{"product_id":"the-decameron-9780140449303","title":"The Decameron","description":"\u003cb\u003eA complete edition of the hilarious, bawdy, irreverent masterpiece of medieval Italy--and an inspiration for the Netflix dark comedy \u003ci\u003eThe Decameron\u003c\/i\u003e--in an acclaimed translation\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 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 there--a hundred stories of love, adventure and surprising twists of fate. Less preoccupied with abstract concepts of morality or religion than with earthly values, the tales range from the bawdy Peronella hiding her lover in a tub to Ser Cepperello, who, despite his unholy effrontery, becomes a Saint. The result is a towering monument of European literature and a masterpiece of imaginative narrative. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e This is the second edition of G. H. McWilliam's acclaimed translation of \u003ci\u003eThe Decameron.\u003c\/i\u003e His introduction illuminates the worlds of Boccaccio and of his storytellers, showing Boccaccio as a master of vivid and exciting prose fiction. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Penguin Classics is the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world, representing a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eGiovanni Boccaccio\u003c\/b\u003e (1313-1375) was born in Florence, Italy. 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 traveler, as well as the creator of numerous works of prose and poetry. Of his achievements, \u003ci\u003eThe Decameron\u003c\/i\u003e, completed sometime between 1350 and 1352, remains his lasting contribution to world literature, immensely popular from its original appearance to the present day. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cb\u003eG. H. McWilliam\u003c\/b\u003e, a former Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, was Professor Emeritus of Italian in the University of Leicester. He translated plays by Italo Svevo, Pirandello, and Betti, as well as poems by Salvatore Quasimodo, and was awarded the Italian government's silver medal for services to Italian culture. He died in 2001.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Penguin Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50613791097106,"sku":"9780140449303","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_8cc2d698-928e-4976-89ae-f1e62b44403b.jpg?v=1732418081","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-decameron-9780140449303","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}