Reddit reviews The Inferno

A good translation with extensive footnotes is the best way to really understand the whole work. I really like the Hollander versions for their thoroughness.

Right now I'm reading The Inferno by Dante as translated by Robert and Jean Hollander. It's a really great, easy to read translation and I'm about halfway through the book now. I already ordered their translation of Purgatorio and I originally never intended to read it at all. But damn, it's great. I love it.

The only book of these that I've read was The Divine Comedy. I have not listened to the audiobook but I don't think it'll be as a good as a physical copy. So I suggest not to buy it. To really appreciate this book you'll want something with an excellent forward that puts the book into context and that will have footnotes along the way. Otherwise you'll miss out on all the history that shaped the story. There's too many political and religious figures from Dante's time that without a small bit of historical knowledge it might not be as interesting. I just don't see how an audiobook would do this without interrupting the story to give the reader background information.

The Divine Comedy is broken into three parts that follows a mans journey through hell, purgatory, and heaven. My recommendation would be to just grab just the first part called Inferno. It's by far the more interesting part and practically shaped the modern images of hell.

Check out this translation:
The Inferno https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385496982/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_VoKxwbWZ5Q61S

Having read a few, I've enjoyed the Robert & Jean Hollander version the most. It's very readable and quite poetic, making it a great first version.

Unfortunately, as far as I know, with the Hollanders you have to buy each book of The Divine Comedy separately, and it can get pricy. For a good edition in one volume, with the added bonus of being a "terza rima" version, I would recommend the John Ciardi translation.