The Odyssey (Penguin Classics)

Timeless, classic tale of loyalty and adventure!!

Homer's Odysseus is a vitally basic work of world literature, but oh, so confusing as reading experience. Over ten years ago I read a poem-version Finnish translversi of it in a reading group. Notes from that and these are like made from two different books. In the Finnish translation Greek-derived names of people and gods has been used, here instead Latin-based. This in itself is confusing for the inconvenience, until you get used to it. Another difference is thitinstead verse translation and this outspoken, yet somehow poetic-bound unusual prose text. The work and activity, the general course of events is quite clear, as long as it is kept in mind that they are not told as events as they occur, but afterwardas as a travel account. Here a terrible number of people and gods are included. Only a limited number of activities and a vague impression of the importance of things fasten in mind. When reading you cannot avoid comparing life now and then. Odyssian life seems to be concentrated to more essential things than is our life. Just eating, drinking, dressing, and homemaking get more attention than in our life. All the action is in every respect more grandiose than it is now. People are gathered in big numbers. Whole pigs will be eaten, a lot of washing, rough behavior. Fighting for petty reasons, ruthless killing, but also generous treating: clothes, lavish gifts are given. The difference in the relationship between man and god is really great. This of course, because of the fundamental difference between the polytheistic and monotheistic religions. We have only one God who is behind everything and decides everything perfectly. Ulysse's gods are many and they are dedicated to specific issues. There are contradictions between the gods and not just between people and in human relations to the gods. But the gods are also closer to the people and behave like people. While here man is created as image of God, Odyssian gods are vice versa enlarged pictures of man. Are there any books to which this unique story could be compared? Yes, to similar works of polytheistic worldview, such as the Kalevala, which also describes a journey, Sampo robbery and acquiring it back to its original use as the source of general well-being. Because the world of the Kalevala is more human and refined, it is in my eyes more appealing than the heights of mountains and jagged environments of Odyssean world. Although the plot is clear and justified, a question remains: Why does not Odysseus straight away go to meet Penelope? So would a hero of our world undoubtedly have done. However, no way avoiding full five stars, mainly for the clarity and great features of the plot.

MY Bad! I was supposed to order Ulysees.... but accidently ordered this instead...Ooopps! Still, great literature...classic novel

A former English teacher, I had taught THE ODYSSEY, which was required reading for all 9th grade students. Though the epic poem was required reading in many high schools, the versions in the lit anthologies were much abridged; however, my college prof had us read and study the entire text; which I found fascinating and engrossing, particularly considering that it was written in 800 B.C. Recently, I came across the title in my Kindle and decided to read it again. Interesting how one can glean so much more entertainment after having read it so many years later. Wish Hollywood would create a polished version of the classic; I think it would be quite successful if the screenplay, acting, and directorship were reasonably competent, along the likes of Zefferelli's ROMEO AND JULIET, for example.. Over the years, there have been many film versions of classic lit, such as OF MICE AND MEN, THE BIBLE, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, THE GREAT GATSBY, etc. Many high-schoolers as well as adults enjoy such film versions, why not include THE ODYSSEY. For what it's worth, I enjoy re-reading many books years after the original readings; it's amazing how much more one can glean by the second readings. Some of the authors that I re-read are Pat Conroy, John Irving, Ken Follett, Michael Crichton, Nelson DeMille, Shakespeare, Thomas Wolfe, Tom Wolfe, et al.

I too like some of the reviewers was close to removing this free edition from my Kindle as I began to wonder when The Odyssey would begin. It starts at 8 % or location 413 on the third Kindle type size. The first 8% is a biography of Homer and a critique of Alexander Pope's translation of Homer's The Odyssey. I found the biography interesting and The Odyssey itself is a great Greek epic. A linked table of contents would have been nice and a page break between the foreword and the start of the actual work would have been appreciated. So I take off a star for that. With Kindle's bookmarking, highlighting, note adding feature, and search feature you can quickly find and go anywhere though from your Kindle menu so the point becomes moot. Then I add a half star back for it was free anyways.

Homer’s The Odyssey is a must-read—full of vivid imagery and compelling storytelling. As a kindle, I think it is convenient to have such a classic in digital format. Now for the con, there are some formatting issues. The line breaks and paragraph spacing were inconsistent, which disrupted the flow. It lacks helpful extras like footnotes, glossary, or translator’s notes that would aid modern readers.

My children tell me this poem is not required reading in school any longer, but then it wasn't when I was in high school in the 1970's either. Western Civ was crammed into a semester. Understand who and what you are in an hour a day over a term. Yeah I am sure that is going to work out. But I got a drivers license and that at least identified my gender. Otherwise lost in this age I decided to go back to the beginning, and like our hero depart this never never land the nymph Calypso tells me I am in where all is beautiful and there is no mortality. Ulysses knows who he is and leaves, preferring humanity. In contrast we are unmoored from all we have been before. We have no epic mythology that tells us who we are. Instead we are informed by the cyclops television, desktop computer or smart phone. How reliable are the stories these things tell live by? What I learned from Ulysses was I had the power to sharpen a stick and poke these monsters in the eye. Then set sail for Ithaca.

Point: All the perils, deception, and monsters in the ancient world could not keep the hero Ulysses from returning to his home after the destruction of Troy. Path: Homer takes the reader on an epic adventure through the Greek world of ships, storms, gods, and battle. Set in poetic verse, this ancient rhyme rings of man's life in the shadow of the gods. At times they smile upon the finite man, and at others they seek to crush his frail existence. Agreement: This was an exciting story, told with great descriptions and flowing words. The arrangement of story told and retold added to the suspense of the adventure. Disagreement: The dated english mixed with the various names of greek gods made it difficult to follow all the conversations. The format of this kindle book also made it harder since the poetry was reduced to rhyming paragraphs. Favorite Quotes: "Beauty unchaste is beauty in disgrace." "Be thy soul at rest; and know, whatever heaven ordains is best." "Of all the ills unhappy mortals know, a life of wanderings is the greatest woe." It would be worth another read and I would recommend it. *I would recommend listening to Josh Garrel's song, Ulysses, after reading this.

Classic Book couldread it any time and I’m happy to find it for free an Amazon

Beklediğim gibi....

Received best book

Returned Book Due to Damage – Pages Were Torn I returned a book I received the very next day because several pages were torn. The item was listed as new, so I was surprised to find it in that condition. Utterly disappointing:( and it has been more than 6 days now i have not received by refund.

It's the Odyssey, so of course it's five stars. This is a clear, readable prose translation that will tell you the story; you get the content, but not the poetry. It's the original E.V. Rieu translation (which might have been the first Penguin Classic ever?), revised by his grandson to be a little more in line with contemporary English. Brooke Clark, author of Urbanities