The Book of the Courtier

Peter Hainsworth's sparkling, eminently readable new English translation of The Book of the Courtier, Baldesar Castiglione's (1478-1529) literary and philosophical masterpiece, captures all the nuance, stylistic flair, and humour of this foundational work of Renaissance humanism.

Peter Hainsworth's fresh translation of The Book of the Courtier will gladden those who have known this quintessentially important work through the available translations that are, after several decades, somewhat dated. Hainsworth's version is more accessible to contemporary readers because, first, it is more easily read, and second, because it deftly places Castiglione's classic discussion of manners, gender roles, language, and love in historical context.

Instructors especially will welcome the Introduction's establishment of the biographical, political, and cultural framework of Castiglione's dialogue; the explanatory notes that amply supply the information students will need to appreciate the conversation; and the guidance provided by an analytically enriched table of contents that groups the chapters meaningfully while highlighting the Courtier's principal themes.

For 150 years, the ideals expressed in Castiglione's Courtier guided the European elite. Hainsworth's robust new English edition will help students understand how and why.

- Margaret L. King, Professor of History Emerita, Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center, CUNY