Tales of Humour, Gallantry & Romance, Selected and Translated from the Italian

This collection gathers a dozen lively Italian novellas that blend sly humor, courtly gallantry, and tender romance. The translator has rescued obscure gems from dusty manuscripts, presenting them with a light touch and charming illustrations that evoke the spirit of the Renaissance city‑state. Listeners will hear vivid snapshots of early Italian manners, from bustling market squares to whispered encounters in cloistered chapels.

One of the tales follows two Roman friends studying in Bologna; when one earns his degree early, he asks his companion to linger so they can leave together. The remaining student petitions a witty professor for a “science” of love, receiving a comically detailed lesson that sends him skulking through the streets to spy on a pretty church‑goer. The episode brims with playful banter, clever scheming, and a gentle satire of academic pretensions.