John Milton's Paradise Lost In Plain English: A Simple, Line By Line Paraphrase Of The Complicated Masterpiece [Paperback]

Joseph Lanzara (Author), John Milton (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0963962159 | ISBN-13: 978-0963962157 | Publication Date: March 10, 2009

Here it is! Every professor's nightmare! Every student's dream come true! John Milton's overwhelming Masterpiece, Paradise Lost - all 10,565 brain-busting lines of it, transformed into simple everyday language! - the kind you and I speak and understand. Milton's poem is on each left hand page, and the Plain English version is across from it on the right. Corresponding numbered lines make for easy comparison. . . Milton made easy! A study aid like no other!

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: New Arts Library (March 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963962159
• ISBN-13: 978-0963962157
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Paradise Really Lost, June 3, 2009

By 

Tyler Roach (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Milton's Paradise Lost In Plain English: A Simple, Line By Line Paraphrase Of The Complicated Masterpiece (Paperback)

This book follows the same side-by-side format as the Paradise Lost: Parallel Prose Edition. However, here the poem is transformed into the absolute lowest common denominator of modern colloquial language. The critics have weighed in with their obligatory derision, but here are a few unexpected positives students have pointed out:
1. As you scan the sometimes outrageous interpretations, you're made to stop and look across to Milton's poem to see if he really could have said anything like that, only to find, surprisingly, he did -- a tricky way to lure reluctant readers to the very epic poetry they came here to avoid.

2. Young people are more likely to respond emotionally to the down-to-earth, sometimes even vulgar, interplay between Adam and Eve, than to the stately speeches of the original.

3. You get "in plain English" exactly who, where and what Milton is referring to in those many allusions to ancient history, the Bible, mythology, etc., whereas the Parallel Prose Edition generally uses the same obscure wording as the original.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THANK YOU!!, June 20, 2009

By 

Aldo Corda (Oakland U) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Milton's Paradise Lost In Plain English: A Simple, Line By Line Paraphrase Of The Complicated Masterpiece (Paperback)

This book saved my life! Why didn't somebody think of this years ago? Too obvious? Don't listen to the snobs. And don't be misled by the humorous bits on the covers. This is a serious work If you are struggling with Milton, this will save you hours and make your life a lot easier.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best reading for the year, September 15, 2009

By 

M. Caleb Sannoh - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: John Milton's Paradise Lost In Plain English: A Simple, Line By Line Paraphrase Of The Complicated Masterpiece (Paperback)

Read Paradise Lost in college years ago. It was hard to understand but did manage to get the general sense of what was taking place. Always wondered why no one undertook the task of writing the greatist epic story ever told in simple English. Now there is one. I hope they make the movie too. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.