Paradiso

I bought this as preparation for a course on Dante, recommended by the tutor, and it is an ideal choice, even for the beginner. A dual-language version, Italian on the left, English (by poet Jean Hollander) on the right, each Canto preceded by a useful summary and followed by explanatory notes by Robert Hollander, which I would say are essential to a fuller understanding of the poem, though the constant cross-referencing (which I have no intention of following up - at 73, my remaining days are more precious to me than that) makes the reading of the notes more of a chore than it need be. It might be worth noting that the 'translation' is actually a poetic English version of the original, so I was often at something of a loss as to how the English meant what the original seemed to be saying. Otherwise, absolutely perfect for my purposes.

Second of the terrific translations of Dante's 'Divine Comedy' by Robert & Jean Hollander. Absolutely the best translation to date!

The book is a great classic, but gets one star here because of really poor shipping from the US. It was damaged and creased, unsurprisingly as it came just in a paper bag

A clear translation with some beauty. Extensive notes.

I have not yet read it , but I'm happy to have it.

This is the third part of the Divina Commedia. Robert Hollander, a Princeton professor (now retired), has devoted his career to the study and teaching of Dante. His translation into English does a fine and aestheticaly pleasing job of carrying the meaning of the Italian original into the English version. The two versions are printed on facing pages in this book. Dr. Hollander's wife, Jean, has assisted him in his work on all three parts of the translation of the Commedia. This is an excellent translation. The meaning comes through clearly. The Hollanders supply good and very thorough supporting notes throughout, canto by canto.

From canto IX to XII the majority of pages have been printed wrong, with the text being shifted towards the top of the page. From skimming through it looks like none of the words have actually been cut out so it is still readable, however it is disappointing. I also missed the return cut off point because I bought this with inferno and purgatorio, and therefore didn't get around to examining the book much until after the cut off point. The other two have been fine so its no doubt worth buying, just make sure to examine the pages upon delivery so you can return it if faulty.

Wonderful translation, but poor packaging and handling from Amazon. The book's cover is damaged.

Whether you're reading the Comedy for the first time or you need it for a class, you can't go wrong with the Hollander edition. Each of the 3 books--Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso--includes a diagram of where Dante is going; an outline of each canto; side-by-side Italian/English translation; extensive, easy-to-read explanatory notes after each canto; and a couple of helpful indexes. These books are worth the money!