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Decameron

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( 42,935 ratings, 2,209 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio is a classic work of Italian literature set during the Black Death. It follows ten young people who escape from plague-ridden Florence to a countryside villa. To entertain themselves, they each tell a story every night for ten days, resulting in a collection of one hundred tales filled with wit, romance, and insight into human nature.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in a vibrant depiction of life in 14th-century Italy. With its rich tapestry of stories set against the backdrop of the Black Death, it offers a mix of romance, wit, and human insight, showcasing the resilience and creativity of people in challenging times.

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The Decameron (subtitle: Prencipe Galeotto) is a collection of 100 novellas by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio, probably begun in 1350 and finished in 1353. It is a medieval allegorical work best known for its bawdy tales of love, appearing in all its possibilities from the erotic to the tragic.

The Decameron is structured in a frame narrative, or frame tale. Boccaccio begins with a description of the Black Death and a group of seven women and three men who flee from plague-ridden Florence to a villa in the (then) countryside of Fiesole for two weeks. To pass the time, each member of the party tells one story for each one of the nights spent at the villa. Although fourteen days pass, two days each week are set aside; one day for chores and one holy day during which no work is done. In this manner, 100 stories are told by the end of the two weeks

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Decameron is structured in a frame narrative, or frame tale. Boccaccio begins with a description of the Black Death and a group of seven women and three men who flee from plague-ridden Florence to a villa in the (then) countryside of Fiesole for two weeks. To pass the time, each member of the party tells one story for each of the nights spent at the villa. Although fourteen days pass, two days each week are set aside; one day for chores and one holy day during which no work is done. In this manner, 100 stories are told by the end of the two weeks.

The Decameron (subtitle: Prencipe Galeotto) is a collection of 100 novellas by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio, probably begun in 1350 and finished in 1353. It is a medieval allegorical work best known for its bawdy tales of love, appearing in all its possibilities from the erotic to the tragic. Some believe many parts of the tales are indebted to the influence of The Book of Good Love. Many notable writers such as Chaucer are said to have drawn inspiration from The Decameron.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio is widely praised for its captivating storytelling and vibrant depiction of 14th-century society. Critics often highlight its clever narrative structure, weaving a tapestry of tales exploring themes of love, wit, and fortune. Readers appreciate the diverse characters and the mix of comedic and tragic elements, which offer a profound yet entertaining reflection on human nature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781841593227

Publisher: Everyman

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 25 September 2009

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Everyman's Library

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 37.0mm

Width: 133.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 733g

Pages: 696

About the Author

Date- 2013-08-06 Giovanni Boccaccio (1313 - 21 December 1375) was an Italian author and poet, a friend and correspondent of Petrarch, an important Renaissance humanist and the author of a number of notable works including the Decameron, On Famous Women, and his poetry in the Italian vernacular. Boccaccio is particularly notable for his dialogue, of which it has been said that it surpasses in verisimilitude that of just about all of his contemporaries, since they were medieval writers and often followed formulaic models for character and plot. Giovanni Boccaccio was born in Florence, Italy, in 1313, and he died there in 1375. His life thus coincided with the flowering of the early Renaissance and indeed his closest friend was Petrarch, the other towering literary figure of the period. During his lifetime, Boccaccio was a diplomat, businessman, and international traveller, as well as the creator of numerous works of prose and poetry. Of his achievements, The Decameron, completed sometime between 1350 and 1352, remains his lasting contribution -immensely popular from its original appearance to the present day - to world literature.

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  • The Decameron
    In the summer of 1348, as the Black Death ravages their city, ten young Florentines take refuge in the countryside. They amuse themselves by each telling a story a day for the ten days they are destined to remain thereβ€”a hundred stories of love, adventure, and surprising twists of fate. Less preoccupied with abstract concepts of morality or religion than...
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  • The Decameron
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  • The Decameron
    The year is 1348. The Black Death has begun to ravage Europe. Ten young Florentinesβ€”seven women and three menβ€”escape the plague-infested city and retreat to the countryside around Fiesole. In this isolated and bucolic setting, they spend ten days telling each other storiesβ€”tales of romance, tragedy, comedy, and farceβ€”one hundred in all. The result, described by one critic as "the...
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  • Tales from the Decameron
    Tales from the Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio is bawdy and moving, hilarious and reflective. These stories offer the very best of Boccaccio's Decameron in a brilliant, playful new translation. This hugely enjoyable volume collects the best stories of Boccaccio's masterwork in a fresh, accessible new translation by Peter Hainsworth. It includes such celebrated, thought-provoking tales as Isabella and the Pot...
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