The Swerve

In "The Swerve," Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Stephen Greenblatt takes listeners on a captivating journey to the dawn of the Renaissance, spotlighting a dedicated book lover who salvaged the ancient Roman text "On the Nature of Things." This manuscript introduced groundbreaking ideas about the universe, challenging traditional beliefs and ultimately influencing a host of prominent figures, from artists like Botticelli to thinkers such as Galileo and Freud. Greenblatt explores how the revival of this philosophical epic inspired a transformative wave of thought that shaped modern Western civilization.