Why people recommend it
The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni is a celebrated historical romance and Italian literary classic set against the backdrop of seventeenth-century Lombardy during Spanish rule. On the podcast The Book Review in an episode titled The Time Loop Book Series You Should Be Reading released on April 17, 2026, Joumana Khatib discussed the novel. During the segment, Khatib shared that she had recently finished reading the Italian classic, which is known in its original language as I Promessi Sposi by Alessandro Manzoni. She expressed great admiration for the narrative and specifically praised the quality of the English edition, highlighting it as a lovely translation. Khatib drew special attention to the work of Michael F. Moore, commending his skill as a translator bringing Italian literature to English-speaking audiences. Her recommendation emphasized both the timeless literary merit of Manzoni's original text and the vital role of the translator in making such classic European storytelling accessible and engaging for contemporary readers looking to explore significant historical works from diverse literary traditions.
Who recommended it
- Joumana Khatib Recommended
Joumana Khatib — 1 mention
“But I did just finish an Italian classic that I really liked. Um it's called The Betrothed in English. Uh in Italian, it's uh I Promessi Sposi by Alessandro Manzoni... But it's also just a lovely translation. Um that's translated by Michael F. Moore, whose translations from Italian into English I highly recommend.”