Aretino's Dialogues [Hardcover]

Pietro Aretino (Author), Raymond Rosenthal (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1972

tales from Counter-Renaissance Rome

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Italian (translation)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Stein and Day (1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081281410X
• ISBN-13: 978-0812814101
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,560,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, bawdy fun, January 2, 2010

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aproductofsociety - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Aretino's Dialogues (Hardcover)

This keenly observed account of humans in and out of lust (and, occasionally, love) is timeless and wonderful. Through the storytelling by courtesans and procuresses one watches Aretino weave a tapestry of human scheming and gender battles that is as fresh today as it was nearly 500 years ago when it was penned. It is amazing to reflect as one reads this book, which is entirely and quite convincingly narrated by women, that it was written by a man. Aretino had a penetrating (no pun intended) and deeply humane insight that glows through these witty pages. It is said that he influenced de Sade and one can detect that influence in the works of the much more famous rake who lived over 200 years later. In brilliance and originality, however, Aretino eclipses de Sade who was fixated on shock value.

On a practical note, I recommend skimming part one since it is a tad weak and then reading parts two and three entirely.