Welcome to Litsy!

I started 2025 with Emily Wilson's translation of The Iliad and it just felt right to close it out with her take on The Odyssey. Sparse and precise, I love her considered choice to render the story in iambic pentameter for a modern, English-speaking audience. Her work has its fair share of detractors (rooted primarily in misogyny, let's be so for real), but I love it. New interpretations get an emphatic YES from me, and I really enjoyed this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️the original hero‘s journey. I loved the beautiful language and seeing what lengths we go through to get back to home and those we love. Always loved mythology and nice to read the origin story.

With my recent acquisition of the Lombardo translations of the Iliad and Odyssey, I now have six and seven copies of each, respectively (including graphic novels). None of them are prose, either, which is my sticking point.

#two4tuesday @TheSpineView

1. Probably Greek
2. Tagged

@BethM @peaKnit @JenReadsAlot @Eggs

#dynamicds
@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#dilemma

#aprilpoetrychallenge
#NationalPoetryMonth
#waiting
@wanderinglynn

#theodyssey #penelope 🧡💛🧡

A fair amount of reading was done in March. While many books are in the 3-star range, I did really enjoy The Odyssey (read over two months). I finished ny #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin, read a couple of books for #192025, read two books set in big cities for #FictionalTraveler, a couple of #1001Books, and I even got a Bingo.

5am flight fuel

#poetrymatters
#wag
@TheSpineView

For me, the saddest passage in this epic poem.

I've found the recent, ever-evolving Twitter Discourse on The Odyssey equally maddening, absurd, and fascinating (y'know, in the train wreck way). Has anyone else seen this come through your feeds? Anyway, in this house, YES, The Odyssey is a foundational text that everyone should know about and also, we stan both Fagles and Wilson, end of. Let's have it all! More interpretation! More poetry! More lenses through which to view all of our stories!

There was definitely some skimming in this reread. I still got out of it what I wanted: to reacquaint myself with the plot beats and characters so I'm better prepared for any recent retellings that catch my eye; to remind myself that the further from modern sensibilities, the less likely I am to enjoy a literary classic. 🤷🏼‍♂️ 1/?

Always a strong argument for vengeance: the kindergarten comeback. 😛

I...I really want to know what the original phrasing was in Homer's Greek. 😏

Having less recently survived a war, recently released from a goddess's captivity, escaped a storm, a shipwreck, relatively certain various gods still have it out for him, having crawled naked and half-drowned into the woods to make a dirt-and-leaves bed for a much needed exhausted sleep, Odysseus now wakes to screaming. Yep, let's give the man a moment to take stock. 🤦🏼‍♂️

Thank you @Eggs for creating this fun play-card 😉👍💝.

1- I've visited some interesting National Wonders/places/buildings in my California (& there's still a bunch on my “must visit“ & “must revisit again“ lists).

Outside of my state, one of the places that has intrigued me since learning about the history of the place, is Chaco in New Mexico. I have a crazy dream that the place should be rebuilt to its former glory. I know, wacky me.👇

#AboutABook
#ClassicYouRead ... #AndTaught
@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

IMHO, one of the best hero's quest stories (epic poetry) ever written.

#SundayFunday
@BookmarkTavern

#theodyssey
#robertfaglestranslation

Then Athene, in the form and with the voice of Mentor, presently made a covenant of peace between the two parties.
#TheOdyssey #Homer #lastline #closingline #book #books #bookhoarder #bookhoarders #bookhaul #bookholic #bookholics #bookheaven #bookjunkie #bookjunkies #bookjunky #bookjacket #bookjackets #bookjacketdesign #bookjacketdesigner #bookkeeper #Classics #Poetry #Fiction #Mythology #Fantasy #School #Literature #Adventure #ReadForSchool 🤎🤎

Fabulous! I can‘t wait to read more translations by her!

Book no.11 of the year!
I've read a different version of Homer's work but I was intrigued by this one and I have to say that I do love Wilson's translation of this epic poem.
Her use of modern language and choice of iambic pentameter for her translation felt new and contemporary and it was easier to read and visualize for me. This alone was a challenge as she managed to keep the same number of verses from the original Greek! Kudos Wilson 🎉🎉

Either Genesis or Homer‘s Odyssey (the real one)
#sundayfunday

First time reading The Odyssey (I only bought this set like 15 years ago 🙄). I guess I always felt intimidated by it; oddly a 500 page poem sounds like more work than a 500 page novel. But Fagles‘ translation is quite accessible, tending toward prose over verse, which I‘m sure made a daunting task not so daunting.

Still, what can one say that hasn‘t already been said? It‘s The Odyssey and it‘s worth the effort.

Well, I didn‘t read except for audio and a chapter during my oldest‘s cheer practice. So I‘m doing a lot of catch up today. Officially, caught up on Serial reads. Hopefully, I can get more of my reading goals caught up by this evening. #JubilantJuly @Andrew65

Here‘s my review for another book I just finished reading.

Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy.
#TheOdyssey #Homer #firstline #openingline #book #books #bookhoarder #bookhoarders #bookhaul #bookhauler #bookholic #bookholics #bokkheaven #bookjunkie #bookjunkies #bookjunky #bookjacket #bookjackets #bookjacketdesign #bookjacketdesigner #Classics #Fiction #Poetry #Mythology #Fantasy #School #Literature #Adventure #ReadForSchool 💘💘💘

Classic Christmas reading

This book was midtier

Good book! Great tell of events in every chapter.

Translated by Emily Wilson

So my July #roll100 books are ready to go… sort of. I found out that the two on the left are the third books in their series so I‘ve actually got their first books ready to go. 😅 Plus I finally get to read The Odyssey! Sweet! @PuddleJumper

"For nothing could be better than when two love in one house, their minds in harmony, husband and wife. Their enamora are jealous, their friends delighted, and they have great honor."

#TheOdyssey #Homer #book #books #bookz #bookzesty #bookzilla #bookzine #bookzone #bookxcess #bookcollection #bookcollector #bookcase #boookcases #bookcover #bookcovers #bookcoverdesign #bookcoverdesigner #bookclub #bookclubs #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #bookvsmovie #bookbag #bookbags #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookblogger #bookbackpack #bookbackpacks #booknerd #booknerds #booknerdsunite #Classics #Fiction #Poetry #Mythology 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

#TheOdyssey #Homer #Classics #Fiction #Poetry #Mythology #Fantasy #School #Literature #Adventure #ReadForSchool #HistoricalFiction #book #books #booklist #booklust #booklove #booklover #booklovers #bookloversunite #bookz #bookzesty #bookzilla #bookzine #bookzone #bookxcess #bookcollection #bookcollector #bookcase #bookcases #bookcover #bookcovers #bookcoverdesign #bookcoverdesigner #bookclub #bookclubs #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #bookvsmovie

#TheOdyssey #Homer #Classics #Fiction Poetry #Mythology #Fantasy #School #Literature #Adventure #ReadForSchool #HistoricalFiction #book #books #bookbag #bookbags #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookblogger #bookbackpack #bookbackpacks #booknerd #booknerds #booknerdsunite #booknerdy #booknook #booknation #nerd #nerds #nerdsunite #nerdy #bookmark #bookmarks #bookmarket #bookmarkets #bookmoment #bookmoments #bookquote #bookquotes #bookqueen 💛💛💛

This is an allusion to the Trojan War, which the Greeks waged against the Trojans following Paris of Troy's abduction of Helen. This is an allusion to Helios, the Greek god of the sun.

#TheOdyssey #Homer #book #books #bookkeeper #bookkeeping #bookkeepers #bookkeeperlife #bookloot #booklist #booklust #booklove #booklover #booklovers #bookloversunite #bookz #bookzesty #bookzilla #bookzine #bookzone #bookxcess #bookcollection #bookcollector #bookcollections #bookcase #bookcases #bookcover #bookcovers #bookcoverdesign #bookcoverdesigner #bookclub #bookclubs #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #Classics #Fiction #Poetry #Mythology 💝💝

#TheOdyssey #Homer #book #books #bookend #bookends #bookending #bookendings #bookedit #bookedits #bookeditor #read #bookrecommendation #bookrecommendations #bookreport #bookreports #bookreview #bookreviews #bookriot #booktattoo #booktree #bookthief #booktopia #bookyourself #bookunion #bookutopia #bookunion #bookunicorn #bookunicorns #bookunhaul #bookish #bookishfeature #bookishfeatures #bookishlife #Classics #Fiction #Poetry #Mythology 💖💖💖💖💖

I‘m a longtime fan, so it‘s no surprise I enjoyed this. Wilson does a great job maintaining the feel of the poetry using accessible language. I recommend this edition - and the 91 pages of introductory material is pretty awesome, too.
#roll100 #24 @PuddleJumper

#TheOdyssey #Homer #book #books #bookcollection #bookcollector #bookcase #bookcases #bookcover #bookcovers #bookcoverdesign #bookcoverdesigner #bookclub #bookclubs #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #bookvsmovie #bookbag #bookbags #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookblogger #bookbackpack #bookbackpacks #booknerd #booknerdsunite #Classics #Fiction #Poetry #Mythology #Fantasy #School #Literature #Adventure #ReadForSchool #HistoricalFiction 💕💕💕💕

Whew, made it! 91 pages of introduction and translator‘s notes! What a cool closing paragraph, though. And it gets even better - the next section has four really cool maps! Yes, four!

But for now I‘m setting it aside and working on #1619ProjectRead - which I believe is my last weekly read to catch up on. Then back to this one (or, equally likely, on to something shiny).

I‘ve (over)committed to some buddy reads/challenges, but I didn‘t set a numeric goal. I just want to enjoy my reading.

Persistence

I am, though I‘m still wading through the introduction and translator‘s notes. It‘s taking me back to undergrad with my favorite professor of all time, and my favorite class of his.

#ThoughtfulThursday @MoonWitch94 thanks for the tag @RaeLovesToRead

Tagging

Who started this edition without realizing the introduction and translator‘s notes are 100 pages long? That would be me. Don‘t get me wrong; I‘m finding it all fascinating so far (I am a big Odyssey nerd), it‘s just more than I expected. I should have, though, as the whole thing is massive.
#Roll100 #24