Mary Hoffman
Mary's first book, a YA novel, was published in 1975. Since then she has written 125 books, mainly for children and teenagers but also two adult novels under pseudonyms. After graduating in English Literature from Cambridge and spending a couple of years studying Linguistics at UCL, Mary wrote courses for the Open University for five years but then went freelance. Mary’s books have been translated into 31 languages and have won prizes; she also runs the popular History Girls blog. Mary lives in West Oxfordshire with her husband. They are currently catless but not for long. In 2025 her big book for children about food, Food for All, is published by Otter-Barry Books. David: the Unauthorised Autobiography tells the story of the model for Michelangelo’s famous statue in Florence.
David: the Unauthorised Autobiography
Michelangelo's statue, David, is famous around the world. Millions flock to Italy every year to admire the physical perfection of the young man captured within the marble. But the identity of the model has never been known . . . until now.
Acclaimed author Mary Hoffman imagines the story of Gabriele, a naive but incredibly handsome young man who is hired as Michelangelo's model, only to find himself drawn into a world of spies, political treachery, and murder. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Florence in its most turbulent times, this rich, colourful, thrilling tale gives life to one of the world's greatest masterpieces.
"An engrossing political murder-mystery." Amanda Craig, The Times
"This is a meaty, satisfying piece of work, astute and convincing, detailing Gabriele's burgeoning sexual and artistic nature." Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times
"Mary Hoffman has written an elegant novel which is totally believable, witty, and hard to put down." Kathy Stevenson, Daily Mail
"David brings a sexy immediacy to the creation of a sculptural marvel . . .the book makes palpable the contemporary meaning of the statue of a giant-killer - a (literally) gigantic anti-aristocratic gesture." Suzi Feay, Financial Times
"It is a brilliant premise for a novel. . . . Full of carefully-researched detail, David is at once the tale of a fictional character, the story of a work of genius and an evocation of a particularly compelling moment in Italy's past." Linda Buckley-Archer, The Guardian
“Mary Hoffman captures all the energy and excitement of the Italian Renaissance as she brings Michelangelo’s David down from his pedestal to walk the streets of Florence as a flesh-and-blood stonemason. A thrilling story of dangerous rivalries in art, love and politics, with one of the world’s greatest masterpieces at its heart.” Ross King, author of Brunelleschi's Dome and Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
