Manzoni, Alessandro: The Betrothed

A historical novel set in Lombardy during the wars, famine and plague of the period 1628-30. Two star-crossed lovers are tested by the political injustices of their situation, the virulence of the plague, and a life in exile, away from their homeland. First published in 1827, and now accompanied by an essay HISTORY OF THE COLUMN OF INFAMY.“The 19th-century Italian literary classic renowned for its vivid descriptions of the 1630 pestilence that gutted Milan.” —The New York Times

“Compulsory reading for Italian high school students, The Betrothed gives a historically accurate account of the bubonic plague that wiped out a quarter of Milan’s population in 1629-1631.” —Politico

“This is not just a book; it offers consolation to the whole of humanity.” —Giuseppe Verdi