100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

The Canterbury Tales

3.52 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 235,538 ratings, 4,919 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 Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a collection of stories told by a diverse group of pilgrims travelling to Canterbury. Each character shares a tale reflecting various facets of medieval life, offering insights into human nature and societal norms, all woven together with wit and humour. The book serves as a vivid exploration of Ars & Culture through its diverse narratives and rich characterisation.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$4400
Elsewhere:
$5000
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

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 intrigued by lively storytelling that offers a vivid snapshot of 14th-century English society. Comprising a collection of diverse tales, it blends humour, morality, and human nature through fascinating characters, each sharing their unique narrative during a pilgrimage.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Offers a collection of chivalric romances, moral allegories and low farce. This book includes tales that range from the Knight's account of courtly love and the ebullient Wife of Bath's Arthurian legend, to the ribald anecdotes of the Miller and the Cook.

In The Canterbury Tales Chaucer created one of the great touchstones of English literature, a masterly collection of chivalric romances, moral allegories and low farce.

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

One of the great masterworks of English literature, in a gorgeous new clothbound edition.

Part of Penguin's beautiful hardback Clothbound Classics series, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith, these delectable and collectible editions are bound in high-quality colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design.

In The Canterbury Tales Chaucer created one of the great touchstones of English literature, a masterly collection of chivalric romances, moral allegories and low farce. A storytelling competition between a group of pilgrims from all walks of life is the occasion for a series of tales that range from the Knight's account of courtly love and the ebullient Wife of Bath's Arthurian legend, to the ribald anecdotes of the Miller and the Cook.

Series: Penguin Clothbound Classics

View all
  • The Odyssey
    The The Odyssey by Homer is a timeless epic that chronicles the adventures of the legendary Greek hero, Odysseus, as he endeavours to return home to Ithaca following the conclusion of the Trojan War. This monumental journey spans ten arduous years, during which Odysseus encounters a myriad of natural and supernatural challenges. From shipwrecks and ferocious battles to formidable monsters...
    By Homer
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • The Iliad
    The Iliad, authored by Homer, stands as the greatest literary achievement of Greek civilisation and is now available in a stunning new clothbound edition. The Iliad plunges readers into the throes of the legendary Trojan War. Set during the conflict's final year, this epic poem paints a vivid picture of bloodshed, glory, and the immortal struggles of heroes. The tale...
    By Homer
    Hardback
    $4300
    Elsewhere:
    $4800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Pride and Prejudice
    Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a timeless tale of love, society, and the importance of first impressions. Set in the rural English countryside, the story centres around Elizabeth Bennet, a sharp-witted and independent young woman, and her tumultuous relationship with the wealthy and seemingly aloof Fitzwilliam Darcy. Through a series of misunderstandings, social blunders, and personal revelations, Elizabeth...
    Hardback
    $3400
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Aeneid
    The Aeneid by Virgil stands as a monumental work in the annals of literature, a timeless epic that has profoundly influenced Western culture for over two millennia. This exquisite clothbound edition offers a beautiful presentation of Virgil's magnum opus, which not only celebrated the glory of ancient Rome but also explored deep human emotions and experiences. The story follows the...
    By Virgil
    Hardback
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Crime and Punishment
    Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a profound exploration of guilt, redemption, and the human psyche. Set in the grimy streets of St Petersburg, the novel centres on Rodion Raskolnikov, a struggling and impoverished former student whose growing desperation leads him to commit a heinous act. Raskolnikov's journey is a labyrinth of moral dilemmas and harrowing decisions, where he...
    Hardback
    $4100
    Elsewhere:
    $4800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Little Women
    Beautifully designed, clothbound edition Part of Penguin's beautiful hardback Clothbound Classics series, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith, these delectable and collectible editions are bound in high-quality colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design. Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth β€” four little women enduring hardships and enjoying adventures in Civil War New England. The charming story of the...
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • On Sale
    22% off
    Wuthering Heights
    Beautifully designed, clothbound edition Part of Penguin's beautiful hardback Clothbound Classics series, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith, these delectable and collectible editions are bound in high-quality colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design. In a house haunted by memories, the past is everywhere ... As darkness falls, a man caught in a snowstorm is forced to shelter...
    Hardback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Animal Farm
    Orwell's peerless satire, in Penguin Clothbound Classics for the first time. When the downtrodden animals of Manor Farm overthrow their master, Mr Jones, and take over the farm themselves, they imagine it is the beginning of a life of freedom and equality. But gradually a cunning, ruthless elite among them, masterminded by the pigs Napoleon and Snowball, starts to take...
    Hardback
    $3300
    Elsewhere:
    $3700
    Backorder
    Ships early August
  • Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
    Robert Louis Stevenson's immortal tale of personality and evil, now in a wonderful new clothbound edition. Published as a 'shilling shocker', Robert Louis Stevenson's dark psychological fantasy gave birth to the idea of the split personality. The story of respectable Dr Jekyll's strange association with damnable young man Edward Hyde, the hunt through fog-bound London for a killer, and the...
    Hardback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Frankenstein
    A stunning new clothbound edition of Mary Shelley's infamous work of horror fiction. Obsessed by creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a new being, which he shocks into life by electricity. But his botched creature, rejected by Frankenstein and denied human companionship, sets out to destroy his maker and all that he holds dear....
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
    A beautifully designed new Clothbound Classic of le CarrΓ©'s masterpiece, published to celebrate the novel's 50th anniversary. A mole, implanted by Moscow Centre, has infiltrated the highest ranks of the British Intelligence Service, almost destroying it in the process. And so former spymaster George Smiley has been brought out of retirement in order to hunt down the traitor at the...
    Hardback
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Sense and Sensibility
    Beautifully designed, clothbound edition Part of Penguin's beautiful hardback Clothbound Classics series, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith, these delectable and collectible editions are bound in high-quality colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design. Sense and Sensibility follows the story of the Dashwood sisters, Marianne and Elinor, as they navigate the complexities of love and society. Marianne, who...
    Hardback
    $3300
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Backorder
    Ships mid August

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141393216

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 26 September 2013

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Nevill Coghill

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 42.0mm

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 295.0mm

Weight: 665g

Pages: 528

About the Author

Geoffrey Chaucer was born in London in about 1342. He was valued highly by Edward III, who paid part of his ransom when he was captured fighting in France in 1360. He rose in royal employment, becoming a Justice of the Peace and was buried in 1400 in Westminster Abbey. Nevill Coghill's translation of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde into modern English is also published by Penguin Classics.

Also by Geoffrey Chaucer

View all
  • The Canterbury Tales
    In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer created one of the great touchstones of English literature, a masterly collection of chivalric romances, moral allegories, and low farce. A story-telling competition between a group of pilgrims from all walks of life is the occasion for a series of tales that range from the Knight's account of courtly love and the ebullient Wife of...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Canterbury Tales: Fully Annotated Edition
    Assembling at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, twenty-nine pilgrims begin their journey to Canterbury Cathedral. To entertain themselves on their long road, their host suggests that they regale each other with stories, with the teller of the best tale set to earn a free supper. The pilgrims correspond to all sections of medieval society, from the crusading knight to the...
    Paperback
    $1699
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Canterbury Tales: Seventeen Tales and the General Prologue
    This Norton Critical Edition includes: The medieval masterpiece's most popular tales, includingβ€”new to the Third Editionβ€”The Man of Law's Prologue and Tale and The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale. Extensive marginal glosses, explanatory footnotes, a preface, and a guide to Chaucer's language by V. A. Kolve and Glending Olson. Sources and analogues arranged by tale. Twelve critical essays, seven of...
    Paperback
    $5399
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • The Canterbury Tales
    Whoever best acquits himself, and tells The most amusing and instructive tale, Shall have a dinner, paid for by us all... In Chaucer's most ambitious poem, The Canterbury Tales (c. 1387), a group of pilgrims assembles in an inn just outside London and agree to entertain each other on the way to Canterbury by telling stories. The pilgrims come from...
    Paperback
    $3400
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Dream Visions and Other Poems
    The texts are extensively glossed and are accompanied by individual introductions and explanatory annotations. A lightly regularised system of spellings has been adopted. No prior knowledge of Chaucer is assumed. Dream Visions and Other Poems connects the poems to their classical and medieval foundations and includes works by Virgil, Ovid, Cicero, Boethius, Dante, and Boccaccio, among others. From the wealth...
    Paperback
    $4899
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • The Canterbury Tales
    Gift edition of the early classic work of Epic Literature, written in the same era as Divine Comedy. Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales between 1387 and 1400, as a series of stories told by a group of thirty people who travel as pilgrims to Canterbury. The pilgrims come from every part of society, telling each other tales to pass the...
    Hardback
    $7100
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Canterbury Tales
    Experience the timeless charm and wit of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales in this exquisite Deluxe Hardbound Editionβ€”a true collector's treasure that brings the rich tapestry of medieval England to life. Revered as one of the greatest works in English literature, The Canterbury Tales takes you on a journey through the stories, voices, and lives of pilgrims travelling to the...
    Hardback
    $3800
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Troilus and Criseyde
    Chaucer's tale of fragile love against the backdrop of war Set against the epic backdrop of the battle of Troy, Troilus and Criseyde is an evocative story of love and loss. When Troilus, the son of Priam, falls in love with the beautiful Criseyde, he is able to win her heart with the help of his cunning uncle Pandarus, and...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Wife of Bath
    Little Black Classics - the new series to celebrate Penguin's 80th anniversary. 'Those husbands that I had, Three of them were good and two were bad. The three that I call "good" were rich and old...' One of the most bawdy, entertaining, and popular stories from The Canterbury Tales. Introducing Little Black Classics - 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday....
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Penguin Readers Starter Level: The Knight's Tale (ELT Graded Reader)
    Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reading series, designed for teenagers and young adults learning English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practice activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. The Knight's Tale, a...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Canterbury Tales
    Preserving Chaucer's rhyme and meter, Sheila Fisher's vivid, lively, and readable translation makes the poetic artistry of The Canterbury Tales accessible to a contemporary ear and invites readers, even those who have read the work before in Middle English, to a new appreciation of its delightful stories and unforgettable, surprisingly modern characters.
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Arts & Culture

View all
  • Dylan's Pick
    Bold Types
    A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...
    Hardback
    $5500
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    Available
    Ships in 1 week
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    New Release
    Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • They Bloom Because of You
    Bestselling author and Instagram sensation Jessica Urlichs returns with a new collection of beautifully observed poems about the ever-evolving journey of motherhood - the hard, the magic and the fleeting. β€˜A raw and honest read that makes you feel seen and understood in a way that will bring you to tears.’ - Hilary Swank β€˜A book to keep close and...
    Paperback
    $3000
    Elsewhere:
    $3600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Leaves of Grass
    A collectible new Penguin Classics series offers beautiful, slim, clothbound editions of ten favourite poets. In 1855, Walt Whitman published his first collection of poetry, Leaves of Grass. The volume received great praise from leading Transcendentalist poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. This encouragement led to what would become a lifelong project, as Whitman expanded and rewrote the volume until his death...
    Hardback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Great Writers and the Cats who Owned Them
    Throughout history, cats and writers have bonded together in a magical combination of comfort, companionship and inspiration. The famous authors featured here range from Samuel Johnson, whose cat Hodge dined on oysters, and Edward Lear, whose charismatic cat Foss was missing half his tail, to Margaret Mitchell, L. M. Montgomery and Dorothy L. Sayers, who rescued her kitten Blitz from...
    Hardback
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Beautiful Chaos
    The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller Selected poems from bestselling author and Instagram poet, Jessica Urlichs. 'These words awaken the magic of life by celebrating the ordinary.' - Giovanna Fletcher Motherhood is messy and beautiful, and hard and humbling. We adore our children and sometimes we miss ourselves. Beautiful Chaos is a collection of raw, honest poems about motherhood, capturing everything...
    Paperback
    $2900
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • To the Women - The New Collection of Wise Words Every Woman Needs
    THE COMPLETELY UPDATED COLLECTION WITH OVER 70 BRAND NEW POEMS, FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF WILD HOPE AND WORDS TO LIVE BY 'Amazing . . . Donna's words speak to my heart' Davina McCall To the Women is a celebration of the beauty, strength, and joy of being a woman. A love letter to our deep capacity...
    Hardback
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Wreck This Journal: Now in Colour
    The creative journey continues with Wreck This Journal: Now in Colour by Keri Smith, the latest and most vibrant edition of the groundbreaking series that redefined journaling. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this edition brings the playful destructiveness of the original to life in dazzling full colour, adding a dynamic new dimension to the beloved prompts. Whether you're a seasoned Wreck-er,...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Thousand Feasts
    THE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER From award-winning writer Nigel Slater, comes a new and exquisitely written collection of notes, memoir, stories and small moments of joy. 'Nigel Slater’s prose is the rarest delicacy of all: exquisite yet effortless, filled with heart, tenderness, yearning and humour' ELIZABETH DAY For years, Nigel Slater has kept notebooks of curiosities and wonderings, penned...
    Paperback
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Did I Ever Tell You This?
    In this unexpected memoir, written in a creative burst of just a few months in 2022, Sam Neill tells the story of how he became one of the world’s most celebrated actors, who has worked with everyone from Meryl Streep to Isabel Adjani, from Jeff Goldblum to Sean Connery, from Steven Spielberg to Jane Campion. By his own account, his...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.