The book focuses on the scarcity and rising costs of early literature from the 1900s and earlier. It highlights the effort to republish these classic works in accessible, high-quality modern editions, preserving the original text and artwork. This initiative aims to make timeless literature available to a wider audience while honoring its historical significance.
The Decameron (c.1351) was written in the wake of the Black Death, a shattering epidemic which had shaken Florence's confident entrepreneurial society to its core. n a country villa outside the city, ten young noble men and women who have escaped the plague decide to tell each other stories. Boccaccio's skill as a dramatist is masterfully displayed in this virtuoso performance of one hundred tales, vivid portraits of people from all stations in life, with plots which revel in a bewildering variety of human reactions. Themes are playfully restated from one story to another within an elegant and refined framework. One of Chaucer's most fruitful sources for the Canterbury Tales, Boccaccio's work artfully combines the essential ingredients of narrative: fate and desire, crises and quick-thinking. This new translation by Guido Waldman captures the exuberance and variety and tone of Boccaccio's masterpiece.
Through extensive research and the introduction of newly discovered materials, this biography seeks to uncover the complexities of Eleanora Duse and d'Annunzio, challenging long-held biases. It aims to present a nuanced portrayal of their characters, highlighting both their significant flaws and even greater virtues. By addressing the impact of passion and prejudice on their legacies, the author endeavors to approach a more authentic understanding of these influential figures and their roles during pivotal historical moments, including the First World War.