Past Perfect: Into the Etruscan Depths

A keen interest in history and archaeology has inspired great writers to experiment with the genre of the travelogue. Past Perfect presents the experiences of two millenia of writers in their travels around the western world. When D.H. Lawrence traveled to Italy in 1927 to visit the Etruscan tombs, he had only a few years left to live, his deteriorating lungs ravaged by tuberculosis. But upon descending into those dark underground tombs, Lawrence instantly became enchanted with their resplendent scenes depicting the afterlife and colorful representations of feasting, drinking and merriment. Lawrence recorded his impressions in Etruscan Places, published […]