Poll

This is a tough choice. I think there are 4 of the 5 I wouldn't mind reading.

Joseph wrote: "This is a tough choice. I think there are 4 of the 5 I wouldn't mind reading."

I know. I wouldn't mind reading anyone of the six. So consider us blessed! Merry Christmas.

Really hoping for Divine Comedy if anyone is on the fence. :)

I have to say, I am really, really torn. I want to read the Catechism, I need to read the Catechism, we all need to read the Catechism, if you haven’t already done so, but my love for The Divine Comedy has made this very difficult. Immersing into The Divine Comedy is near to heaven for me as it gets. I’ll wait and see and hope I’m not the deciding vote.

What happens in the event of a tie?

Joseph wrote: "What happens in the event of a tie?"

A runoff. It's happened a few times before. Also, be reminded. We changed the voting rules a few reads ago. Members with 50+ comments have a weighted 2X vote. This was to limit those who don't participate much to dictate what the frequent members read.

Oh shoot. That was an accidental vote. I just touched it. I guess Providence wants me to pick The Divine Comedy. Let’s see what happens.

Manny wrote: "Oh shoot. That was an accidental vote. I just touched it. I guess Providence wants me to pick The Divine Comedy. Let’s see what happens."

I could always vote for the Catechism, and tie it up again if you want.

Joseph wrote: "Manny wrote: "Oh shoot. That was an accidental vote. I just touched it. I guess Providence wants me to pick The Divine Comedy. Let’s see what happens."

I could always vote for the Catechism, and t..."

LOL, no vote for what your heart prefers. I really could go for either one. Thank you anyway.

Last day to vote. Where's Galicius and the other regulars? Must be the holiday week.

I'll have to make my choice. I thought tomorrow was the last day.

Joseph wrote: "I'll have to make my choice. I thought tomorrow was the last day."

You know I must have set the wrong date. It says midnight of the 31st. Ok. Let it go one more day.

So voting will go through the 1st? C'mon Divine Comedy!! I have the Mandelbaum translation, plus Reading Dante by Giuseppe Mazzotta based on his highly regarded Dante course at Yale University, if anyone is interested.

Voting ends at 11:59 tonight. It’s almost as if we inaugurate the new read with the drop of the New Years ball! LOL.

By my count Divine Comedy had three voters with over 50 comments and 5 with under for a total score of 2x3 = 6 +5 = 11.

Catechism had three voters over 50 and three under for a total score of 9.

So it will be The Divine Comedy. I'll lay out a schedule in a day or so but we'll start with Inferno.

If you're unaware there are three parts to The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradisio. More than likely you'll have to get each as individual books. If you don't own a copy already and are wondering which translation to get, you can scan here for a list of all the translations into English:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English...

When I put up a background topic, I can go through the strengths and weaknesses of the translations I'm familiar with, but if you're looking to purchase before I put up that thread, my recommendation would be (1) The Robert and Jean Hollander, (2) Anthony Esolen, or (3) Mark Musa in that order. The Hollander and Hollander (husband and wife team) is also online.

I should add, though I don't have personal experience with it, the Mandlebaum translation seems acceptable.

I can get all these translations as individual parts at my local public library.

I read all three volumes of "Divine Comedy", John D. Sinclair translation which has the original text on facing pages, a couple of years ago. It was an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. I also audited a Yale course “Dante in Translation” ITAL 310 by an Italian Professor Giuseppe Mazzotta who goes very deeply into this classic and into Dante. The course is available free online at: http://oyc.yale.edu/italian-language-.... Both the reading and the course required quite a bit of time. I will lurk in on the reading progress here but don’t think I will be repeating this so soon. Good luck with this great medieval literary milestone. I am sure it will be worth the effort.

I have Dorothy Sayers' translation of Inferno, which she translates simply as "Hell." I decided on Sayers, a Catholic novelist whose work I enjoy, for my first reading of this classic. I am very much looking forward to it. Will we be reading one book at a time? If so, how much time to we anticipate between books? I am trying to budget my purchases of Purgatory and Paradise.

John wrote: "I have Dorothy Sayers' translation of Inferno, which she translates simply as "Hell." I decided on Sayers, a Catholic novelist whose work I enjoy, for my first reading of this classic. I am very mu..."

For the other canticas John, if you haven't bought them yet you might want to try Anthony Esolen's translation. He's a very devout Catholic, has written many Catholic books and articles in the Catholic print and blogoshpere, and his translation is more up to date than Sayers.

Manny wrote: "John wrote: "I have Dorothy Sayers' translation of Inferno, which she translates simply as "Hell." I decided on Sayers, a Catholic novelist whose work I enjoy, for my first reading of this classic...."

I picked up Anthony Esolen's translation from the library.