For nearly 700 years, Dante’s The Divine Comedy has been a literary cornerstone of the Western canon. Bringing the power and prestige of this medieval classic to a new generation of appreciative readers, Joseph Gallagher has created a guided tour through this great poem of purgatory, heaven, and hell. He accompanies readers through the Bible references; the hundreds of allusions to history, mythology, theology, astronomy, and poetry; and provides picturesque observations about daily life in 14th-century Italy. Written by a teacher and scholar, this book is a perceptive and inspiring commentary – perfect for beginning readers of Dante as well as professionals and teachers.