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.

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.

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,   Executive Editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux .

Roberts 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