Aretino's Dialogues

"Pietro Aretino (1492-1556) was one of the most important figures in Italian Renaissance literature, and certainly the most controversial. Condemned by some as a pornographer, his infamy was due largely to the sexual explicitness and the vulgar language that characterized much of his work." "The Dialogues begins with a conversation between two frank, experienced, and sharp-tongued women on the topic of women's occupational choices in Renaissance Italy: namely those of wife, whore, and nun. Their discussion expands into a rollicking account of the advantages, perils, and pleasures each profession offers." "Not only was this the first erotic book in the Christian world to be written in everyday language, it was one of the few to describe the earthier aspects of love and sex, and is thus a cornerstone of both Italian literature and Counter-Renaissance vigour. This edition features Raymond Rosenthal's acclaimed 1971 English translation and original preface as well as a new introduction by Margaret Rosethal. Also included is Alberto Moravia's review of the 1971 edition that appeared in the New York Times Book Review."--BOOK JACKET.