Humanists exerted profound influence on art, literature, and learning of all kinds. But unlike today's classicists, they stood at the center of contemporary culture. We may compare them to classicists, in that they were trained in Latin and Greek and were well versed in the texts and history of the ancient period. Renaissance humanists have no modern counterpart to aid us in understanding their lives and work. Reviewed by Nancy Bisaha (Department of History, Vassar College)

Bring Out Your Dead: The Past as Revelation.Ĭambridge: Harvard University Press, 2004.