Cynthia Skenazi speaks about her book, Aging Gracefully in the Renaissance: Stories of Later Life from Petrarch to Montaigne, published by Brill.

Why did you agree to allow your book to be included in the Knowledge Unlatched Pilot?

To improve the accessibility and visibility of scholarly research.

What are your hopes for your book, and do you think Open Access will play a role in achieving them?

I hope that Knowledge Unlatched Pilot’s initiative will send a strong message to the scholarly community and to publishers about the importance of open access to scholarly publications.

What do your friends/colleagues think about your decision to allow your book to be made available for free under a CC licence?

My decision meets my institution’s concerns. I am a Professor at the University of California. The University is currently drafting a policy to expand open access to research publications.

Do you think that making your book available on an Open Access licence will increase its reach and impact?

I hope so.

Who would you most like to read your book and why?

Anyone who enjoys reading and learning.

Cynthia Skenazi's Aging Gracefully in the Renaissance: Stories of Later Life from Petrarch to Montaigne as well as 27 other titles are available through our Pilot Collection.