The Canterbury Tales: The New Translation by Gerald J. Davis

This new translation conveys the Tales and their tellers in a warm and approachable manner to modern readers. I would have enjoyed original text to have been accessible in context, but that did not unduly blunt my pleasure in the experience. I listened jointly to the companion Audible recording, which synched well and which allowed me to bridge reading sessions while driving. Overall, I am pleased.

Gerald J. Davis’s new translation (2016) of Geoffrey Chaucer’s classic “The Canterbury Tales” is easy to read and enjoy. The book is taught in many schools in its original Old English. Davis is an accomplished translator of classics. He translated, for example, Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and Don Quixote.The Kindle version lists 24 tales (all fascinating), Davis’s introduction, Chaucer’s “How the maker of this book takes his leave,” and two essays on Chaucer’s life.One can click on any of these 28 items and the Kindle will take the reader to the requested site instantly.I enjoyed reading most of the tales and think that others will as well.

The four stars reflect a combination of my reaction to the translation as well as the content of the tales themselves. I'm an amateur at the criticism business, but here's my take on this book: The language is very clear and accessible. I'm not sure how much of the true sound of Chaucer's middle English is lost. I know that I did not want to struggle with the language, which is why I chose a contemporary English version. But this translation does capture an echo of the original poetic style with occasional rhymes in places that clearly reflect the original cadence and sound. I liked that a lot. The tales are a mixed bag, some tediously long and pedantic, and others breathtakingly relevant to all human endeavor in all ages. There's a line so close to a wisecrack a friend of mine makes regularly: "Craftiness is all, whosoever can feign sincerity" My friend would say, "Did that sound sincere to you? Good!" A connection across 600 years. More seriously, the Wife of Bath talks about the difficult life she has led and how she tormented her many husbands. In the end, her message to all mankind is: We can get along as long as you give me the respect I deserve. That message is so universal and so unexpected in this context, so clearly stated. That's the good stuff. I must admit, though, that I skimmed through nearly all of the last tale, which is a lecture on Christian Penitence. Nothing wrong with the topic, but it is endless and dry as sawdust, and I'm not sure the purpose from a narrative POV. Perhaps an English scholar can enlighten me on that point. Perhaps I should do my own research. This translation was a good re-introduction to a story that I should have paid more attention to long ago in school. Reading it now is an enriching experience much later in life and with a different perspective.

Many reviewers have referred to Chaucer as being “Old English”. This is not even slightly true. Old English is the literature of Beowulf and its contemporaries before the Norman invasion of 1066. English had changed drastically by the time of Chaucer and is known as “Middle English”. Do ask yourself how much you want to trust in a reviewer of English literature who cannot tell the difference between these two substantially different versions of what has become the English that we know. Old English looks more like Icelandic than Modern English. Middle English looks difficult until you read it aloud - and then it sounds like a British dialect but with odd spelling and some unusual vocabulary.

Fell in love with this in HS when we "did" Chaucer in the original. Mostly because it reveals something of a long ago sensibility which is worth getting in touch with. There are long passages that may be skipped through for reliance on Greek mythology that is better handled by Ovid. But in places even the "non earthy" (salty) narrative is rich: by revealing what has NOT changed in all this time about human nature and by what has changed in the way we characterize it. I still got out my old original copy for comparison, which is worth while. But as a way of gaining access to a master of observation and insight this is a worthy effort. Boccacio light?

People are generally given this book in high school and required to read it. I didn't read it then, but I did so at my age--not far from 70--out of intellectual curiosity, and a desire to prove that I could. This particular translation of the Tales is excellent. It's entertainment and education about how society worked at that time, told in a smooth but lively manner. If you read it back in school, refresh your memory. If not, enjoy this great literature, 150-200 years before Shakespeare!

I am 73 years old and avid reader. But when I was in school, I missed some of the great classics. This is one and worth the read.

Medieval English is very taxing to read--to say the least. This author "translated" it quite well, so it is enjoyable to read. Also, the story is unusual and interesting. Working on filling in some missing pieces of my English Literature education. This edition fits the bill quite nicely.

I found this translation easy to read and a good way to get up to speed on Chaucer, if you haven't got the time and patience to struggle with the original text. I may now go back to the original, now I am well versed with the stories, so I can enjoy the poetry of the Middle English. This translation does its job well.

A translation which is faithful to the original text and retains the Middle English syntax whilst replacing words no longer used or recognisable with modern forms. There is no attempt to render the translation in poetic form so the Tales are prose versions.

I found this compilation of stories very interesting at times but not what I expected. Some of them are quite boring, with too many words. I was interested in the life of the author at the end of this compilation and the amount of information available about his life.Maybe someone will finish the unfinished stories some time in the future.

I have got as far as Chaucer describing the characters staying at the Tavern for the purpose of the Pilgrimage.(keeping in mind this is a modern translation by Gerald J Davis) It is interesting to read about the mindset of the people of that time, their characters and how they dressed.

A really good read. No notes or explanations to get in the way. It flows well and is a joy to read.