Conversations on Dante is a series of podcast episodes from the Leeds Centre for Dante Studies at the University of Leeds. In each episode, we sit down with researchers from a range of disciplines to discuss some of the work which is helping to shape our understanding of Dante, his context and works, and his place in the cultures of the world.

In this episode, hosted by Matthew Treherne, Joseph Luzzi discusses his book In A Dark Wood: What Dante Taught Me About Grief, Healing and the Mysteries of Love (Harper Collins, 2015) (https://josephluzzi.com/book/in-a-dark-wood/). The conversation covers how Joe arrived at this genre of writing - part memoir, part literary criticism - as well as how the process of writing the book helped him think anew about Dante, including notions of exile. We also discussed the ways in which in the current world - marked by the Covid-19 pandemic - the lessons of Dante, and the experience of reading, are emerging with renewed force. 

Joseph Luzzi is Professor of Comparative Literature and Faculty Member in Italian Studies at Bard College. For more information on his work, please visit  https://josephluzzi.com/.

The episode was edited by Olivia Jowle.