A reading guide
Italian classics
These Italian classics bring together poetry, novels, fairy tales and political thought for readers new to Italian literature in English. Start with The Adventures of Pinocchio for a wooden puppet's pursuit of freedom and fun.
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Where to start
Start hereThe Adventures of PinocchioCarlo CollodiBegin with a puppet coming to life, then follow his appetite for fun through encounters with a cricket, fox and cat.
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Another way inThe New Life (La Vita Nuova)Dante AlighieriChoose a more intimate mood as Dante recalls Beatrice, tracing how love changes his poems and his understanding of the world.
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Or tryThe BetrothedAlessandro ManzoniFor a story of love under pressure, follow Renzo and Lucia as a blocked wedding leads to separation and danger.
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The books
Free to start one of the free gifts when you start
Poetry and epic
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1320 | Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, CompleteDante Alighieri A traveller lost in a dark wood journeys through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, encountering souls and questions of divine justice. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | 1516 | Orlando FuriosoLodovico Ariosto Orlando's love for Angelica leads toward madness amid warfare, rival warriors and a web of linked adventures. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | 1294 | The New Life (La Vita Nuova)Dante Alighieri Dante traces his love for Beatrice from childhood, following the growth of earthly longing into spiritual devotion. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
Novels, tales and plays
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1827 | The BetrothedAlessandro Manzoni Two villagers prevented from marrying face separation, threats and kidnapping as war, hunger and plague spread through Lombardy. | Novel | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | 1881 | The Adventures of PinocchioCarlo Collodi A wooden puppet comes to life and pursues freedom and fun, finding trouble through ignored advice and easy promises. | Novel | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | 1881 | The House by the Medlar-TreeGiovanni Verga A Sicilian fishing family struggles to preserve its home and livelihood as debt and village pressures unsettle its life. | Novel | Free to startRead free |
| 4 | 1634 | Stories from the PentameroneGiambattista Basile Fairy tales from southern Italy bring princes, poor families and resourceful tricksters into encounters with spells and deception. | Stories | Free to startRead free |
| 5 | 1920 | The MotherGrazia Deledda A Sardinian priest's attachment to a woman brings his religious duties into conflict with desire and his mother's hopes. | Novel | Free to startRead free |
| 6 | 1886 | Cuore (Heart): An Italian Schoolboy's JournalEdmondo De Amicis A schoolboy's record of life in Turin explores friendship, kindness and loyalty through classroom, street and home. | Novel | Free to startRead free |
| 7 | 1889 | The Child of PleasureGabriele D'Annunzio A young Roman aristocrat divided between two women lets his pursuit of beauty and pleasure shape his relationships. | Novel | Free to startRead free |
Ideas and history
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1532 | The PrinceNiccolò Machiavelli Machiavelli examines how rulers gain and preserve power, weighing political survival against the claims of ordinary morality. | Non-fiction | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | 1531 | Discourses on the First Decade of Titus LiviusNiccolò Machiavelli Early Rome supplies Machiavelli with examples for examining how republics are founded, maintained and lost through conflict and political decisions. | Non-fiction | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | 1360 | Petrarch's Letters to Classical AuthorsPetrarch Petrarch addresses ancient writers as living correspondents, admiring their work while questioning the choices they made in life. | Letters | Free to startRead free |
| 4 | · | The First Voyage Round the World by MagellanAntonio Pigafetta Pigafetta recounts an expedition seeking a western route to the Spice Islands, through ocean crossings, hunger and mutiny. | Non-fiction | Free to startRead free |
Questions
What are the most famous Italian classics?
Dante's great poem, The Betrothed, The Adventures of Pinocchio, Orlando Furioso and The Prince are widely recognised Italian classics. They offer different starting points: a journey through the afterlife, lovers facing oppression, a puppet's adventures, knights at war and an examination of political power.
Where should I start with classic Italian literature?
Start with The Adventures of Pinocchio for a story driven by curiosity, temptation and trouble. For love and poetry, choose The New Life (La Vita Nuova); for two young people struggling to marry amid oppression and plague, choose The Betrothed.
Which Italian classics are the shortest?
The New Life (La Vita Nuova) is the shortest selection here, at about 3 hours. Its focus is Dante's love for Beatrice and the spiritual meaning it takes on. The Adventures of Pinocchio and The Mother are other relatively brief choices, offering puppet adventures and a conflict between love and religious duty.
Who are the great Italian authors of the Renaissance?
Lodovico Ariosto and Niccolò Machiavelli are major Italian Renaissance authors represented here. Orlando Furioso follows a knight's love and madness amid interwoven adventures, while The Prince and Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius examine rulers, republics and the preservation of power.
What kinds of writing are on this list?
The list brings together poetry, novels, fairy tales, letters, political thought and an account of exploration. Its subjects range from Dante's love for Beatrice and a Sicilian family's livelihood to enchanted encounters, the workings of republics and an ocean expedition.
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