The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer

Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, between 1387 and 1400,as a series of stories told by a group of thirty people who travel as pilgrims to Canterbury. The pilgrims come from every part of society, tell each other tales to pass the time while they travel, offering romance, farce, philosophy, religion and satirein a ribald reflection of humankind. FLAME TREE's Great Works That Shape Our World is a new series of definitive books drawing on ancient, medieval and modern writing. Offering a fund of essential knowledge, and spell-binding stories it satisfies every facet of human interest: scientific, philosophical, sociological, romantic, dramatic and mysterious. From the ancient wisdom of the Mahabharata to the curious power of Don Quixote, Boccaccio's Decameron and Melville's classic Moby Dick, from the scientific wonders of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein to the great thinkers of Western and Asian philosophy. Created to entertain, inform and enrich the new series brings infinite variety to refresh the mind, presented in beautiful editions for the modern market. Each book features a new, accessible introduction placing the book in context both as part of the new series, and its special contribution to the advancement of human understanding. New Introductions specially written for these editions examine the significance of each work, their impact at time of publication, and their influence today. AUTHOR: Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343-1400), born in London, England, is often considered the greatest English poet of the middle ages and the 'father of English literature'. Throughout his life, Chaucer maintained a successful career in the civil service, including roles as a noblewoman's page, a courtier and a diplomat, and later achieved fame for his extensive body of poetry and philosophy. Perhaps the best known of these is his unfinished work The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories told by 24 fictional pilgrims in a story-telling competition as they journey to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket. SELLING POINTS: New series featuring the greatest works of fiction, science, philosophy and sociology. Foiled, embossed cover, printed on silver paper, matt laminated. Specially written introductions contextualise the book. New deluxe series.