1In her book, Kate Lowe provides an intriguing overview of the perception of novelties originating from Portugal and transmitted to the Italian peninsula. The author analyses three main elements: knowledge, particularly geographical, biological, and anthropological; “living global goods”, which the author defines as slaves and animals; and “inanimate global goods”, such as commodities and artefacts. Lowe illustrates that in the context of acquiring and subsequently “possessing” slaves, animals, and artefacts, the question of provenance—often deemed crucial in commercial acquisition processes—was not a significant factor for purchasers in Italy. Details and information regarding provenance, as well as the care of animals, were frequently dispersed in Portugal at the point of arrival. The author demonstrates throughout the chapters that information regarding provenance was frequently confused and rapidly obliterated. Purchasers, both Italian and non-Italian, demonstrated a lack of interest in the precise origin of people, animals, objects, and information. As a result, importers frequently disregarded these details, leading to a notable dissipation of knowledge capital. This innovative concept is substantiated through the author's examination of the artefacts housed in the Medici collections in Florence and the documentation pertaining to the acquisition of African and American commodities and individuals. In these cases, mentions of origin are rare, and when they do appear, they are often generic or incorrect (see Chapters 3 and 4 for a detailed discussion of this point).

2The opening chapter provides a fundamental context for the subsequent arguments by outlining the methodology employed and situating the discussion in its historical, social and linguistic context. Moreover, the text presents a comprehensive analysis of the utilisation of sources and the incorporation of diverse types of archival documents, which is undoubtedly beneficial for readers lacking experience with archival documents. The analysis is based upon a variety of sources, including commercial letters, account books, and inventories, which are primarily drawn from Tuscan and Roman archives, although some exceptions exist, which will be discussed subsequently. The opening chapter is arguably the most pivotal section of the book, serving to unify the various elements and provide a comprehensive framework for navigating the subsequent chapters, which adopt a more autonomous approach and represent the culmination of the author's lectures on the subject matter.

3The second chapter addresses the news and information that reached Italy regarding the territorial conquests and explorations of Portugal. The examples provided are those of the Medici family, who, through their acquisitions of maps, artefacts and slaves, exert significant influence over the text. The Este family, on the other hand, are discussed in relation to their activities between Ferrara and Mantua. In this context, they sought not only the most up-to-date information, but also maps that could represent the newly discovered lands, such as Cantino's map. With reference to the Este family, the author poses the question as to why a relatively minor state in Italian politics, which did not even border the western Mediterranean, was so interested in events in Portugal (and Spain). It is evident that there is no straightforward answer to this question, and that the motives behind this interest can be attributed to a combination of intellectual curiosity, political interest and commercial espionage. The pursuit of this latter objective was not exclusive to the Este family; it was also pursued by other Italian powers, such as the Republic of Venice, as the author elucidates. The motivation for these states was not primarily the acquisition of cartographic material, but rather the transmission of intelligence to their respective senates. This assertion may initially appear incongruous with prevailing wisdom, as Lowe observes. However, it is consistent with a more reasoned interpretation when considering a state such as Venice, where the economic implications of these discoveries were of greater significance than the discoveries themselves. The number of ships going to Europe and the type of cargo they carried was more important than the shape of the African coastline since it could affect the economy.

4The following chapters (3 to 5) examine the processes of acquisition and the dissemination of information regarding the provenance (present or absent) of individuals, animals and merchandise, with an almost exclusive focus on the Medici, or at least Florentine, collections and documents. This section examines the stories of the black children abandoned at the Ospedale degli Innocenti, the slaves and animals acquired by the Medici family, and the formation of the Medici collections of exotica or the Guardaroba. These chapters are, in fact, almost independent case studies, focusing on specific items. The author employs inventories, letters, and accounts to reconstruct the steps involved in acquiring “inanimate” and “living global goods” and their subsequent use or treatment in Florence. Chapters 4 and 5 address this topic in a comprehensive manner encompassing both inanimate objects, such as artefacts, and animate beings, including humans and animals. In contrast, Chapter 3 presents a more challenging and conjectural account, as it concentrates on the cases of pupil abandonment, attempting to construct both their lives and those of their parents. The problematic nature of this section arises from the lack of concrete evidence linking some of the cases to Portugal and from challenges in reconstructing the identities and lives of the individuals mentioned. It is plausible that some of these slaves may have arrived from Spain in the 15th century, and even more likely that they reached the continent directly via North Africa. The speculative nature of these investigations is most noticeable in the reconstruction of the identities of the parents of the abandoned pupils, a process that relies on a limited set of documents whose accuracy is questionable when it comes to unequivocal identification.

5The final chapter is devoted to an examination of the acquisitions made by Fabio Biondi after 1580 for the Papal States, with a particular focus on Rome. The analysis of Biondi's letters enables the author to gain insight not only into his role in the administration of the Papal State, but also into his personal preferences, communication style and interests. This offers an intriguing insight into the role of one of the key carriers of goods and information from the Portuguese empire. The author initiates the investigation by analysing Biondi's letters with the objective of comprehending the global news reported. Subsequently, the focus shifts to the objects, with a particular emphasis on “cosas peregrinas”, or strange or “wandering objects”. Through this analytical approach, it is possible to ascertain the nature of the global goods present in Lisbon and to gain insight into the evolution of this market between the 15th and 16th centuries.

7It should also be noted that the disproportionate focus on Florence is not solely an issue with this book, but rather a general tendency in Anglo-Saxon historiography, where Florence frequently serves as a representative of the entire Italian peninsula. This focus not only overlooks other northern cities, such as Genoa or Milan, but also neglects southern and insular Italy. Given their strong social and political ties with the Iberian Peninsula, these regions likely have significant contributions to make on this subject, which is why a more prominent inclusion of these areas would have provided a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the topic. The abundance of information presented by Kate Lowe is undoubtedly relevant and is poised to further engage the interest of scholars on this topic—a prospect that the author herself anticipates.