An extraordinary new verse translation of Dante’s masterpiece, by poet, scholar, and lauded translator Anthony Esolen
Of the great poets,... read full description
Of the great poets,... read full description
reviews
Oct 28, 2007
Paul
rated it: 
...back in yore of days Cal & me used to wax/wank about doin' a modern vernacular translastion of Eliot's "Waste Land" which would render the famous passage
To Carthage then I came
burning burning burning
as
den I wen' to da big city an'
BOY'D I WANNA GET LAID
BOY'D I WANNA GET LAID
After only 20 or so years someone has beaten us to the schtick at least as far as The Comedia is concerned. Sandow Birk and Marcus Sanders have don More...
To Carthage then I came
burning burning burning
as
den I wen' to da big city an'
BOY'D I WANNA GET LAID
BOY'D I WANNA GET LAID
After only 20 or so years someone has beaten us to the schtick at least as far as The Comedia is concerned. Sandow Birk and Marcus Sanders have don More...
Jun 05, 2007
Nana
rated it: 
i gave this version of the inferno such a high rating soley for the artwork. it's really stunning, in my opinion. the text itself was culled from various editions and translations of the inferno, and then modernized to incorporate current powerful figures, modern lingo, &c..., and it's interesting, but there's probably more to be had from closer translations. but the imagery is really beautiful--i spent more time looking at the art than reading the text (which was bad because i was supposed to b
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Jun 15, 2007
Ann
rated it:
This is a fascinating volume, as it modernizes Dante's well-known classics not only with great illustrations of contemporary America, but also with a much more contemporary translation. While it does, of course, take some liberties with the translation, I like this volume because it really shows why this book is a classic- it endures because it is still applicable today, despite Dante's constant references to 13th century Florentine religion and politics.
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Oct 13, 2007
Julie
rated it: 
Dante's political enemies, righteous heathens, all of them have Hell as their final address. Dante talks to many of them, and they tell him their stories. I liked the new images of Hell at every level that the characters traveled. If he is right about his poetic vision of the netherworld, most of us will be there in one circle or another, with medieval Florentines all around us.
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(1 person liked it)
Nov 18, 2008
Mike
rated it: 
Yeah.....sorry, just not working for me.
Ok, this is a brave endeavor to undertake. Re-writing (and re-drawing) what is considered the greatest work written in the Western World.
But for me it just fell flat. It read like a combination of the Divine Comedy and "Hey Dude! Where's my car?!" It simply makes no sense to have a modern day "cool" Dante talking passionately about 1300's Italian politics.
Also, on some level you have to respect More...
Ok, this is a brave endeavor to undertake. Re-writing (and re-drawing) what is considered the greatest work written in the Western World.
But for me it just fell flat. It read like a combination of the Divine Comedy and "Hey Dude! Where's my car?!" It simply makes no sense to have a modern day "cool" Dante talking passionately about 1300's Italian politics.
Also, on some level you have to respect More...
Jun 05, 2008
Ian
rated it:
I've read a lot of Inferno translations, and while this is far from my favorite, it does have some advantages that other translations would never be able to touch.
First off, it was put together by two surfers from LA, one a writer from various surfer periodicals, and one a visual artist. The Gustave Dore wood etchings are all parodied in a comic book style, most to an interesting effect, so that instead of being situated in hell per se, the characters are put in different locations i More...
First off, it was put together by two surfers from LA, one a writer from various surfer periodicals, and one a visual artist. The Gustave Dore wood etchings are all parodied in a comic book style, most to an interesting effect, so that instead of being situated in hell per se, the characters are put in different locations i More...
Jun 04, 2009
heather
rated it:
This is really a book for those who have already read the Divine Comedy. In fact, reading this translation along with a more traditional one helps a lot--especially if you're not familiar with it. A huge part of what makes it enjoyable is seeing how Sanders brings Dante's rants against his contemporaries into 'our' time (and not just by including modern slang or dropping Oprah's name).
And, yes, the illustrations are phenomenal.
And, yes, the illustrations are phenomenal.
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Jan 09, 2010
J. Argyl
rated it:
I became interested in this project when I found this book on the shelves of a woman I was dating. When I saw it in a bookstore a year or more later I decided to pick up all three volumes and read them. Unfortunately I didn't care much for the translation but the illustrations are amazing. I love the concept and wish I could afford to have the real prints. They are magnificently original.
May 28, 2011
Patrick
rated it:
five stars! a beautifully written book! join dante and his guide virgil as they venture through the black gates and through the abyss. to fully appreciate and understand heaven, one must first go through hell.
abandon all hope, ye who enter in.
abandon all hope, ye who enter in.
Jul 18, 2009
Heather
rated it: 
This book contains modern illustrations and a slang version of the text of The Inferno. Now, the cover and the illustrations are phenomenal, but I expected the text to go with the drawings a LOT more...
I think for a true modern rendition, one would have to adapt the text and topics to a large extent, and make areas of hell correspond to things like being forced to eat McD's for eternity, or being repeatedly run over by trains, or have drug-related tragedies.
Still an int More...
I think for a true modern rendition, one would have to adapt the text and topics to a large extent, and make areas of hell correspond to things like being forced to eat McD's for eternity, or being repeatedly run over by trains, or have drug-related tragedies.
Still an int More...
Nov 19, 2008
Kahea
rated it:
Before I started reading, I assumed I wouldn't like it because I haven't really enjoyed any of the classic literature that I've read so far. Not that I've read a lot of the classics, anyway. But I actually liked this :)
Mar 31, 2010
Kenn
rated it:
Adaptation of Dante's Inferno. Overall a pretty good read compare to the original. A lot of references to Florentines in the era when the book was written, which makes it somewhat hard to relate.
Aug 19, 2011
Colleen
rated it:
Not sure if this was the version I attempted read or not. I give this book a lower rating because I found myself too depressed while reading it to finish it.
Sep 13, 2010
Just finished teaching it for the second time. Amazed at how much more I gleamed from it. Love it.
Oct 20, 2010
Paty
rated it:
I don't even know what made me read this book. Torturous, boring, and really long. Never again.
Dec 14, 2008
Alicia
rated it:
So far an awesome and creative perspective of hell and who goes to hell for what reasons.
Jul 28, 2011
Just started it, need to read a book before school starts back up in 2 weeks :x
Sep 07, 2011
Mieczyslaw
rated it:
I love the Sanders translation of Dante (though compilation and interpretation may be a better term to use). The illustrations of Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York (standing in for a contemporary Heaven, Hell and Purgatory) with their homage to Dore's illustrations of the Divine Comedy act as a perfect foil to the use of street language and surfer talk running through the books. I believe these "translations and illustrations deserve to become a modern classic! The opening "I fou
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Oct 02, 2010
This was a very interesting novel and I wish I had read it back in High School.
Aug 20, 2008
Anne
rated it:
This is very cool in concept and very pretty. It's an extremely modern, loose translation of Dante... It's very approachable: kept all the lovely gory bits, but lost most of the deeper poetic meaning bits. One of the main reasons to check out this version is the fascinating woodcuts by Shadow Birk. They're done in the style of the original Inferno illustrations (Gustave Dore in the 1800s), parodying modern life and culture. It's a great re-envisioning of the text. My inner scholar gets a little
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Feb 08, 2012
Kaitlin
rated it:
Has to be one of the coolest adaptations of a classic of all time. (Instead of seeing all these ancient philosophers/politicians people may or may not have heard of in the journey through hell, it's modern day people--or at least, more modern day, because if I recall correctly, not everyone was within the last hundred years or so. But people anyone would've heard of.) And the illustrations are beautiful. I already love the original, but I feel like this would make me want to read it even if I
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Apr 27, 2008
Daniel
rated it:
This book was really creepy and i found the punishment to be really vivid and gross. I dont recommend it to others although it does "straighten" bad boys up by telling them what happens when they go to "hell." But although this is just one person's view of hell you never know what it would be like. I dont recommend this book to anyone thats really young because you must be mature because of the contents in the book.
Apr 13, 2008
Jake
rated it:
ok so this book im reading is totaly insane. its this journey threw hell. within this journy Dante travels with his comanion virgal threw 9 circles of hell. limbo, the lustful, the gluttonous, cheapskates, Anger, heresy, Violence, the maleboge, and cirle 9 the frozen lake (cocytus) and the satin. i've onley gotten to cheapskates but the journey is awsome.
Feb 26, 2008
David
rated it:
This book was quite long in fact it was quite confusing if you don't read it very carefully. Some of the Canto's(Chapters or so) are just confusing. I couldn't quite make it out but after a long time of reading it i did. This book seem so horrifying and if your a person that go against humanism, I recommend this book to you.
Nov 26, 2011
Rick
rated it:
Read this along with an original edition of the Divine Comedy ,and found it extremely enjoyable .It offered a modern concept to the story. Highly recommend this technique!
Oct 14, 2007
Arsenio
rated it:
As usual, Sandow Birk's artwork is compelling, memorable and thought-provoking. This time, however, he's got (an adaptation of) Dante Alighieri's text to fall back on, instead of his own attempts at writing -- which definitely makes this a better "read" that his other books.
