A basic reference and one which cannot be ignored by any responsible scholar in the fields of Spanish and Jewish studies. . . . It is one of those rare books which make interesting reading both for scholars and for the general reader interested in Judaism and its rich cultural and religious history. -Francisco Marquez, Harvard University This is ... Read morethe study of the life and ideas of Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508), a major figure at the end of the Middle Ages and during the transformation of Judaism after the Spanish expulsion. The author traces Abravanel's tumultuous career as a financier and statesman in Portugal, Spain, Naples, and Venice and analyses his world outlook, view of history, poltical ideas, and mystical messianism. -W. Charles Heiser, S. J., Theology Digest, Fall 1999 Show Less