Book Sizzle - Manchester-By-The-Sea Public Library

February 12, 2021

A Chaucer Poem Links Romance to Valentine

There were multiple St. Valentines (including decapitated ones), but it was a medieval poet who first established the holiday's romantic tradition. So how did Chaucer create the Valentine's Day we know today? In the 1370s or 1380s, he wrote a poem called "Parliament of Fowls" that contains this line: "For this was on Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird comes there to choose his mate." This was a moment in Europe when a particular set of romantic ideas took shape. Chaucer and other writers of his time celebrated romance between knights and noble ladies who could never marry-often because she was married already-creating tropes of yearning and tragic obstacles that still drive our romantic comedies today. By the 1400s, nobles inspired by Chaucer had begun writing poems known as "valentines" to their love interests. It was only at this point that stories began to appear linking Saint Valentine to romance. Time for some romance with these titles

New & Notable Titles

General Fiction Mystery Romance Science Fiction Adventure

Nonfiction Past & Present Science & Nature Lifestyles Business

Children's Picture Children's Chapter Teen Scene

Books on the Air

An overview of talked-about books and authors. This weekly update, published every Friday, provides descriptions of recent TV and radio appearances by authors and their recently released books. See the hot titles from the media this week.

This Week's Bestsellers

Lauren Fox

LAUREN FOX, who earned her M.F.A. from the University of Minnesota, is the author of the novels Days of Awe, Still Life with Husband, and Friends Like Us. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Parenting, Psychology Today, The Rumpus, and Salon. She lives in Milwaukee with her husband and two daughters. Check out her books here.

Best Books of February 2021

Courtesy of Oprah Magazine-Wrap yourself up in the month's best fiction and nonfiction reads. Check them out here

You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.-Dr. Seuss

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