Subject
Frame stories Books
Best books
Giovanni Boccaccio
The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
"The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio" by Giovanni Boccaccio is a collection of short stories written between 1348 and 1353. Ten young people flee plague-ridden Florence to shelter in a countryside villa, where they pass two weeks by telling one hundred tales. Their stories span love both tragic and erotic, clever wit, practical jokes, and life lessons. Through this frame narrative, Boccaccio creates a mosaic of medieval Italian life while satirizing the Church and exploring themes of fortune, human desire, and social tensions between classes.
Giovanni Boccaccio
The Decameron, Volume I
"The Decameron, Volume I" by Giovanni Boccaccio is a collection of short stories written between 1348 and 1353. Ten young people flee plague-ridden Florence to a countryside villa, where they pass two weeks telling one hundred tales. These stories range from erotic to tragic love, clever wit, practical jokes, and life lessons. The work satirizes the clergy, explores fortune's power, and captures tensions between social classes. Written in vernacular Florentine, it became a masterpiece of early Italian prose and influenced works like Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales."
Giovanni Boccaccio
The Decameron, Volume II
"The Decameron, Volume II" by Giovanni Boccaccio is a collection of short stories written between 1348 and 1353. Ten young people flee plague-ridden Florence to shelter in a countryside villa, where they pass time by telling one hundred tales over ten evenings. These stories range from erotic love to tragedy, from clever wit to practical jokes, exploring human nature through tales of lust, ambition, fortune, and folly. The work satirizes medieval society, particularly the clergy, while providing a vivid document of life during the Black Death.
Giovanni Boccaccio
De Decamerone van Boccaccio
"De Decamerone van Boccaccio" by Giovanni Boccaccio is a collection of short stories written between 1348 and 1353. Ten young people flee plague-ridden Florence to a countryside villa, where they pass two weeks telling one hundred tales. Their stories range from erotic to tragic, featuring clever wit, practical jokes, and life lessons. The work explores themes of love, fortune, and human nature while satirizing the clergy and church. Written in Florentine vernacular, it captures medieval Italian life and society during the Black Death.
Giovanni Boccaccio
The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
"The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)" by Giovanni Boccaccio is a collection of short stories written between 1348 and 1353. Ten young people flee plague-ridden Florence to shelter in a secluded villa, where they pass time by telling tales. Over ten nights, they share 100 stories ranging from erotic to tragic love, clever wit, practical jokes, and life lessons. The tales satirize clergy, explore human desires and ambitions, and reflect Italian society during the Black Death era.
Willa Cather
The Professor's House
"The Professor's House" by Willa Cather is a novel published in 1925. Professor Godfrey St. Peter clings to his dusty old study while his family moves forward, struggling with middle age and the haunting memory of Tom Outland, his brilliant former student who died in the Great War. As his daughters' marriages bring unwelcome change and material wealth derived from Outland's invention transforms those around him, the Professor confronts a deepening crisis about whether life still holds meaning worth living for.
Thomas Moore
Lalla Rookh : $b An Oriental romance
"Lalla Rookh: An Oriental romance" by Thomas Moore is a romantic work first published in 1817. The poem follows Princess Lalla Rookh, daughter of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, as she journeys to marry the King of Bukhara. Along the way, she falls in love with Feramorz, a poet in her entourage who entertains her with four enchanting tales. The work blends a frame narrative with interpolated poems set in sumptuous Eastern settings, exploring themes of love, disguise, and identity in a world of Persian splendor.
Giovanni Boccaccio
The Decameron (Day 6 to Day 10) Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
"The Decameron (Day 6 to Day 10)" by Giovanni Boccaccio is a collection of short stories written between 1348 and 1353. Ten young people flee plague-ridden Florence to a countryside villa, where they pass time telling tales. This frame story encompasses 100 narratives ranging from erotic love to tragedy, wit to practical jokes. The stories mock clergy greed, explore lust and ambition across genders, examine class tensions, and follow merchant adventures. Written in vernacular Florentine, the work satirizes medieval allegory while entertaining with life lessons and comedy.
G. G. (Genevieve Genevra) Fairfield
Genevra; or, the history of a portrait by an American lady. A resident of Washington City.
"Genevra; or, The History of a Portrait" by G. G. Fairfield is a novel written in the early 19th century. The narrative introduces us to the main character, Clarence Mowbray, and his thoughts and experiences while traveling in Rome, where he encounters the work of a talented artist named Carrara. Central to the book is a captivating portrait of a young woman named Genevra Sfonza, which intrigues Clarence and hints at deeper themes concerning beauty, love, and the passage of time. The opening of the novel sets the stage with Clarence and his friend Augustus enjoying their time in Rome, expressing skepticism about the allure of the ancient city's ruins. Their playful banter shows a friendship steeped in shared travels and experiences, leading them to Carrara's studio where they are drawn to the enchanting portrait of Genevra. This portrait not only captivates Clarence’s attention but also foreshadows his deeper emotional connections and the complexities of Genevra's life, which the artist hints at with a melancholy expression. The narrative thus establishes an intriguing tension between appreciation of art and the underlying personal stories of the figures it represents, suggesting a gradual unfolding of Genevra's poignant tale throughout the novel.
George de Horne Vaizey
What a Man Wills
"What a Man Wills" by Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey is a novel written in the late 19th century. This work delves into the ambitions and desires of a group of young adults gathered in a country manor during the New Year celebrations, exploring themes of love, ambition, adventure, and the societal expectations surrounding them. The characters include a mix of men and women, each voicing their aspirations and yearnings, which establish a vibrant backdrop for the unfolding narrative. The opening of the novel introduces us to a lively gathering at a country manor with the young guests settled around the fire after the festive celebrations. As they engage in conversation, each character reveals their hopes and dreams for the new year, from a desire for love and adventure to the pursuit of wealth and happiness. The discussions are laced with humor and introspection, reflecting the complexities of their aspirations and the ruts they find themselves in. Each character's confession serves to deepen the exploration of their motivations and desires, setting the stage for the challenges they will face as they strive to achieve what they truly wish for in life.
Charles M. Snyder
The Flaw in the Sapphire
"The Flaw in the Sapphire" by Charles M. Snyder is a fictional novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Dennis Muldoon, a young man with a unique identity who faces hardships as he seeks employment in New York City after severing ties with his father's old clothing business. His quirky persona and resilient spirit set the stage for an exploration of his aspirations and encounters in the bustling urban landscape. The opening of the book introduces Dennis Muldoon, a strikingly unusual figure who approaches strangers in search of old clothes. Despite his cheerfulness, he grapples with societal judgment and the challenges of his trade. After a difficult interaction with his father, he relocates to New York City, where he is determined to find meaningful work, particularly in a publishing house. Through encounters with varied characters, including a jovial foreman and reflections on his previous life, Dennis navigates the complexities of identity, ambition, and the allure of the written word, setting up a premise filled with promise, humor, and introspective undertones for the adventures to unfold in the story.
Giovanni Boccaccio
Novelleja Decameronesta
"Novelleja Decameronesta" by Giovanni Boccaccio is a collection of one hundred tales written between 1349 and 1353. During the devastating Black Plague in Florence, ten young friends—seven women and three men—flee to the countryside. There, they pass their time with songs, dances, and storytelling. Each day, they elect a leader who chooses a theme, and each member tells a tale inspired by it. Through these stories, Boccaccio paints a vivid portrait of fourteenth-century society, blending aristocratic ideals with merchant values.
Recently surfaced classics