Reading the Divine Comedy for the first time can be daunting — there is just so much of it. Having a way into the poem, so that you have the structure in mind and have places for your understanding is tremendously helpful.

That’s why I loved Baxter’s book, he gives the reader all these and on so many levels that it will be easy for any person to r5ead the poems with understanding after reading this book. The author is able to make the medieval world of Dante understandable to the modern reader. He explains, sometimes in great detail concepts that are not familiar. He provides analogies for the poem throughout and so many different ones that readers from many disciplines will find a way in.

The book is clearly meant for college-age readers. As a teacher at a liberal arts college many of his ideas and examples come from his first-hand experience teaching the book.

That makes it a wonderful accompaniment for those reading the book for the first time. Baxter’s insights into Dante are fresh and good even for those well familiar with the poem.

The Divine Comedy is my favorite piece of literature. And Baxter's work here is clearly written and accessible. I only have great things to say about this book.