Critical introductions to fifteen contemporary novelists whose work is of international calibre. Central to most is a preoccupation with the relationship between writing and the world. The authors deal with a vast range of topics and periods - including present-day events, the past, and the problems faced by women and by society as a whole - but nearly all lookat how such matters might be tackled in literature.

In the past seven centuries Dante has become world renowned, with his works translated into multiple languages and read by people of all ages and cultural backgrounds. This volume brings together interdisciplinary essays by leading, international scholars to provide a comprehensive account of the historical, cultural and intellectual context in which Dante lived and worked: from the economic, social and political scene to the feel of daily life; from education and religion to the administration of justice; from medicine to philosophy and science; from classical antiquity to popular culture; and from the dramatic transformation of urban spaces to the explosion of visual arts and music. This book, while locating Dante in relation to each of these topics, offers readers a clear and reliable idea of what life was like for Dante as an outstanding poet and intellectual in the Italy of the late Middle Ages.

This first substantial history of Italian literature to appear in the English language for forty years provides a comprehensive survey of one of the richest and most influential literatures of Europe. Leading scholars describe and assess the work of a wide range of writers who have contributed to the Italian literary tradition from its earliest origins to the present day. The volume is accessible to the general reader as well as to students and scholars. Translations are provided, along with maps, chronological charts, and up-to-date bibliographies.