[Trono]

Originally Posted by Format C:

My nomination is Alessandro Manzoni's the Betrothed.
I'm fairly sure it's PD everywhere.

Summary here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bet...(Manzoni_novel)

There have been lots of translations, but I cannot find one in Gutenberg.
It's on the kindle, though:

http://www.amazon.com/Harvard-Classi.../dp/B000SP5JLM

I'll second Alessandro Manzoni's The Betrothed

The Betrothed was inspired by Walter Scott's Ivanhoe and was the first Italian historical novel. It deals with a variety of themes, from the cowardly, hypocritical nature of a priest (Don Abbondio) and the heroic sainthood of others (Padre Cristoforo, Federico Borromeo), to the unwavering strength of love (the relationship between Renzo and Lucia and the struggle of these betrothed to finally meet again and get married), and offers some keen insights into the meanderings of the human mind.