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Dante Alighieri: Biography, Books & Where to Start

c. 1265–1321 · Florence, Italy · also known as Dante

Dante Alighieri booksDante Alighieri biographyInfernoThe Divine ComedyVita NuovaDante

Who was Dante Alighieri?

Dante Alighieri is often called the father of the Italian language. A Florentine poet and politician, he was exiled from Florence in 1302 and never returned. In exile he wrote the Divine Comedy — a journey through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory and Paradise, guided first by the Roman poet Virgil and then by Beatrice, the woman he had loved since childhood (celebrated earlier in his Vita Nuova). Writing in the Tuscan vernacular rather than Latin, he made it the basis of modern Italian. He died in Ravenna, where he is buried.

Where to start

Begin with Inferno.

Dante Alighieri’s books, in order

  1. Vita Nuova (1294)
    Free at: Project Gutenberg · Standard Ebooks · LibriVox · Wikisource · Internet Archive · Open Library Find a free edition →
  2. Inferno (1320) — Part one of the Divine Comedy. Read free →
  3. Purgatorio (1320)
    Free at: Project Gutenberg · Standard Ebooks · LibriVox · Wikisource · Internet Archive · Open Library Find a free edition →
  4. Paradiso (1320)
    Free at: Project Gutenberg · Standard Ebooks · LibriVox · Wikisource · Internet Archive · Open Library Find a free edition →

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More Italian authors

Petrarch · Giovanni Boccaccio · Niccolò Machiavelli · Alessandro Manzoni · Carlo Collodi · Luigi Pirandello · Primo Levi · Italo Calvino

Frequently asked questions

Who was Dante Alighieri?

Dante Alighieri is often called the father of the Italian language. A Florentine poet and politician, he was exiled from Florence in 1302 and never returned.

What is Dante Alighieri’s most famous book?

Inferno is usually considered Dante Alighieri’s best-known work, followed by The Divine Comedy, Vita Nuova.

Which Dante Alighieri book should I read first?

Most readers start with Inferno.

Is it Dante Alighieri or Dante?

Both refer to the same writer.

Can I read Dante Alighieri’s books free online?

Yes — 1 of Dante Alighieri’s books are free to read online in Pagine, the free e-reader and reading tracker.

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