Why this book has been written -- Rome -- Dante's Florence 1260 -- Gemma Donati and Beatrice Portinari -- Dante's education -- A new constitution for Florence and the Sicilian vespers -- Late teens, the dream -- A poet's apprenticeship -- The warrior who fought at Campaldino -- Death of Beatrice -- The consolation of philosophy -- The dark wood -- Dante and the painted word. Giotto at Padua -- The common tongue -- Medieval autobiography -- Dante in love with a woman in Casentino. The origins of The comedy -- Crown imperial -- Dante in love again with Beatrice -- Ravenna and Venice -- In paradisum -- Dante's afterlife.
