Reviews
"The prose translation, carefully arranged on the page to correspond to the format of the Italian verses, follows the original very closely, and is exceptionally successful in conveying the texture of Dante's poem. The introduction is valuable in its own right; the notes, many of them briefessays, promote the reader's active engagement in the quest for meaning, opening up the text with a treasure of "'formation and interpretation."--Sara Sturm-Maddox, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, "A joy to read. The Introduction offers a wealth of information on the poet's life and times, and the way these helped to shape Dante's poetic masterpiece. Durling's prose translation is trenchant, going straight to the heart of the Italian text on the facing page. In their notes, Durling andMartinez provide the reader with a wealth of essential explanations and critical insights, quite unparalleled in English. For generations to come, this will be the Dante student's 'bible'."--John A. Scott, Professor of Italian, School of European Languages, University of Western Australia, "This new edition of Inferno is distinctly user-friendly....Seriousstudents--in or out of the classroom--who...examine the original poem alongsidea readable and reliable prose translation will find this edition excellentlysuited to their needs."--The Christian Science Monitor, "'Long study and great love'...have conditioned Durling's and Martinez' new Inferno translation and commentary, with the splendid results that only sustained scholarly work and exceptional dedication can bring. The volume is not only impressive in content--an elegant, accurate, and highlyreadable prose rendering of Dante's verse, clear and concise notes, useful illustrative maps and figures, rich commentary on central issues, a bibliography thoughtfully put together from the best of Italian and American Dante criticism--it is also a materially beautiful book whose typography anddesign are a genuine artistic contribution."--Rebecca West, University of Chicago, "A joy to read. The Introduction offers a wealth of information on thepoet's life and times, and the way these helped to shape Dante's poeticmasterpiece. Durling's prose translation is trenchant, going straight to theheart of the Italian text on the facing page. In their notes, Durling andMartinez provide the reader with a wealth of essential explanations and criticalinsights, quite unparalleled in English. For generations to come, this will bethe Dante student's 'bible'."--John A. Scott, Professor of Italian, School ofEuropean Languages, University of Western Australia, "This new edition of Inferno is distinctly user-friendly....Serious students--in or out of the classroom--who...examine the original poem alongside a readable and reliable prose translation will find this edition excellently suited to their needs."--The Christian Science Monitor, "[Durling's] rendering of Dante's diction is literal and accurate,conveying the tone and feel while remaining accessible."--Library Journal, "The Durling-Martinez Inferno will prove a worthy successor to the much-loved and long-lived Inferno of J.D. Sinclair. The translation is carefully calculated to keep the reader abreast, step by step, with Dante's Italian; the annotation, distilled from vast reserves of scholarly andcommentative knowledge, succeeds simply and splendidly in elucidating the poem. This volume should please all publics, become the Dante of choice for the English-speaking world."--David J. Wallace, Frenzel Chair in Medieval Studies, University of Minnesota, "The prose translation, carefully arranged on the page to correspond tothe format of the Italian verses, follows the original very closely, and isexceptionally successful in conveying the texture of Dante's poem. Theintroduction is valuable in its own right; the notes, many of them brief essays,promote the reader's active engagement in the quest for meaning, opening up thetext with a treasure of "'formation and interpretation."--Sara Sturm-Maddox,University of Massachusetts, Amherst, "[Durling's] rendering of Dante's diction is literal and accurate, conveying the tone and feel while remaining accessible."--Library Journal, "'Long study and great love'...have conditioned Durling's and Martinez'new Inferno translation and commentary, with the splendid results that onlysustained scholarly work and exceptional dedication can bring. The volume is notonly impressive in content--an elegant, accurate, and highly readable proserendering of Dante's verse, clear and concise notes, useful illustrative mapsand figures, rich commentary on central issues, a bibliography thoughtfully puttogether from the best of Italian and American Dante criticism--it is also amaterially beautiful book whose typography and design are a genuine artisticcontribution."--Rebecca West, University of Chicago, "The Durling-Martinez Inferno will prove a worthy successor to themuch-loved and long-lived Inferno of J.D. Sinclair. The translation is carefullycalculated to keep the reader abreast, step by step, with Dante's Italian; theannotation, distilled from vast reserves of scholarly and commentativeknowledge, succeeds simply and splendidly in elucidating the poem. This volumeshould please all publics, become the Dante of choice for the English-speakingworld."--David J. Wallace, Frenzel Chair in Medieval Studies, University ofMinnesota
