Inferno: A Verse Translation by Allen Mandelbaum by Dante Alighieri, Barry Moser (Illustrator), Allen Mandelbaum

by Barry Moser

Genres: Classics, Poetry, Fiction, Epic, Mythology

Unknown Binding

About the author

Barry Moser (born 1940) is a renowned artist, most famous as a printmaker and illustrator of numerous works of literature.

Reviews

[Nicky's Chickies]

Is it hot? Yes. Buzzy? Absolutely. Is everyone talking about it on TikTok? I don't think we even have to ask.

[Venus]

Have to admit it was quite a bit hard to read, it took me about three years to finally complete the whole book and I can say that I was both impressed and also taken aback as to how the imagery was portrayed by Dante himself.

The characters were diverse, the writing style was also diverse. The way Dante spoke about the characters such as his ancestors, his past family members that have passed away, different people in politics and people in power. It was direct.

In another time, and in another life, I would most probably read it once more.

[hannah]

for my itas 263 class!

[Daphne]

Oh Dante, what a mischievous man you are. A beautiful piece of work. His mind…

[Anna Wheeler]

(4.5) andddd now i need to read the other 2

[Razzle]

Honestly wackier than I was expecting. Some very evocative portions, and many parts where I could barely imagine what was going on (need a terrible diagram of some cantos). Mostly seemed like an excuse to talk smack about a lot of people Dante didn't like?

Dante did seem to really like frogs, though, so that's a point in his favor.

[Abel Salau]

Sweet lord, this man is was so well read. Each section probably deserves its own video essay. I’ll have to read it again after some time just to understand the many references but even with some shallow knowledge of general religion, history and politics it’s such an enjoyable and insightful read.

[Patrick Conner]

Inferno: A Verse Translation by Allen Mandelbaum presents Dante Alighieri's foundational epic in an English verse translation accompanied by the visual interpretation of illustrator Barry Moser. This edition offers readers an opportunity to encounter one of the central works of Western literature through Mandelbaum's carefully constructed poetic rendering.

The translation is particularly notable for preserving the poem's verse character rather than presenting Dante solely as prose. Mandelbaum's approach uses English poetic meter to engage with the structure and musical qualities of Dante's original, while the edition also provides introductory and supporting material that can help readers enter the intellectual and cultural world surrounding the poem.

Dante's journey through the circles of Hell remains one of literature's most enduring imaginative frameworks. The work combines poetry, mythology, theology, philosophy, politics, morality, and vivid encounters with historical and fictional figures, creating a text that continues to invite interpretation from different literary and academic perspectives.

Barry Moser's illustrations add another dimension to the edition. His drawings provide a visual response to Dante's dark imaginative landscape, complementing Mandelbaum's translation and giving readers another way to engage with the poem's powerful imagery and atmosphere.

With a Goodreads rating of 4.26 from 120 ratings and 18 reviews for the edition provided, Inferno has a strong foundation among its existing readers. Its combination of Dante's enduring literary importance, Mandelbaum's verse translation, and Moser's artwork creates opportunities for continued discovery among classics readers, poetry audiences, students, educators, scholars, and readers interested in medieval literature and mythology.

[ebag]

reread..

okay funniest story i was reading the last canto today in a cafe and my ex ran in bruh what the fuck i headed out instantly 😭 truly i was in hell thank you for the immersive experience i guess. maybe dante did it to add some 4d element.

[Amy Beckhusen]

"it was from there that we merged, to see -- once more -- the stars " ❤️🙏

[Natalie Duvall]

Worst book I’ve read all summer. Overrated. Medieval Italian Mean Girls Burn Book.

[Rory]

I don't know I think this guy is just nuts. Dante you absolute madlad what the hell is wrong with you?

[Eli Buchdahl]

Favorite Cantos: 3-5, 7, 13, 15, 28-29, 33-34

[Miles Katz]

I don't think I gleaned everything from this book yet but it was very cool to read. I probably need more time with it for a better rating

[Jacqueline]

Medieval Italian Nationalism wearing a Catholic trench coat

[Vera Saidel]

This and the Aeneid are like two of the most influential works of fanfiction everrrrr

[Nicolas Duran]

Poorly translated, I believe. I don't remember it well at all

[Anna]

Classic for a reason. Important foundational piece of literature to understand. It will affect how you see the world and absorb information in a way that we should all experience

[Xanarf]

“Oh you think I’m annoying? Well I actually went to hell and I saw your mom getting f***ed by all the demons and then I wrote a book about it and its gonna become one of the foundation western texts that everyone in the future reads and now generations to come will know that your mother gets f***ed by all the demons in hell forever.”

- Dante Alighieri