Petrarch's Secret; or, the Soul's Conflict with Passion Three Dialogues Between Himself and S. Augustine

"Petrarch's Secret; or, the Soul's Conflict with Passion" by Francesco Petrarca, is a conversation driven exploration of what makes us human. Told through a series of talks between Petrarch himself and Saint Augustine, the story looks closely at what we want versus what we need, and the battles we face inside ourselves. The story kicks off with Augustine pushing Petrarch to think about how short life is and to realize that chasing things that don't last won't make him happy. As they talk, Petrarch opens up about his struggles and his longing to be free from his problems, while Augustine uses tricky questions to try and get him to see the truth. This sets the stage for a deeper look at fighting between what the world offers and trying to find real meaning, touching on themes of self reflection and needing to do what's right.