Dante: The Poet, the Political Thinker, the Man

By Barbara Reynolds

Book Overview

Dante is one of the towering figures of European literature, yet there remain a surprising number of questions about his life and works; Who was the leader that would bring peace to the world, as Virgil and Beatrice prophesied in the Commedia? Who was Beatrice, really? Was De Vulgari Eloquentia truly a treatise on the art of writing? Did he need a medicinal muse? Dante scholar and translator Barbara Reynolds contends the master used cannabis to soar to greater creative heights.
Besides proposing a solution to the famous prophecies, this lively, engaging, and elegantly written biography contains a provocative new idea in virtually every chapter, offering alternative interpretations of his work. Drawing from an impressive array of sources, Reynolds provides a comprehensive analysis of the poet, placing him within the context of his culture and society to deepen our understanding of a complicated man who was irritable, opinionated, and vengeful--and an extraordinary genius.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1593761244
• ISBN13: 9781593761240
• Release Date: August 2006
• Publisher: Counterpoint LLC
• Length: 466 Pages
• Weight: 1.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.4" x 9.3"