Edward Hutton doesn't just give us a timeline of Boccaccio's life. He builds a world. We follow Giovanni from his likely illegitimate birth near Florence, through his formative years in the vibrant, merchant-driven chaos of Naples. We see him fall desperately in love (the mysterious "Fiammetta" of his early poetry), write his famous romances, and then return to Florence just in time for the Black Death—the very event that sets the stage for his masterpiece, The Decameron.

Why You Should Read It

This book makes a 600-year-old literary giant feel like a real person. Hutton connects Boccaccio's wild personal experiences directly to the stories he wrote. You see how his youthful passions fueled his early poetry and how the horror of the plague pushed him to create a book about the sheer, stubborn will to live and find joy. The most fascinating part is watching Boccaccio's later-life crisis, where he almost disowned his own brilliant, bawdy work under religious pressure. It’s a deeply human story about an artist wrestling with his own legacy.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who’s ever read The Decameron and been curious about the man behind the mask. It’s also great for readers who enjoy historical biographies that feel more like guided tours than lectures. Hutton’s passion is contagious, making this a welcoming entry point into the Italian Renaissance, even if you're not a scholar. Just be ready to want to re-read all of Boccaccio’s work with new eyes afterward.