The Divine Comedy (Oxford World's Classics)

I purchased this version pursuant to a group reading of the Divine Comedy with someFriends. The prose is modern enough to where this version reads smoothly but does not sacrifice the original text. Also from a scholar perspective, the Introduction and End Notes by David Higgins are excellent! My friends had the Penguin Classics edition and said the notes and text of the Oxford version is better overall

This book is a classic of medieval literature. It demonstrates European thought during the 13th century, and also demonstrates a timeless human perspective. Dante was well read in the science of his time, the great literature, the metaphysics of his day, and all this reflects in his work. This translation is great! I found myself passing through the circles of hell, up a mountain on my way to paradise, and engulfed in a great light, all with great enjoyment, and even with a reverence. It took me one month to finish it, but I finished a few other books during that month as well. I recommend this as an essential book for anyone wanting to round out their soul.

Definitely worth the read more people should know about this seminal work and its lasting impact on global literature.

The book is a bit bulky as a paperback, with a third of the bulk being footnotes and extraneous writings. Why not go ahead and include etchings, too? I don't need that. I already have the books in separate with all the historical info I need, and if I hadn't, I have the library within a few minutes drive. I was looking for a compact version of the trilogy to carry around (I don't know why) or keep beside my bed. Anyway, the translation compared to others I've leafed through is superb. No nonsense and very straight-forward, but at the same time betraying a certain depth. You can choose to read between the lines or not. The translation warrants a 5-star rating, but the book's fuction as a paperback brings that rating down.

The text is beautifully translated. Read it aloud.The "Commentary and Notes" provide depth and perspective to the work that could, otherwise, be read without understanding or appreciation.

It is good because it has all three, -- Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, in one book; it has lots of margins to write your own comments; and the paper quality is good. (though not as high as Japanese paperbacks, which are quite thin, but tough). All middle and higher school students should buy this book. I recommend paper than electronic form for classic books like this, to feel the volume of the writing in your hands, and absorb the contents to make it your own book by writing your memos in margins, sticking flags, coloring it, and such. Consume it. Eat it to its bone, kids!

Fantastic book. I'm retired and have returned to school majoring in Creative Writing. This book is a ”good read” for anyone, but for a student of English and Literature, it's a ”must read.”

Translation is indeed “pleasantly plain”, paper and print quality is also great