Review:There have been several excellent translations of Dante in the past few years, all worth reading in their own right. But I retain a special affection for John Ciardi's version, as it's the first one I ever read, at the unprepared & overwhelmed age of 15. I knew of its reputation as a major classic & I was ignorant enough to be unfazed by the prospect of reading it.

Well, to say that I was soon in over my head is an understatement! But Ciardi's fine, lyrical translation, as well as... Read more

Review:Navigation is entirely broken. Several links are missing, many of the existing ones point to the wrong cantos, and even the overall organization is wrong (you begin in Paradise and end in Inferno!). I couldn’t even check the contents, nor will I keep trying anymore. I’m removing this from my digital library altogether. Read more

Review:This book violates one of my primary pet peeves: It claims to be a commentary yet gives little to no help with grammar and syntax. I am sure there are many valuable insights to be had here, but in a text largely aimed at students, there should be much more help offered for translating the text. Only then will the student be able to appreciate any additional insight offered. Read more