To Hell & Back with Dante: A Modern Reader's Guide to the Divine Comedy

by Joseph Gallagher, John Freccero (Foreword)

A modern readers guide to The Divine Comedy.

Genres: Reference, Poetry

226 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1996

Reviews

[Chad]

This book was an invaluable guide to me as I journeyed with Dante from the Inferno to Purgatory to Paradise. If you are new to the Divine Comedy, as I am, then this brief but densely packed guide to the work is just what is needed. The author devotes about two or three pages to every Canto. He is easy to read, informative, and funny as well.

[Caroline Sol (Drinks & Livros)]

Esse livro esmiuça a Divina Comédia capítulo a capítulo, explicando cada trecho, cada referencia, cada contexto histórico. Sem ele a minha experiência teria sido muito mais pobre, certamente.

[Mike Angelillo]

As a first time reader of the Divine Comedy, I found this book to do a very solid job of putting all the things Dante talks about in context. I would have liked a chapter or two on Dante himself and the history of Florence at the time, but that is really nitpicking.

As an additional item of interest, my family name is mentioned in warning during canto 28 of the Inferno as potentially ending up in the 8th circle of hell if we do not mend our ways.

So at least I have that going for me...

[Debra Dombrowski]

A FABULOUS companion to TDC.

[Ryan]

Went slow with a passage or two a week but it was a nice, easy, understandable read of the cantos.

I would highly recommend this for first time readers of Dante or Re-Reads.

I think this is the 4th read through of the Comedy in my life in one form or another and you always learn more, this guide is not an exception. It was packed with insight!

[s :)]

summarizes the original work well, but it does it in an incredibly boring way. I couldn't get through more than 20 pages in a single sitting

[LemontreeLime]

Good helper text when navigating the commedia.

[Yago Sampaio]

As Virgil, this book was a faithful guide in helping me to start understanding the Divine Comedy. It was a great journey!

[Terry]

Essential.

[Michael]

I read the section on the Inferno only.

[Brenda Brown]

Good synopsis of each canto. Helpful to read before reading translations.

[Tim]

Offers an academic overview to the entire Divine Comedy, much better than a glorified Cliff Notes.