a ruling house entwined with European politics and culture. At the start of this volume, the introduction lays the groundwork for understanding the significance of the Medici family by highlighting the lack of focus on their private lives in previous biographies. The text emphasizes the importance of letters in providing an authentic view of historical figures, as they convey unfiltered emotions and personal anecdotes. Ross incorporates excerpts from letters written by various members of the Medici, such as Contessina and Cosimo de’ Medici, reflecting on family matters, daily concerns, and broader political dynamics of the time. This initial portion effectively sets up the expectation of delving into both the public and private dimensions of the Medici legacy through their correspondence. (This is an automatically generated summary.)