Dante

Dante lived back in the 13th and 14th centuries. There are not many sources still remaining from back then. However, his Divine Comedy was semi-autobiographical, and provides one of the best sources for his life. R.W.B. Lewis's Dante biography attempts to paint a picture of the Florence where Dante grew up (though he was later banished.) However, the paucity of details leads to a rather dry, academic narrative. The last third is a cursory discussion of the Divine Comedy, with attempts to explain why Dante felt the way about certain people. Maybe after reading the Divine Comedy itself, it would be easier to understand.