2002 - PB Nice clean condition "Probably the most finely accomplished and ... most enduring" translation (Los Angeles Times Book Review) of this essential work of world literature-from a renowned scholar and master teacher of Dante and an accomplished poet. "The Hollanders ... act as latter-day Virgils, guiding us through the Italian text that is printed on the facing page." -The Economist The epic grandeur of Dante's masterpiece has inspired readers for 700 years, and has entered the human imagination. But the further we move from the late medieval world of Dante, the more a rich understanding and enjoyment of the poem depends on knowledgeable guidance. Robert Hollander and Jean Hollander have written a beautifully accurate and clear verse translation of the first volume of Dante's epic poem, the Divine Comedy. Featuring the original Italian text opposite the translation, this edition also offers an extensive and accessible introduction and generous commentaries that draw on centuries of scholarship as well as Robert Hollander's own decades of teaching and research. The Hollander translation is the new standard in English of this essential work.
From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "A book that feels like it ascends our 5-star rating system. Simply brilliant. Can't imagine our world without this text."; "The notes and diagrams are excellent and not overwhelming. Very helpful for giving more context to all the images and persons Dante encounters."; "Although the language makes it a little tough to get through, the descriptions of each of the circles of hell are quite interesting. The punishments are tragically poetic and fitting for the sin. It's also interesting to see which sins Dante deems greater or more severe than others when modern times, different religions, and different beliefs change that structure today."