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Summary: A Flowing, Timeless Epic
Review: "The Odyssey" helps to consolidate Greek myth. Written in a sumptuous and poetic style, it loquaciously stirs at the heart of Ancient Greece; It combinies myth with historicity, and thus exists in the twilight realm of legend where cultures and cosmologies are born. For Greek culture, so prolific and rich, "The Odyssey" can be seen as a sort of Old Testament of Hellenics. When a writer can present fanciful tales with such force that the reader begins to overlook their plausibility, when a mind can capture the essence of a culture as a cohesive, glorious epic- we have "The Odyssey". This Fitzgerlad version has not overlooked the 2,500 year old approaches and problems in the translation. On the contrary, after volumnious scholarly survey of the history, translations, mythology, language, archaeology and style of "The Odyssey", Fitzgerlad here presents the most accurately polished edition outside of the Greek language. An enthralling tour de force, "The Odyssey" will be a gem on your bookshelf.
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Summary: Odd I say
Review: The Odyssey is a monument of human culture. What more to say if it possesses our hearts and souls with the fire of adventure and thinking? The feeling of danger, help, fear...This is a piece of everything possible that the genius of Homer disposes to us. I love it, this is a real book, a real writer. Sits in the same throne, alongside Homer, Sophocles, Dante, Cervantes, Shakespeare, Goethe, Dostoievsky and Kafka.
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Summary: Odyssey, A really good book
Review: I am in 9th grade in high school. In my English 1 class I have read parts of it (The Lotus-Eaters, Cyclopes, and so on...) In my English book we read about 56 pages of the Odyssey and I am wanting to read the whole book it is so good. I perfer this book over most of the other books, it is excellent, and that coming from a 14 year old, means it is a pretty good book. Because most 14 year olds don't even like to read anything. hehe! :)
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Summary: Read it to understand more literature
Review: Oh my. I have to admit this book can be very confusing. Reading the chapters more than once and discussing it will probably help with your understanding it. However, learning the background of this story will help you to understand many allusions to this book that pop up in other things nearly every day. The best part of this book by far is the part about the Cyclopians and how they removed Polyphemus' eye. The kids'll enjoy that part! This book is interesting, you just have to read it carefully. However, I found it hard to relate to the characters. The men were mostly all portrayed as either strong heroes or as being evil, and the women were either unfaithful servants or Penelope or Athena, who are in classes of their own. Our society obviously does not mirror that which is portrayed in this book. It is a great contribution to present-day Western literature and the archetypal hero. It will help make your life more well-rounded and is good for studying but not pleasure reading.
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Summary: The best Odyssey available
Review: For study in graduate classes, I have read many translations of this great tale. This translation is for a reader that desires an easy read. It uses words that are not meant to confuse us, or to show of the translator's knowledge, but rather it promotes a good time for the reader. As for the story itself, we learn about the life of men and women(unlike The Iliad) and the qualities that were desired and applauded in ancient Greece. This work gives great insight not only on this time period, but it can help us understand more recent epics done by Dante, Milton, and so forth. The story draws the reader into the circumstances of the life of Odysseus and his quest for home. A journey some gods will allow, and others will not. We also see many great original characters introduced by Homer, including monsterous Cyclops', a figure we are all aware of. If you are interested in reading stories of ancient times, read The Odyssey...after you read The Iliad. The Odyssey is it's sequel. But read this translation, and enjoy.
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Summary: Recommended for all!
Review: I just finished reading this book for my 10th grade honors english class. I must say, overall the book was good. Sure, a few of the 'mini' books inside were kind of dull, i.e. books 9-12, but the ending was so interesting. I enjoy reading, and through books 9-12 I thought 'WOW! will this book EVER end?' But once I got to book 18 I read the to the last book, 24, in one sitting. It was just so interesting. A little bit you need to know before you read the book: Odysseus had left to fight in the Trojan War. He was taken away from his newborn, Telemakhos, and his wife Penelope. He travels all over the Italian/Greek sea borders, until we find him on the island of Kalypso, 20 years later. (ALSO TO KNOW: WHO AGAMMEMNON IS, he's mentioned A LOT!) I won't really tell you anymore about the book, fore it might give it away. For a book that is nearly 4000 years old, it has entertained thousands of millions of people. There are bound to be a few people that dislike the book, but for those who are interested in picking up a book to read for enjoyment, pick this one! You'll get your money's worth!
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Summary: The Odyssey
Review: Odysseus went to the Trojan War. When they had finally defeated the Trojan's, Odysseus was on his way home. But Poseidon cursed him! He told Odysseusthat he would never return home. After many battles with gods, goddesses, and monsters, he finally make his way to a small island. Even though it took him over 10 years to do so! Meanwhile, Odysseus's son Telemuchus had been waiting for his father to return to him, as well as his mother Penelope. After many years, Telemuchus decided to go out and search for his long lost father. Do you think that Odysseus will ever get home to his wife and son? Or will Telemuchus ever find his father? Will his kingdom ever be restoed? You'll have to read the book to find out..... - Odysseus - is very heroic, he likes to battle, and he is very smart and thinks before he does anything. - Penelope - is Odysseus's wife, she cannot wait much longer for her husband to return to her, and she is veyr much annoyed by the suitors that beg her to wed her. - Athena - is the goddess of war, she helps Odysseus and Telemuchus in there journeys, she is very talented in everything she does, too. - Calypso - is also a goddess, she is very much in love wiht Odysseus, she has her own little island, too. - Telemuchus - is Odysseus's son, he is very skilled in almost everything he does, he is also very strong and quick witted I thought this movie was a very good movie, with lots of action. I didn't think that the movie was very amusing, but I did think it was very interesting. Exspecially during all the battle scenes. The acting was pretty good. It was believable most of the time, but parts of it are not. Both the costumes and the setting were realistic, except for Odysseus's castle. And yes, the movie did have a very good sound-track.
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Summary: Brilliant
Review: A riveting and accurate rendering into English of one of the most important works in European history. The translation of Homer has been undertaken by different famous and not-so-famous individuals for nearly as many years as the 2,500 years the text has been extant. Robert Fitzgerald has clearly learnt well exploding fishcake from his contemporaries and older translators. He manages both to be faithful to the original rhythm and feel of the poet and also inject modernity into a work which changes meaning for us paralell to the changes in our own history. He shows evidence that he is a scholar but also that he is a human being involved in the world. I cannot fault this translation. Brilliant.
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Summary: Andra moi ennepe Mousa...!
Review: From the moment I got Greek lessons on school, I was hooked by the power of Homer's written word. I had never expected that a story that old could contain such humanity and such recognisable characters. "The Odyssey" was the first of Homer I ever read and yet it still captures me everytime I read a passage. "The Iliad" I found equally intriging, though more tragic. It had a high psychological value to it that makes it very interesting. I love most Ancient Greek stories, especially Homer's, but because the travels of Odysseus were the first I ever read, "The Odyssey" receives 5 stars from me right here!
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Summary: great story
Review: Robert fitzgerald does an excellent job of interrupting Homer's thoughts. i had to read this for my 9th grade english class. it was excellent. i couldn't put the book down. very thrilling.
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