A Guided Reading with Alexandra Lawrence

Set against the backdrop of the 1348 plague in Florence, Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron follows 10 young noble men and women as they make their escape from the chaotic, pandemic-infested city to the beautiful surrounding countryside. Once comfortably ensconced in their villa, the group devises a routine that includes taking walks, singing, napping, and eating sumptuous food. Finding they still have a number of hours to fill, they decide to tell stories and set about anointing a king or queen for each of the 10 days who will decide the theme of the day’s tales. The one hundred stories that follow are entertaining, sensuous, tragic, and hilarious as we are regaled with tales of happy lovers, unhappy philosophers, sly tradesmen, sex-obsessed clergymen, dimwitted nobles, lucky servants and so much more.