The Inferno of Dante: Translated by Robert Pinsky

By: Dante Aligheri, Robert Pinsky - translator

Narrated by: George Guidall

Dramatic, intense, and gripping, The Inferno of Dante is an astonishing masterpiece that no listener can afford to miss. Robert Pinsky, the distinguished American poet, preserves the burning clarity and universal relevance of this 13th-century literary masterpiece in a triumphant new translation for our times. Line by line, canto by canto, Robert Pinksy affirms The Inferno as a powerful living classic for today’s listeners.

©1994 Robert Pinsky (P)1995 Recorded Books

Hard to visualize

I did my very best to try and visualize some of the scenes that Dante described. However I did have some issues trying to visualize the areas in the circle so I could not delineate them as well as I'm sure others can.

I had no problem whatsoever in visualizing some of the hard things that were happening to the sinners.

I found the ending kind of abrupt. You get to the center then boom he's out of there.

B$

Perfect pace and clear audio.

I appreciate the pace that this was read because it is a lot of information. I still had to rewind and listen again to many bits, but that’s no fault to the narrator.

You find what your looking for. well narrated

Really appreciated the narration. fluent transitions into slightly.. more dramatic as called for by the text but never near over the top or under sold. Story is brilliant if you can percieve that what his tour of hell is. Is that of who and what he relates to on earth. Leaving room to understand that another person's journey may have been of a differed account. Might help to free the mind to listen rather than contemplate points of argument.

This is the best translation.

Pinshy’s translation is the best. I listened to Longfellow’s , and then Chiedi’s before finally finding this, the best by far. Modern english, but poetic and majestic.

Just the Inferno, Raw and Powerful

George Guidall does a wonderful job, I give it three stars because I own another reading of the Pinsky translation that I think is better from a poet's perspective. He is a master narrator, and I do not want to belittle him. I would prefer the original 4 poet reading, but this narration is probably better for most readers.
I love this translation. I prefer the original reading by 4 poets but it is not available and a bit strange for many readers. If you only want to read the Inferno, this is, in my opinion, the best translation for understanding and feeling what Dante wanted one to hear. It does not try and clean up vulgar jokes or tone down anything, something I find lacking in the translations I first read.

There is a great lesson here

It took me a while to get through this book because it is not a very happy book. I listened to it, read by George Guidall, but I also read the physical book by a different translator, Douglas Neff. Neff did not try to rhyme the verses, but rather, tried to make it easier to understand than many translations are, while keeping much of the poetic feel of the work.

I just want to make a few observations about it.
1. We offend God in ways we sometimes don’t realize. He is all about getting us back to live with him, but because he is holy, unholy things cannot abide his presence. Unholy things can include anything that we “worship” or in other words, anything we focus our attention on that takes our attention away from God.
2. Damnation is being without our mortal bodies in a place where we cannot make decisions for ourselves.
3. We choose where we go after this life. We are solely responsible for what happens to us until it is too late, and the choice is made for us.
4. Evil is real, Satan is real, and we should shun both, focusing instead on what we can do for God, for the Glory of God, and to lift our fellow-men. Those are the things that will keep us out of the Inferno. I don’t think it will quite be as Dante pictures it, but then again, he was on to something.
5. We should learn something about ourselves by reading this book, and then do better.

Disturbing/ inquietante!!!!

Wow and this was written in the 14th century?! Creepy and real.even if you don't believe in an after life this will still mess you up. Like a horror story. The book was greatly translated. I am italian and know it pretty well. But my translation would bring a reader within dante's underworld journey. The performance was great. His voice was creepy and perfect to listen to for the full affect. You can listen again and get even more disturbed than the prior listen. Bellissimo!!!!!grazie.molto bene!!!!

Huh

It gets full marks for being a translated classic, but there was really no point to his delve? He just went until the torturous pits of hell because? Maybe I missed something..

Listen and Read and Do it Over Again

Any additional comments?

I am teaching Dante's Inferno this trimester to 10th graders, and have listened to this audio version of Pinsky's translation multiple times. This performance is excellent. I highly recommend listening to this audio, and reading a different translation (and the critical notes) to give a fuller representation of what the original Italian suggests. I never tire of Dante, and my students love him too!

Must-read

This is an amazing story! It is no wonder it is withstood the test of time. Really gets one to think about one's own salvation and life and death.