Adding...I'm of course not saying that everyone reading Inferno next month has to read the same translation! IOW, I'm not choosing for the group of people who've mentioned an interest. I'm just mentioning what I decided for myself after researching and reading excerpts from various translations. :)

I've decided to go with Mandelbaum for Inferno. I like reading his translations and I'm glad I was able to get some clarity on this thread. As I mentioned earlier, there's some confusion on Amazon about labelling translations correctly and different versions on paper vs. Kindle. I saw quite a few complaints about Kindles not being able to handle having the Italian and English together and that causing confusion as well, so my suggestion is paper if someone else is getting this version. Here's Robin's link to the correct one.

I didn't want to be biased before responding so I didn't read all the posts but I'll go back now. You can tell your daughter I am a progressive non-Christian and "inappropriate church member" was my vote. I find the whole thing disturbing. The most generous thing I can say is that he's immature and irresponsible.

Score for Waldorf Education: 6 Score for Traditional Education: -10 Score for Unit Studies Education: -2 Score for Montessori Education: 14 Score for Thomas Jefferson Education: 3 Score for Unschooling: 5 Score for Classical Education: 16 Score for Charlotte Mason Education: 8 Thanks, you've given me some things to think about. I'm going to look a bit more at applying Montessori principles at home, and also figure out why I'm not doing some of the things I said were important.

Good news, and thanks for the update. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

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Just checking in to say I'm really enjoying The Most Dangerous Book. And later: Check out the seal for the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice. Yes, the seal actually has book burning depicted on it. The book has a photo of the founder of the society, Anthony Comstock. He has a big knife scar on his left cheek, given to him by a pornographer.

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Your vacation sounds wonderful. Which museum in SF? Thanks for the Dante recommendations! I'll look into them. I feel so cynical because whenever I read that someone had a spiritual awakening from reading a book, I wonder if their reading was interrupted by a 6 year old yelling, "Mama, hurry! There's water all over the floor!" or a 10 year old shouting, "Cool, there are wasps living in the garage!" Sigh....

I like the gray doors with the tan paint. I wasn't sure when you described it, but the picture looks nice. I think you'd have to find just the right gray for your tan. Hopping further down the rabbit trail: There was an place carrying Annie Sloan near me and I waited until I moved to go get paint. They're no longer carrying it. :glare:

So many good suggestions! Thank you. I shall grab a pitcher of water and balance it while eating Trader Joe's chocolate. This will be followed by reading Frog and Toad by candlelight. :D

Hmmm. You could try yerba mate instead. Back when I worked in an office, several people who had similar reactions as you to coffee switched to it and it worked for them. It tastes like steeped hay, but it's not unpleasant, just different than coffee.

I finished Vandermeer's Authority last night. As I mentioned earlier, the later part of the book was way more interesting than the first half. I have a very full reading plan for now through May and was thinking I would read the third book of the trilogy in June, but with the way the second book ended I'm trying to figure out how to fit in the 3rd book. Right now the best way to stay on track with my plan is to just not order the third book! I went to Amazon to see about the Mandelbaum translation of the Inferno. Every time I looked at 1-star reviews people were complaining that the book they received or got on Kindle was not Mandelbaum, and that Amazon had been mixing up reviews and cover photos for different translations, i.e. the cover was correct on one book page, but the content was the Sayers translation, or the cover was incorrect on the page, but correct on the received book, etc. Goodreads is also showing a couple of different covers, one of which is the same as the problematic Amazon one. Can anyone with a physical copy of Mandelbaum's translation please post the ISBN? Much appreciated. :grouphug: to you, Halcyon.

Windows opening Warm clean air rushes smoothly Fluttering my page

After reading a lot of information, I have a pre-goal, which is to not go crazy trying to pick a translation. :laugh: Hmm. After looking at about 15? translations, I think my goal is to find a post-WWII translation that's a good balance between poetic and accurate. These two seem to be at odds with each other. The Hollanders translation feels like a lot of notes! (I have tendency to get sidetracked in notes.) I've been reading this thread at goodreads because I found out that the Western Canon group read Divine Comedy last year. The thread made me question whether it was a good idea to get a translation that also has an audio recording. Another consideration is whether I can use the translation for the other two books. I think some translators only have done a portion. Or as you said in the case of Mandlebaum, how usable all 3 are. I noticed from that thread that The Teaching Company recommends Musa. Any thoughts on that? Anyone who wants to join the reading is welcome!

Yes, it's true. I've had friends who graduated from Harvey Mudd, Pomona, CMC, and Scripps. (Sorry, Pitzer!) They took classes and had friends at the other colleges. There's one main library (Honnold, I think, last time I visited) and then smaller libraries at some of the colleges.

I'm not sure what qualifies as cool.... Predictably Irrational Thinking, Fast and Slow Manifold Destiny (Kind of a joke about how much time you're going to be in the car. Kind of.)

Currently reading On Politics (year-long read), The Most Dangerous Book, and Authority (2nd book of the Southern Reach Trilogy). I've had trouble finishing Authority because the first half of the book was dull and strange. The second half has picked up the pace. I think this trilogy could have been two larger books with some of this middle book edited out. But I guess trilogies are the money-making trend these days. I'm also trying to do a little research into a good translation for The Inferno for next month. And the Western Canon goodreads group starts The Pilgrim's Progress on Wednesday so I'll be adding that too.

You linked to a Kindle edition and mentioned driving. Are you looking for hard copy, electronic, or audio?

I like White Flower Farm.

Claremont is a great college town but there's not much around if you get outside Claremont, unless you head at least 20-30 miles east to Pasadena/LA. Santa Clara is quite prestigious in the Bay Area, not sure about the East coast. USC is a great school in a not-great area. I don't know your ethnicity, but there's been a sharp increase in attacks on Chinese USC students in the last couple of years.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Wishing you all strength during this time.

I love the cookies and milk money. Pier 1 has cheap picture frames. Lottery tickets if the person is over 18 and the family won't be offended. Mug. Mini nail polish set from Target. Fun keychain.

Unsalted Kerrygold.

I would also find this helpful.