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On my seventh birthday, I wanted a toy fire truck, and I didn't get it, and you were real nice about it, and then the house next door burnt down, and then real firetrucks came, and for years I thought you set the fire for me. And if you did, you can tell me!

Xander ,'Same Time, Same Place'

Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.

Discussion Threads

There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."

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Pix - Jul 04, 2009 11:34:12 am PDT #9514 of 28404
The status is NOT quo.

Jumping to the end for a brain candy recommendation and a question.

The Kindle is an evil, evil thing. I have been reading like a FIEND since I got off work--I think I've devoured twelve books in the past two weeks--and I've been catching up in the paranormal adventure type books. I was already a big fan of Patricia Briggs' skinwalker series and enjoyed Charlaine Harris' Aurora Teagarden (non-paranormal, but fun mysteries), Lily Bard (same as Aurora, but much better female character), and especially Harper Connelly series (I need to go back and reread the initial Sookie books at some point so I can read the newer ones), but I'd never read Ilona Andrews. I really enjoyed Magic Bites, Magic Burns, and Magic Strikes and wanted to let you all know about them in case you were looking for a good beach read or two. I think she has a really unique urban paranormal world, especially in terms of vampires. I'm currently reading Kim Harrison's Hollows books, which are also fun.

Annnnyway, now to the question. I realized I don't own a copy of the Divine Comedy and am looking for recommendations. I'd prefer a good annotated or scholarly edition since I've never read it cover to cover and haven't studied it in ages. Anyone have a rec for me?

juliana - Jul 04, 2009 11:56:48 am PDT #9515 of 28404
I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I miss them all tonight…

I realized I don't own a copy of the Divine Comedy and am looking for recommendations

How funny, since I just started re-reading it the other day - I have the Oxford University Press edition - translation by Charles Sission, with maps, commentary and notes by David Higgins. I really like Sission's blank verse, and the notes are very lucid and give a lot of context. [link]

No Kindle edition, though.

Pix - Jul 04, 2009 12:20:03 pm PDT #9516 of 28404
The status is NOT quo.

I wouldn't buy Dante on Kindle anyway, so THANK YOU.

DavidS - Jul 04, 2009 6:04:07 pm PDT #9517 of 28404
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

I've always liked Ciardi's translation of Dante. It's very earthy and vivid. Well, the Inferno is anyway.

Hayden - Jul 04, 2009 6:04:21 pm PDT #9518 of 28404
aka "The artist formerly known as Corwood Industries."

The John Ciardi translation is peachy.

xpost, and jinx.

Kathy A - Jul 04, 2009 6:13:51 pm PDT #9519 of 28404
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil

We used the Ciardi translation in college. It's as good as Hec and Corwood say.

Tom Scola - Jul 04, 2009 6:17:22 pm PDT #9520 of 28404
Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.

The John Ciardi translation is peachy.

It pales in comparison to the Gary Panter version.

Kat - Jul 04, 2009 8:25:38 pm PDT #9521 of 28404
"I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret." Leigh Bardugo

We used the Mark Musa version (with cover illustrations done by William Blake, whose illustrations are jaw dropping), which was a very good translation.

Sandow Birk has a modern translation with the most amazing art work -- sort of modern day tweaks on the Dore's illustrations. Amazingly beautiful stuff.

Pix - Jul 04, 2009 8:42:32 pm PDT #9522 of 28404
The status is NOT quo.

Thanks everyone! Kat, at some point I would love a little Dante 101 coffee with you. I feel like I need someone who's taught it recently to help me solidify my understanding of its influence.

Kat - Jul 05, 2009 5:09:12 am PDT #9523 of 28404
"I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret." Leigh Bardugo

OH! I've never taught it. I studied it 4 years ago and I talk about it constantly enough that my students ALWYAS opt to read it on their own, but usually the Sandow Birk version. One of my students said she read the Burke version with Wikipedia, constantly checking allusions.

I feel like I need someone who's taught it recently to help me solidify my understanding of its influence.

I needed someone to help me with the references and allusions! We did a very biographically reading of the text (we had read On Monarchy first and La Vita Nuova, which is kickass because the text is composed of poems, usually sonnets, with background about why he wrote it and then HOW he structured it. There's also the creepiest love poetry image ever of Love holding Beatrice in his arms and force feeding her Dante's heart.

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