My Secret Book

Written by one of the greatest poets of all time, My Secret Book, now in its first English translation, is a profound and deeply personal account of inner suffering and mental anguish. Deeply troubled by his struggle--and failure--to achieve spiritual perfection, Petrarch, considered the forefather of Italian humanism, sought catharsis in the writing of a "secret book.” Only here could he pour out his innermost thoughts, frustrations, and desires. Written in the form of a dialogue between himself and St. Augustine, the book wrestles with the universal themes of suffering, desire, fear, and joy. The result is a rare insight into Petrarch’s life and thought and a remarkable early example of self-revelation and autobiography.