How to Invent a Renaissance, with Ada Palmer

Hello Foreign Exchanges fans and welcome to another entry in our podcast series! Today I’m very pleased to welcome to the show Dr. Ada Palmer, Associate Professor of Early Modern European History and the College at the University of Chicago. We’ll be discussing her latest book, Inventing the Renaissance: The Myth of a Golden Age. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation on the Renaissance and some of its more interesting character, but also about the formation of historical narrative and the challenge in overcoming it when new evidence complicates the picture, how our perceptions of time affect how understanding of history, and why people are so fascinated with the idea of a “Golden Age.” Enjoy!

Many thanks to Jake Aron of American Prestige for producing the show, and as always our music is Cambodian Odyssey by Kevin Macleod (CC by 3.0).

Please pick up Dr. Palmer’s book, available now in hardback, ebook, and audiobook forms, and check out her other work including her sci-fi and fantasy writing at her website! Also, if you haven’t checked out Foreign Exchanges please do that too.

Thanks for listening!

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