By Dante Alighieri
Yes, that old classic from 14th-century Italy. But it's the last thing from dusty or dull. It's a thrilling work, morally sharp, and totally engrossing. The sort of book you lose yourself in. It tells the story of how Dante, “lost in the woods,” finds his way back to the light. To get there, he must travel though Hell, Purgatory and Paradise. It's a fantastical road trip, and the greatest allegory ever written. I loved the
translation by the American poet John Ciardi.