Dante Alighieri - Dante in Love

Jeremy Catto, Katherine Duncan-Jones, Barbara Reynolds, Aidan Nichols OP, Gerald Peacocke, Alessandro Gallenzi and Matthew Sturgis all read the book at various stages of composition and helped enormously with their expertise. J. C. Smith gave helpful advice about the origins of the Romance tongues. Grateful thanks too to Matthew Sturgis and Rebecca Hossack for conversations about Dante in Italy and in London. Thanks too to Jinny and Robin White who, together with Iona, Honor and Romilly, entertained us so royally in Tuscany. Like the peasants observed by Dante, we sat and watched the fireflies in the hill-country he knew so well. At a late stage, I was lucky enough to acquire Georgina Capel as my agent, and a Vita Nuova began. She it was who introduced me to Atlantic Books: and the enthusiasm of Anthony Cheetham, Toby Mundy and the team has been enormously encouraging. Especial thanks to Orlando Whitfield who helped in so many ways, and to Margaret Stead, the best editor I have ever encountered, whose literary intelligence, sharp eye, patience and accuracy put me forever in her debt. Tamsin Shelton has been a stimulating andconscientious copy-editor. All those named will undoubtedly be encountered if I ever reach Paradise, and before that dawning, they have made the experience of writing about Dante, discussing Dante, and knocking a book about Dante into shape a foretaste of Heaven.