Learned about this from the War and Peace 2025 slow read thread, and I think I will try it! Have tried three times to get through the Divine Comedy, but I have stalled out between Hell and Purgatory each time. Hopefully doing it slowly and with others is what I need! Thx for doing this!
Hi Paula! So glad that you're joining us in this journey! I am assuming being stalled between Hell and Purgatory is not a pleasant place at all, haha! :) If it's not too inconvenient could you forward the link to the thread you mentioned? :) I am so curious to see Dante Book-Club mentioned! :)
Indeed it is not! Looking forward to making my way out of thereβ¦π
Hopefully this works, Iβve not tried to forward a link before. Simon mentioned it in the comments section along with a link when someone said they were interested in the Divine Comedy too.
I went to the public library today and picked up a copy of the Mandelbaum edition that I can keep for 9 weeks. But I have looked at purchasing the newer Michael Palma translation mostly because I like the format. Have you looked at his translation, snd if so, what do you think?
Hi Donna, first of all, I would like to mention that I am so happy that you will be joining the read-along! Sorry that I did not mention Palma's translation in my post. It is a good translation and I would love to say that any edition/translation will work as long as you enjoy the copy that you have and the way words flow. :) From the messages I received over the past 24 hours I can see that we will have a quite diverse set of translations in this read-along which is amazing, each one reveals something new! :)
Please let me know what do you think of Mandelbaum translation! How does it sound to you? :)
I have just subscribed to the Dante read along. I have both the Mandelbaum Everyman edition and the Longfellow translation with the Dore illlustrations. I will start by reading both concurrently until I find whether one fits better for me than another. Who knows! Maybe I will finish by reading both to the end. βΊοΈ
Haha, I am currently balancing Mandelbaum's translation with Hollander's. I also have the original text next to me, sometimes I go to sleep at night and dream of Inferno in three different interpretations :D Pray for my sanity this year haha
The Mandelbaum Everyman is a more congenial read for me but the Gustav Dore illustrations in the Longfellow edition are more than worth the price of the book.
Hi Joseph! Thatβs a good question and I was planning to announce on Friday that we are going to stick to two cantos, which will mean that we will finish the whole book by the 25th December 2025. Does this work for you?
Thank you for offering this! My sons got me this book for Christmas and Iβd love to finally read all of it. Iβve just read snippets here and there prior
This is an offer I canβt resistβ¦ For years I have been considering reading the Divine Comedy but somehow never got around to kick off. This is the perfect opportunity, thus many thanks go out to you, Vashik. I will have a different language version at hand (Italian/German) but this should not make a big difference when discussing the individual cantos.
Sounds great! I'm a new subscriber to this newsletter and I also have never read "The Divine Comedy" ('tho I've always wanted to). I'm looking forward to doing this slow read with you all!
This is going to be a life changing experience! I am so excited to be a part of it and to savor all the richness of Dante.
Thank you Lisa for everything! Excited to descend to Hell this January haha :)
I have been feeling daunted by the Divine Comedy, not sure if I will be able to pick up the rich nuances. This is perfect.
Will be looking forward to seeing you in the group Peter!
Learned about this from the War and Peace 2025 slow read thread, and I think I will try it! Have tried three times to get through the Divine Comedy, but I have stalled out between Hell and Purgatory each time. Hopefully doing it slowly and with others is what I need! Thx for doing this!
Hi Paula! So glad that you're joining us in this journey! I am assuming being stalled between Hell and Purgatory is not a pleasant place at all, haha! :) If it's not too inconvenient could you forward the link to the thread you mentioned? :) I am so curious to see Dante Book-Club mentioned! :)
Indeed it is not! Looking forward to making my way out of thereβ¦π
Hopefully this works, Iβve not tried to forward a link before. Simon mentioned it in the comments section along with a link when someone said they were interested in the Divine Comedy too.
https://open.substack.com/pub/footnotesandtangents/p/welcome-to-war-and-peace-2025?r=ecyat&utm_medium=ios
Simon is such a kind soul! This is amazing and this is why I love Substack community. :) Thank you Paula!
I also am here from Simon Haisell's War and Peace reference. Very excited for this. Thank you Vashik.
What a great way to start 2025. Very excited!
Thank you Raminta! I am hoping you will join in this journey!
Does anyone know of a 2025 slow read along of Miltonβs βParadise Lostβ to parallel this?
https://open.substack.com/pub/karenswallowprior/p/paradise-lost-book-1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=9lqj9
Thank you so much, @Joanne!
Exciting stuff Vashik! Excited to join along on this journey
I am so glad you will be joining Ilan!!
I went to the public library today and picked up a copy of the Mandelbaum edition that I can keep for 9 weeks. But I have looked at purchasing the newer Michael Palma translation mostly because I like the format. Have you looked at his translation, snd if so, what do you think?
Hi Donna, first of all, I would like to mention that I am so happy that you will be joining the read-along! Sorry that I did not mention Palma's translation in my post. It is a good translation and I would love to say that any edition/translation will work as long as you enjoy the copy that you have and the way words flow. :) From the messages I received over the past 24 hours I can see that we will have a quite diverse set of translations in this read-along which is amazing, each one reveals something new! :)
Please let me know what do you think of Mandelbaum translation! How does it sound to you? :)
My first impression of Mandelbaum is, as I said about Palma, the format. The lines all run together, so, as I read it, I feel like I, myself, am running, dadada, dada-dadada. I also have a large Longfellow edition with the beautiful Gustav DorΓ© illustrations, and that one, like Palma, has space between the stanzas, to give one time to reflect before moving on. I like that.
Very excited to join this and contribute ! The timing feels cosmic. Thank you, Vashik
Very happy to see you joining Gemma! Let us descend to Hell so we can rise to Paradise! :)
Finally! Here we go. So excited for this, Vashik.
Thank you so much Sayani! I am hoping you will join!
I have just subscribed to the Dante read along. I have both the Mandelbaum Everyman edition and the Longfellow translation with the Dore illlustrations. I will start by reading both concurrently until I find whether one fits better for me than another. Who knows! Maybe I will finish by reading both to the end. βΊοΈ
Haha, I am currently balancing Mandelbaum's translation with Hollander's. I also have the original text next to me, sometimes I go to sleep at night and dream of Inferno in three different interpretations :D Pray for my sanity this year haha
The Mandelbaum Everyman is a more congenial read for me but the Gustav Dore illustrations in the Longfellow edition are more than worth the price of the book.
Hello Vashik. Just a question about reading one canto per week. Would the reading of the Divine Comedy then spill over into 2026?
Hi Joseph! Thatβs a good question and I was planning to announce on Friday that we are going to stick to two cantos, which will mean that we will finish the whole book by the 25th December 2025. Does this work for you?
+ Reading schedule will be sent to everyone on Friday :)
Wonderful! This is perfect.
Thank you for offering this! My sons got me this book for Christmas and Iβd love to finally read all of it. Iβve just read snippets here and there prior
Hello! π Also here via recommendation from the 2024 Footnotes & Tangents War & Peace read-along led by Simon Haisell. Looking forward to it!
Excellent. Can't wait
This is an offer I canβt resistβ¦ For years I have been considering reading the Divine Comedy but somehow never got around to kick off. This is the perfect opportunity, thus many thanks go out to you, Vashik. I will have a different language version at hand (Italian/German) but this should not make a big difference when discussing the individual cantos.
Sounds great! I'm a new subscriber to this newsletter and I also have never read "The Divine Comedy" ('tho I've always wanted to). I'm looking forward to doing this slow read with you all!