Dante
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Dante Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

R.W.B. Lewis (Author), Grover Gardner (Narrator), Random House Audio (Publisher)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 54 ratings
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In Dante, Lewis traces the life and complex development (emotional, artistic, philosophical) of this supreme poet-historian, from his wanderings through Tuscan hills and splendid churches to his days as a young soldier fighting for democracy, to his civic leadership and years of embittered exile from the city that would fiercely reclaim him a century later. Lewis reveals the boy who first encounters the mythic Beatrice, the lyric poet obsessed with life and death, the grand master of dramatic narrative and allegory, and his monumental search for ultimate truth in The Divine Comedy. It is in this masterpiece of self-discovery and redemption that Lewis finds Dante's own autobiography and the sum of all his shifting passions and epiphanies.
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  1. Listening Length
    5 hours and 21 minutes
  2. Author
    R.W.B. Lewis
  3. Narrator
    Grover Gardner
  4. Audible release date
    February 25, 2005
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Random House Audio
  7. ASIN
    B0007WRSH4
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 5 hours and 21 minutes
Author R.W.B. Lewis
Narrator Grover Gardner
Audible.com Release Date February 25, 2005
Publisher Random House Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B0007WRSH4
Best Sellers Rank #270,388 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#4,122 in Biographies of Celebrities & Entertainment Professionals
#4,543 in Rich & Famous Biographies
#46,867 in Memoirs (Books)

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
54 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Bernard M. Patten
5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Beginning for Your Studies of Dante
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2001
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Dante was the poet historian of Florence, its passionate official, and its bitter and frustrated exile. His life became entangled in the old European struggle between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, two names derived from two noble combative houses of Germany, the Welf and Weiblingen. The Guelphs, so long the leaders of Florence, fell to quarreling with each other. In the fall of 1301 war broke out between the White Guelpohs and the Black Guelphs. The Blacks, who favored the nobles over the merchants, summoned Dante to appear to answer charges of corruption during his previous administration. When he failed to show, he was condemned to death. Dante never set foot in Florence again. Dante got his revenge, as writers often do, by writing about his enemies. In this case the writing was the Comedia, subsequently dubbed the Divine Comedy. Having taken two college courses in Dante and one given by Richard Howard, I think there was nothing in this little book that I didn't know or wasn't familiar with. And there was nothing in it that was wrong or controversial. I recommend it as a good way to start your study of Dante and I commend it as a good way to get up to speed on the life and times of the poet that Yeats said started modern poetry.
5 people found this helpful
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Christine from Carlsbad, CA
4.0 out of 5 stars A valuable look at the life of Dante and his Comedy.
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2017
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I am getting ready to go to a week long Road Scholar course on Dante's Divine Comedy and now after reading Lewis' book I feel more prepared. It explained so much of the confusing cantos with translations and modern day examples. Thank you
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Jack B. Siegel
3.0 out of 5 stars To Much Focus on the Commedia
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2020
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This is a quick and dirty biography. The details of Dante’s life are sketchy, with the bulk of the book being a summary of the Commedia and Dante’s other works. In one sense it is helpful because it is possible to match different parts of the Commedia to Dante’s life, and you realize just how autobiographical the Commedia is, but I would have liked to have known more about Dante the man.
3 people found this helpful
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Not Average Joe
5.0 out of 5 stars supremely useful
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2022
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This book was recommended by Professor Henry of the 100 Days of Dante project as a readable biography.

It is a valuable resource for disentangling some of the historical and political events the Comedy makes use of. Strongly recommended.
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C. Ebeling
5.0 out of 5 stars Compact and Graceful, Lucid and Generous Writing
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2001
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DANTE by RWB Lewis is my introduction to the Penguin Lives series and if this is representative of the full series, I'm reading every volume. In 205 pages, in graceful prose that never flags, Lewis deftly sketches the life of Dante Alighieri and the times in which he lived, and, very important, offers a reading of his greatest works. The early Florentine Renaissance was a period fraught with political turmoil and Lewis does a good job of sorting out the factions and turns of events and their impact on Dante's life. His rereading of Dante's works is generous--no need to have read the masterpieces recently or perhaps at all to learn from this and gain an appreciation. In fact, this book would make a fine introduction to a study of THE DIVINE COMEDY. Lewis shares his own wonder and pleasure in Dante's work, and when he cites the original Italian lines, to provide an idea of their flavor, he always provides a translation.
11 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Lewis portrays Dante with Vigor and Clarity
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2013
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A brief but sound biography, written with style and clarity. Lewis brings as much life to his portrait of Dante as the surviving information allows. Although this is not a critical biography as such, his observations on the poetry are helpful, especially to those with little previous knowledge.
One person found this helpful
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Winberry
5.0 out of 5 stars Ready now to read Dante
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2018
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LEWIS`s work offers an understanding and some insight of Dante and his world with in and outs of his works.
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Writer/Reader
2.0 out of 5 stars Extremely detailed
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2013
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This book is for lovers of detail only, not for the casual reader. I struggled to finish it but just couldn't.
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Jonty
1.0 out of 5 stars Impossible to follow - A total mishmash
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 4, 2018
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I'm afraid this book is an absolute jumble! I tried very hard to read it, but there is no ongoing narrative.
It jumps around in terms of dates, and goes off on unrelated tangents, leaving the reader confused and annoyed.

I expect a biography to follow the persons life, roughly from birth to death. This book flits here and there, from subject to subject, from date to date, and as a result I was totally confused, and gave up. It is now in the pile to take to the charity shop!
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jlv13002
5.0 out of 5 stars A lire
Reviewed in France on September 26, 2014
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Excellent livre pour comprendre celui qui a su -- quelques siècles avant les militaires et les politiques -- contribuer à l'unité de son pays en lui façonnant une langue commune aux diverses cités et provinces.
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