The Canterbury Tales

An excellent new translation of a classic, this may be the literature lover's perfect Christmas gift. The Canterbury Tales has received a facelift, via Random House and the expert work of translator Burton Raffel. In this edition, the stories and poetic narrative of the classic tales, are translated into "modern" English, so that anyone can again enjoy these captivating tales. It is time to enjoy a pilgrimage with some of our beloved friends from the original verses; it is truly a welcome pleasure to read the modernized verses from the friar, the nun and the unforgettable Wife of Bath, among other colorful storytellers in this mythic epic.

Perhaps the idea of having this classic work in "modern" prose may seem unpalatable to those of an older school of thought, namely that literature should be enjoyed in its pure form. However, by translating (and not all of it had to be translated) into more readily understandable language, Raffel does author Jeffrey Chaucer a great service, by offering a version of this masterpiece, that now anyone can enjoy. In school, it is hard to dive right into a book written in a language hundreds of years removed from the present. Interested readers should consider this new edition of the classic - who knows, it might change the very way you feel about literature, and Chaucer. Any other (or translator) who is able to breathe life into something old, or nearly forgotten, deserves much credit, so with that, a tip of the hat to Mr. Raffel.