The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
In 1348, as plague empties Florence, seven young women and three young men withdraw to a villa in the hills and agree to tell a story apiece each day for ten days. The hundred tales that result range from bawdy fabliaux about monks and millers' wives to tragedies of thwarted love and tests of patience and generosity, with a frame of gardens, songs and dinners between them. Boccaccio finished the book around 1353, and it supplied plots to Chaucer, Shakespeare and half the storytellers of Europe. This edition presents John Payne's complete translation of 1886, the first in English to render every story without omission, in a deliberately archaic prose that suits the original. It is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, with the first chapter free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio by Giovanni Boccaccio can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio online?
Yes. The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio in the public domain?
Yes. The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio by Giovanni Boccaccio is a public-domain work, here in the translation by John Payne. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio?
About 20 h 28 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio?
The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio by Giovanni Boccaccio is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
