The Inferno

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Summary: the inferno reigns
Review: This book was my constant companion through humanities studies. The notes are clear and concise without being abstract, and having the Italian to English page by page gave the flavor of the original verses while rendering the translation nearly as graceful. For anyone wanting to take a trip to hell and back with Dante, this version provides plenty of contemporary signposts along the way.

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Summary: really interesting book
Review: i had to read this for english class, and i thought it was really good. the notes after each canto (chapter) are unbelievably useful in understanding the poem. the poem itself is of course amazing. i like it better than shakespeare.

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Summary: Excellent translation
Review: Listen, of course the work is incredible... it is one of the top works of epic poetry ever, with vivid imagery, deft technique, deep symbolism, and some harrowing scenes. In addition, it is one of the absolutely crucial works in the historical development of serious writing in colloquial language (italian in this case of course), the important mixing of pagan and Christian doctrines, and just plain fun to read. However, the point here is also to judge the translation. In short, there is none better than John Ciardi's! Ciardi manages to keep the terza rima, the meter, and best yet.. the actual power of the words in his brilliant translation. There are other good ones, like the old Carlyle-Okey-Wicksteed translation, but with "thees" and "thous" everywhere, it doesn't quite capture the feel of modern day colloquial rendering, one of the points of the work, but worth checking out nevertheless. Want to compare, just read the first page of several translations and you will see how great Ciardi's is!

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Summary: One of the best Christian allegories ever written.
Review: A thrilling journey in to the dark underworld, The Inferno is also a gripping intellectual manuscript, that requires you to contemplate everything from religion to politics. After you read the Inferno you will never look at religion the same way. While you're buying th Inferno do yourself a favor and get Purgatorio and Paradiso to complete the journey.

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Summary: Dante provides a vivid description of hell.
Review: An ancient masterpiece, yet the divisions of hell are repetitive and reading this classic as a high school student was slightly boring.

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Summary: THE DARK-PRINCE of POETRY, RETURNS
Review: Ever since my Mentor suggested to read Dante's Divine Comedy, it has remain as the basis of my emotions and philosophic/theological feelings, Dante's Inferno ranks among the greatest of world literature. I have praised it not only as radiant and magnificent poetry, but also for its wisdom and scholarly learning. Ciardi's definitive translation shall and will bring most of the brilliance of this classic into light. I highly recommend Ciardi's translation for scholars, students, professors, and Dantean readers.

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Summary: Makes you look deep inside yourself
Review: This book is a gem. It captures much of the human emotion and helps you understand the real world and the spiritual world. Reading this book will make you reluctant to sin, for fear of the consequences, even in the eyes of a 15-year old. It makes you delve into yourself and ask the question, "Am I worthy?" Ciardi's translation is excellent, it actually rhymed. Dante's explicit details of the Circles of Hell was riveting, but like most authors, he can overdo it just a little. I recommend this book to everyone.

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Summary: Excellent Treatment of a Classic
Review: Lindskoog does an excellent job with the translation and analysis of this book. This would be an excellent version of The Inferno for anyone not familiar with Dante's prolific use of analogy and historical reference. I recommend this version with my full confidence that any reader will find it enjoyable and informative.

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Summary: MJ's Review of Dante's Inferno
Review: This book has made me, once again, appreciate one who can shape and mold any language into such excquisite detail that I feel like I'm personally witnessing Dante's journey, and everytime I put the book down, I have to absorb all that I have read. I don't know why people are saying that this is difficult to comprehend, I comprehend it just fine. For years I've wanted to read this book, and now that I have, I wish I'd read it sooner, it's so full of little theories, I can read one chapter and spend days just pondering exactly how each section fits into the whole picture. I recommend this book to anyone who has a taste for theology, but has an open mind, enough to let Dante's story to be fully absorbed without bias.

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Summary: A detailed depiction
Review: This book is best read with Gustave Dore's paintings to accompany the different cantos. Dante's vision of hell should not be taken literally however, unless you are a fundamentalist. His imagination is wonderfull, and his poetry is beautiful.