Geoffrey Chaucer was born in London in about 1342, and is known as 'the father of English Literature'. He rose in royal employment to become a knight of the shire for Kent and a justice of the peace, and was well-read in several languages and on many topics, such as astronomy, medicine, physics and alchemy. His works include The Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde and The Parliament of Fowles. He died in 1400 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

“A delight . . . [Raffel’s translation] provides more opportunities to savor the counterpoint of Chaucer’s earthy humor against passages of piercingly beautiful lyric poetry.”—Kirkus Reviews“Masterly . . . This new translation beckons us to make our own pilgrimage back to the very wellsprings of literature in our language.” —Billy Collins“The Canterbury Tales has remained popular for seven centuries. It is the most approachable masterpiece of the medieval world, and Mr. Raffel’s translation makes the stories even more inviting.”—Wall Street Journal