'The Ring and the Book' has its origins in an 'old yellow book' purchased on impulse by Robert Browning from a Florentine stall-holder in June 1860 and revolving around the trial of Count Guido Franceschini qua the murderer of his young wife, a conjugal deserter escorted by a gallant cleric, and her ageing parents.The celebrated Victorian poet makes skilful use of 12 dramatic monologues to tackle topics such as social climbing, mendacity, psychical splitting, crime and punishment, not to mention religious perplexities of the first rank. In sum, a tour de force, and no mistake!