Boccaccio, Giovanni, Translated by Richard Aldington.

The Decameron [Complete & Unexpurgated]

Garden City, New York: Garden City Publishing Company, 1930. Illustrations by Jean De Bosschère. Hardcover with Dust Jacket.

The bindings are tight and square. Text is clean; light, even age-toning. Moderate shelf handling wear. The dust jacket has handling wear with older tape reinforcement on the inside. 9.75 inches tall; 576 pages; b/w and color illustrations.

Near Fine / Good. Item #19770

The Decameron, written between 1349 and 1353, is considered one of the most significant works in world literature.

The book is set during the Black Death, a plague that devastated Europe in the mid-14th century. Ten young people (seven women and three men) flee from Florence to escape the plague and entertain themselves by telling stories over ten days.

It provides a vivid portrayal of medieval life, reflecting both the horror of the plague and the resilience of human spirit in the face of death and despair. Unlike earlier medieval literature, which often focused on religious or allegorical themes, "The Decameron" emphasizes realism and human experience. The characters are portrayed as complex individuals with desires, flaws, and virtues.

Price: $29.95