Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic tradition

Yates's acclaimed study, "Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition," provides an insightful overview of not only Renaissance humanism but also its intricate interplay and conflicts with magic and occult practices. Placing the renowned philosopher and magician Giordano Bruno, who was burned at the stake, within the Hermetic tradition, the book offers a comprehensive understanding of the intellectual world of the sixteenth century.

Hugh Trevor-Roper, writing in the New Statesman, praises Yates's work, stating, "Among those who have explored the intellectual world of the sixteenth century, no one in England can rival Miss Yates. Wherever she looks, she illuminates. Now she has looked on Bruno. This brilliant book takes time to digest, but it is an intellectual adventure to read it. Historians of ideas, of religion, and of science will study it. Some of them, after reading it, will have to think again... For Miss Yates has put Bruno, for the first time, in his tradition, and has shown what that tradition was."

Giorgio de Santillana, in the American Historical Review, calls Yates's book "a decisive contribution to the understanding of Giordano Bruno" and believes it will "probably remove a great number of misrepresentations that still plague the tormented figure of the Nolan prophet."

J. Bronowski, writing in the New York Review of Books, states that "Yates's book is an important addition to our knowledge of Giordano Bruno. But it is even more important, I think, as a step toward understanding the unity of the sixteenth century."

Yates's work not only sheds light on the life and work of Giordano Bruno but also offers a deeper understanding of the broader intellectual and cultural landscape of the Renaissance period. By placing Bruno within the Hermetic tradition, the book provides a fresh perspective on the intricate connections between humanism, magic, and the occult practices that shaped the era.

Through her meticulous research and insightful analysis, Yates has made a significant contribution to the field of intellectual history, offering scholars and readers alike a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the complexities that defined the sixteenth century. The acclaim from renowned historians and thinkers underscores the importance and impact of this groundbreaking study.

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