The 100 poems presented in this volume represent a broad cross-section of Isabella Andreini's lyric poetry, both in its original language and in verse translations. Of the nearly 500 poems published in Andreini's two books of Rime in the first decade of the seventeenth century, the 100 included here optimally demonstrate Andreini's range of style, the diversity of genres in which she composed, her views on Renaissance court society, and her interactions with other poets and patrons of the late sixteenth century. An extensive historical and analytical introduction aims to deepen the reader's understanding of Andreini, and hopefully, to inspire further study of this poet's little-known writings, including her Fragmenti d'alcune scritture, and the remaining large share of her lyric poetry. Students and researchers specializing in comparative literatures, women's studies, and Italian studies will find this a helpful addition to their discipline.

This fresh translation of five plays securely authored by Antonia Pulci-one of the first published women writers in Renaissance Florence-reveals this gifted dramatist at her finest. Intended primarily for a convent audience, Pulci's plays give us a fascinating glimpse into how theatrical expressions of female religiosity were animated by both exemplary female saints' lives and contemporary debates over marriage and virginity. There is much to recommend in this new bilingual presentation. The translations sparkle; and Weaver's elegant, erudite introduction and her publication of new archival materials not only enrich the historical record concerning Pulci's life and works but also set it straight. -Sharon Strocchia Professor of History, Emory University