war stories about his days as an artilleryman during the many battles of Medicis and the like.

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