Leonardo da Vinci’s position as Florence’s eminent artist is under threat by the brilliant sculptor Michelangelo, which is why the handsome, bohemian Leonardo reluctantly agrees to take part in an artistic fresco war against the younger, cantankerous Michelangelo, a man as repressed in his sexuality as he is aspirational for success in Florence. Thanks to pesky patrons, a bloodthirsty son of a Borgia pope, and Niccolò Machiavelli, the rivals find themselves thrust into an artistic competition the likes of which Italy had never seen.
FLORENZERS, derived from the Renaissance era insult for gay men, is a historical-comedy and bucks most everyone’s preconceived notions about these two revered artists. Touching on timeless themes pf artistic expression, doubt, and morality, FLORENZERS features sexy and fraught personal drama as well as cultural, artistic, and historical information ingeniously and hilariously conveyed to readers. FLORENZERS is Amadeus meets the Renaissance, offering biting social commentary, raucous jokes, and wholly original perspectives on some of the most well-known art pieces in history, from Michelangel'o’s David to Leonardo’s Mona Lisa. It’s silly but it’s serious. It’s deep but it’s shallow. It’s sacred and profane. Most of all, it has wind in its sails: energy, movement, and life, like the artists themselves.
The Quiet Activist: Dag HammarskjÖld and Saving Humanity from Hell
What makes a man go from “harmless” to “troublesome” in the eyes of the most powerful people in the world? That’s where Dag Hammarskjöld found himself during his tenure as the second Secretary General of the UN (1953-1961). This first-of-its-kind history will fill a gap in the current lexicon of Cold War history, exploring how Hammarskjöld became embroiled in increasingly dangerous situations, all while maintaining calm assuredness and visionary ideals for the future.
Evocative of a John Le Carré thriller with the research of a Jon Krakauer read, this is a narrative non-fiction that dives into Hammarskjöld’s life and leadership style at the UN at the zenith of its power. This book will feature newly unsealed documentation surrounding Hammarskjöld’s mysterious death in the forests of Northern Rhodesia, muddying the waters on who may have been involved in his untimely end. Accessible, propulsive, and written like a novel from Hammarskjöld’s point of view, readers will learn of his savvy politicking and his isolationist tendencies in his personal life, brought on by his Christian faith and repressed sexual orientation—a striking and tragic juxtaposition to his public role as a global peacekeeper. This text will affirm why Hammarskjöld and his leadership still matter today, emphasizing how he embodies the title of ‘The Quiet Activist.’