Reading Dante (Open Yale Courses) (The Open Yale Courses)

Dante is a demanding author. His references to historical figures and facts are cryptic. So are his symbolism and his philosophical, political and religious analyses. But once the doors to understanding are opened, one cannot but be amazed at the depth and width of Dante's erudition, and not less at his poetry, evoking splendid pictures in a minimum of words. Mazzotta's book is an indispensable guide to accompany Dante during his journey through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise. Well written, deeply thought through. Dante himself tells his readers at the beginning of Paradiso: beware of following me any further, you may well get lost. With courage and Mazzotta you'll make it.

Excellent - bought for a friend for Christmas, he loves it.

When approaching Dante’s Divine Comedy, or the Commedia, there is no shortage of secondary literature to appeal to. From CliffsNotes to the academically impenetrable. Giuseppe Mazzotta’s Reading Dante exists somewhere well within the academic, it was published by Yale UP after all, but manages to remain accessible and pleasurable at the same time.Based on a semester of lectures on Dante’s classic that were videotaped and later transcribed as a serious of lectures on the entire Commedia there is an immediacy and erudition to these that is very engaging.What the reader gets, besides a very well written book, is a thorough grounding in the poetry, history, intellectual environment, and genius of Dante Alighieri. There is some biographical material here as well, but if you are looking for a biography this ain’t it.Highly Recommended for those interesting in a better understanding of the Commedia and those interested in the period in which Dante wrote.Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book is essentially a transcript of Prof.Mazzotta's Dante in Translation Yale course.The book,'like the course ,represents the summation of a lifetime of study by one of the foremost living Dante scholars .The book is brilliant,full of passion and insight.I taught 44 years and I wish I had been half the teacher this man is.Every page shines through with the author's ,as well as Dante's ,humanity.A must have introduction .

Couldn't ask for a better intermediate level Dante course. Enjoyable, informative, and enlightening. If you love literature or love Italy or love art, or, well, deeply love our shared human life, you will be enriched and delighted to learn from Mazzotta.

Should be required reading for every human being.

The most thoughtful writing on a subject that has been well-covered. I not only saw new things in the text, I really looked at the world in a different way. I wish my book club would read this, but it will never happen.