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Rating: 
Summary: Literary Genius
Review: I had first read this work in my high school English class. I fell in love with the images and the concept of hell being in giant rings. I wanted a copy of it for myself. I looked at a couple of copies of the book until I found this copy. Each page had both the Italian and the English translation which was wonderful to see the original language next to the translation. There are pictures too but I prefered to let the words of Dante paint the pictures in my mind. This translation stays true to the way that Dante had written it. Mandelbaum's translation is very easy to read and will let people take the journey through hell with Dante and Virgil.
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Summary: Superb English, Italian, and Pictures
Review: Mandlebaum's verse is beautiful: he manages to keep up an iambic 11-syllable line throughout the work--just like Dante. If you can bear his comically pedantic and effete introduction, his notes are very thorough(they even point out the location of the epigraph to "Proufrock"). This edition has the Italian on the opposite side of every page as well, so it will doubtless be useful to those lucky enough to be able to read Dante in the "linguo volgro". Plus, this edition has pictures too! How many other editions (save those with Dore's work) give you a PICTURE of Cerebrus?
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Summary: Engrossing translation of a classic
Review: The Circles of hell come to life in this verse translation by Allen Mendelbaum. Mendelbaum won a National Book Award for his translation of "The Aeneid of Virgil", and his translation of Dante's Inferno is equally superb. The format of the book is italian and english, with translated pages on the opposite of the italian verses. There are some great illustrations throughout the book, but it is the imagery created in your head that makes this such a great read. Highly recommended. I have read other translated versions of Inferno, and this is by far the best I have read so far. An excellent book.
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