Boccaccio and the Book ─ Production and Reading in Italy 1340-1520

Boccaccio is best known today for his Italian epic poem Decameron. However, Daniels (Italian, University of Leeds UK)points out that it was not his most popular work in his own time and in the Renaissance. In her study of the reception of Boccaccio, Daniels follows the fortunes of two of the author's other works, Teseida written in his youth, and De mulieribus claris, written in Latin in his later years. She asks who read these works and under what circumstances. The popularity of the Decameron is evident in the number of manuscript copies made by non-professional scribes, people who wanted to read it many times but probably could not afford an elegant hand written edition. However, wealthier readers, especially those influenced by humanism, preferred De mulieribus claris. This examination of the fortunes of the texts by discovering who owned them and in what state is a relatively new method of finding out levels of literacy and taste in late medieval Europe. By stretching her time frame to 1520, Daniels is able to investigate changes brought about by print. One amusing side note is that people were less reluctant to make marginal notes in printed books than on a handwritten manuscript. Appendices list various copies and editions as well as prefaces and additions made in print. This is an excellent example of research that provides a look at the literary interests of people of both sexes and a wide social range. Distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)