THE VERGE Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World

Wyman explores the historically crucial years of 1490-1530 through different key people--financier Jakob Fugger, printer Aldus Manutius, Columbus, Suleiman the Magnificent, mercenary Goetz von Berlichingen, and others--tying them and events to the period's burgeoning capitalist economics. This fine history is marred by awkward fictionalized interludes featuring each historical figure. Similarly, Wyman's narration, while fundamentally sound, has problems. He fits tone and inflection to sense deftly and with intelligence and is energetic and expressive. However, his delivery is sometimes too quick and often choppy. His regional accent is at times distracting. Still, the good outweighs the bad in both text and reading. The history and analysis, fictions aside, are very good, and the narration serves them adequately. W.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2021]