Customer Reviews

The Canterbury Tales In Modern Verse

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I enjoyed two courses in Chaucer with recognized authorities in the field and enjoyed teaching the Prologue and various tales in survey courses almost every semester for forty years. Although I was dubious about the shortened line, I found Glaser's modern verse translation the most enjoyable read of this material I had ever experienced. I think the skill and wit of the translator has made the real Chaucer easily available to any intelligent reader of English. I think this work belongs right beside the Riverside edition of Chaucer's works on the bookshelf of every student of Chaucer and in the hands all who would enjoy this monumental narrative.
Hoyt E. Bowen, Professor Emeritus

I began reading this catchy translation only to find that it omitted material which other modern renderings have and also appeared to be poorly edited. I personally would recommend reading Chaucer in the original, but if you must have a translation, try Ecker and Crook's (ISBN 0963651234) instead. It is slightly more difficult to read but is both edited properly and faithful to the original. It is also one of the few complete translations, covering all 22 poetry tales and 2 prose tales of the 24 we have (of the intended 120 of this never-completed work).

I'm not an English major, or into great literature. I just like to read good books. As part of my search for a good read, I stumbled across this translation of Chaucer, and it caught my interest.

I'm glad it did. I found this translation of Chaucer simply fantastic. This translation is different in that it doesn't constrain itself to using the same number of syllables per line as the original. So instead of forcing things, it used a more modern form that is really fun to read. English has changed, and we don't pronounce words the same any more, and this translation realizes that, and so produces something that is probably closer to the original intent.

Sure, reading the original, or a totally "faithful" translation might seem to be more "pure" to hard core literary folks, but this translation in many ways is more pure to the original spirit of the work. I would imagine that the contemporaries of Chaucer could enjoy the original as much as I enjoyed this translation. And it didn't take lots of effort to read - it was just fun.

So, if you were exposed to Chaucer in high school or college, and just never got it, or hated trying to make sense of the original or translations that tried to follow the original meter exactly, then I think you should re-visit Chaucer with this great translation.

Congratulations to Joseph Glaser for this bold translation that makes Chaucer accessible to the modern reader.

At this point in my life I'm reading for fun and enjoy a good story telling. This version of the classic is enjoyable to read and moves fast. Read the Authors notes in the beginning. It will truly make you appreciate this translation and Chaucer's original intent. You also get a nice history lesson as a bonus.

I got this for class and had hoped to load it on my mobile reader which is NOT a kindle. i thought i could convert it. IT HAS DRM and is UNCONVERTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UNLESS YOU HAVE A KINDLE DO NOT BOTHER! a waste of money. now i have to drag my laptop to class to read my assignment.DO NOT BUY ANY DRMed BOOKS OR ALL EBOOKS WILL BECOME UNREADABLE.