Arena

Excellent, but in ways I hadn't expected. I was hoping for insight into Donne's poetry, but there is precious little of that. Instead I learned so much about Donne the man, in all his complexity, and learned even more about late 16th and early 17th century England: the power and influence of the Crown, Church and Court; the system of patronage and code of conduct supporting those institutions; the extreme patriarchal nature of society; and, not least, the tenuous hold on life itself for so many, and for women and children in particular through the rigours of childbirth and infancy. All of this the author integrates seamlessly into a compelling narrative that is a joy to read. Highly recommended.