Florence has won my Heart: Literary visitors to the Tuscan capital, 1750-1950

From the heyday of the Grand Tour to the arrival of railways and air travel writers have been drawn to Florence, a beautiful city with a unique history of art, culture and cruelty, the home of Leonardo da Vinci and Machiavelli. In recording their experiences they have left a wealth of writing which is explored in this book.

'Florence itself is incomparable, and the distinguished visitors who have drawn inspiration here have added layers of enjoyment to the modern traveler's experience of its streets and monuments. FLORENCE HAS WON MY HEART is a delightful vademecum for anyone who wants to understand how and why the city has enchanted the world for centuries.' Jonathan Galassi, Chairman and Executive Editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux

'This fascinating account of visitors to Florence focusses on English and Americans' love affair with this extraordinary city. Several ended up residing there permanently, the richness of their Anglo-Florentine lives almost rivalling the complexity of the works of art that drew them to the city. The narrative ends with the death in 1994 of Sir Harold Acton, in his parents' magnificent Villa La Pietra where he had been born. Mark Roberts provides an excellent account of Acton, based on unparalleled knowledge both of the Actons' archive, and of the man himself. Roberts chose to remain in Florence, becoming the Librarian and a lecturer at the British Institute, where he is a living legend. He therefore writes from within his subject, both as a Florentine and as an Englishman. In the 21st century he personally epitomizes the great tradition he describes so well in this book.' Edward Chaney, author of The Evolution of the Grand Tour

'Himself a Florentine who knows the city inside out, Mark Roberts tells the stories of over a hundred English and American writers who have lived in Florence since 1750. The inspiration they drew from the city's landscapes, art and people shows that Florence was as much part of English literature as Oxford or Cambridge. A triumph. Take it when you next go.' Philip Mansel, author of King of the World: the Life of Louis XIV