Admired for the poetical heights of his <i>Canti</i>, the gentle wit of his prose dialogues and the soul-searching questionings of his <i>Zibaldone</i> (<i>Notebooks</i>), Leopardi was also an acute social commentator and a sharp dissector of the human mind.<i>Thoughts</i> ¿ a collection of philosophical and critical observations put together for publication by Leopardi himself shortly before his death in 1837 ¿ shows a more light-hearted side to Leopardi¿s personality, and offers both those who are familiar with and those who are new to his works a fresh insight into the thought processes and the worldview of Italy¿s last great polymath.