Description
Book SynopsisComposed while its author was imprisoned, this book remains one of Western literature’s most eloquent meditations on the transitory nature of earthly belongings, and the superiority of things of the mind. Slavitt’s translation captures Boethius’s energy and passion. Seth Lerer places Boethius’s life and achievement in context in his introduction.
Trade ReviewThis is a sensitive and readable translation, whose poetic merits place it beyond other translations of Boethius's great text. -- Henry Taylor
A remarkable translation of one of the great masterpieces of philosophical literature. -- Gail Holst-Warhaft, Cornell University
A springboard for personal reflection and a source of literate pleasure. -- Steven Chabot * Library Journal *
It's a remarkable book (though a short one), and its latest edition, rendered into fluid, compellingly immediate English by veteran translator David R. Slavitt, is very markedly the best one it's ever had...Slavitt presents the reader with Boethius brought to vibrant, vigorous life, to a degree that makes all previous English versions seem pedantic and irrelevant. Harvard University Press has crafted a physically beautiful volume, sturdy and small enough to fit in your pocket--an extremely fitting format for a book that's meant to be a comfort against life's ills. Reading this edition, even readers who've never encountered Boethius before will see at once why his book has meant so much to so many people for the last 1,500 years. -- Steve Donoghue * openlettersmonthly.com *
This is a beautifully made little book that I have taken with me on a number of trips, partly just for the pleasure of holding it. At any time I would be glad to have it. -- John Wilson * Books and Culture *
Table of Contents* Acknowledgments * Introduction by Seth Lerer * Book I * Book II * Book III * Book IV * Book V
