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Chaucer

A European Life
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( 217 ratings, 49 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Chaucer by Marion Turner offers a vivid exploration of Geoffrey Chaucer's life, placing him in the vibrant context of fourteenth-century England. Through meticulous research, Turner delves into Chaucer’s experiences as a courtier, bureaucrat, and poet, revealing how his work evolved within his historical and social milieu. This biography does more than just recount his life; it provides insight into how Chaucer's diverse world influenced his writing and legacy.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might find this book enthralling if you're fascinated by the life and times of Geoffrey Chaucer, as it offers an in-depth and vivid portrayal of the pivotal moments and influences in his life. The author delves into both the achievements and struggles of this iconic poet, offering new insights into his world and contributions to literature. If you enjoy comprehensive explorations of historical figures, this biography promises to be a captivating read.

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One of The Times' Best Literary Non-Fiction Books of 2019 One of the Sunday Times' Best Literary Books of 2019 Finalist for the PROSE Award in Biography and Autobiography, Association of American Publishers One of the Times Literary Supplement's Books of the Year 2019 Winner of the Rose Mary Crawshay Prize, The British Academy

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

One of The Times' Best Literary Non-Fiction Books of 2019
One of the Sunday Times' Best Literary Books of 2019
Finalist for the PROSE Award in Biography and Autobiography, Association of American Publishers
One of the Times Literary Supplement's Books of the Year 2019
Winner of the Rose Mary Crawshay Prize, The British Academy
A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year
Longlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown, Historical Writers' Association
Shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize, The Wolfson Foundation

Geoffrey Chaucer is often called the father of English literature, but this acclaimed biography reveals him as a great European writer and thinker. Uncovering important new information about Chaucer's travels, private life, and the circulation of his writings, Marion Turner reconstructs in unprecedented detail the cosmopolitan world of Chaucer's adventurous life, focusing on the places and spaces that fired his imagination.

From the wharves of London to the frescoed chapels of Florence, the book recounts Chaucer's experiences as a prisoner of war in France, as a father visiting his daughter's nunnery, as a member of a chaotic Parliament, and as a diplomat in Milan. At the same time, the book offers a comprehensive exploration of Chaucer's writings. The result is a landmark biography and a fresh account of the extraordinary story of how a wine merchant's son became the poet of The Canterbury Tales.

'An absolute triumph.' - A. N. Wilson, Times Literary Supplement

'A hugely illuminating book...Turner's writing is never less than perspicacious, and often slyly humorous.' - Tim Smith-Laing, The Telegraph

'[A] wholly beguiling, original, vividly written appreciation of the hugely innovative author and his rich cultural and political European background.' - Robert Fox, Evening Standard

'A great swirl of a biography, one more capacious and more ranging than any of its predecessors.' - Joe Stadolnik, Los Angeles Review of Books

'[Turner] has forged a new kind of biography...Her work promises to be definitive for some time to come.' - Mary Wellesley, Times Higher Education

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Chaucer by Marion Turner has been highly acclaimed, winning prestigious awards like the Otto GrΓΌndler Book Prize and the Beatrice White Prize. It was also recognized as one of the best books of the year by notable publications such as The Times and the Sunday Times, reflecting its significant impact in literary and academic circles.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780691210155

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 September 2020

Country: United States

Imprint: Princeton University Press

Illustration: 3 Maps

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 133.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 624

About the Author

Marion Turner is professor of English at Jesus College, University of Oxford.

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    A groundbreaking biography that recreates the cosmopolitan world in which a wine merchant's son became one of the most celebrated of all English poets. More than any other canonical English writer, Geoffrey Chaucer lived and worked at the centre of political lifeβ€”yet his poems are anything but conventional. Edgy, complicated, and often dark, they reflect a conflicted world, and their...
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