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Odyssey: The Story of Odysseus Audiobook
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(4.21) - 43 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
One of the great masterpieces of Western literature, Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars. Though the stormy, vengeful god of the ocean is determined to keep him off course, Odysseus is clever and has the brilliant goddess Athena on his side. With wit, integrity, and bravery, Odysseus must escape the grip of the fearsome Cyclops, resist the deadly seductions of sirens and witches, and traverse the land of the dead to commune with his fallen comrades before returning to his beloved wife, who has waited for him for twenty years. A storehouse of Greek folklore and myth, Homer’s epic tale remains as captivating today as it was 2,700 years ago.
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"I've read this work three times. There is something about the treatment, the language, that gives me a taste of the war. It doesn't feel like an ancient battle. I know these people. I recognize them. They're like me. Only I have to remind myself that this happened a long time ago. "
— F. (5 out of 5 stars)
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“The Odyssey has lots of strange characters, lots of bloodshed, and a true superhero trying to get back home to a virtuous wife. What’s not to like?”
— AudiFile -
“Odyssey is undoubtedly the most popular epic of Western culture.”
— Masterpieces of World Literature -
“The classic epic tale of Odysseus and his twenty-year effort to return home to Ithaca after the fall of Troy, as he faces one obstacle after another, is told in prose form (as opposed to verse) in this 1937 translation by W. H. D. Rouse. Award winning stage, film, and television actor Anthony Heald does a wonderful job of voicing the many, many characters, making the Rouse version even more accessible. Heald’s reading of the descriptions of the feasts, the settings, and even the clothing are incredibly lush and create the backdrop for the story, enabling listeners to picture every detail. He successfully captures the complexity of Odysseus’ character—brave, smart, and wily but also a bit full of himself and a masterful teller of tall tales. Heald’s reading of this masterpiece will enable listeners from older teens through adults to enjoy this very much. A classic for all ages.”
— SoundCommentary.com
Awards
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A #1 BBC Pick of Stories That Shaped the World
Odyssey Listener Reviews
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Jeremiah Morley, 9/10/2024
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" The Lattimore translation is marvelously close to the original, yes, but let’s face it — it’s prose (prose with unjustified right margins). Fitzgerald is correct, even when he takes liberties. And more importantly, his translation is genuinely poetic. "
— Taylor, 5/22/2011 -
" Not exactly my cup of tea. Although I am part Greek myself, Greek mythology has never truly held my interest, maybe when I'm older I'll give it another shot, but for now I find the writing and poem great, but Odysseus and his men not quite that interesting. "
— Stacey, 5/21/2011 -
" I love both the Fitzgerald and the Lattimore translations. This work is everything. My desert island book, if I were given the desperate situation of only having one book. "
— Leigh, 5/20/2011 -
" This is one of the best books not written. It was part of an oral tradition like much of the Hebrew/Christian Bible, but more entertaining. "
— David, 5/19/2011 -
" I recommend the Lattimore translation. "
— Sheldon, 5/18/2011 -
" I felt guilty for not liking this more, but I was a bit bored during it. Glad I read it, though. "
— Lauren, 5/16/2011 -
" I read this in college, and didn't enjoy it much. Maybe I need to re-read? Or maybe it's really just not for me.... "
— Anna, 5/16/2011 -
" Tra i due poemi, il mio preferito. "
— cristina, 5/15/2011 -
" Hard to read... Kinda boring "
— kyry, 5/14/2011 -
" I have taught seven translations of The Odyssey and Fagles has been the most accessible to the students. I still cover the entire book with my freshmen, feeling that through this classic they can learn what great literature is like. "
— David, 5/14/2011 -
" As Greek and Roman mythology is a favorite of mine, this epic was very entertaining. A great read to understand the action stories of a culture long ago. "
— William, 5/13/2011 -
" I don't need to review this because thousands already have. Good book though. I liked it. Nice and long. Good story. so old its almost part of history. "
— Chad, 5/13/2011 -
" Greek mythology right up my alley "
— Nicolette, 5/12/2011 -
" I try to read this through at least once a year. Each time is more moving to me then the last. "
— Alford, 5/7/2011 -
" Of Homer's works, the Iliad is my favorite. <br/> <br/>This translation, I think, is the best one. "
— Karen, 5/4/2011 -
" I swear if Greeks and the Trojans did not spend so much time scavenging for valuables on the dead and if they took up modern day burial practices the Trojan war would have lasted a year. "
— Cedar, 5/1/2011 -
" Really good required read if your tiring to catch up on the classics, Read with the Oddssey. "
— Charles, 4/28/2011 -
" I read the Stanley Lombardo translation, which rocked my socks off. "
— Hilary, 4/22/2011 -
" i don't know what version of The Iliad I read in college, but I loved it "
— Mike, 4/21/2011 -
" wooooooooooooow!!!!!! <br/>akhirnya beres juga baca buku ini <br/>wkwkwkwkwk "
— Rei, 4/21/2011
About Homer
Homer (9th or 8th century BC) is the presumed author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, the two greatest epic poems of ancient Greece. Virtually nothing is known about his life. Tradition has it that he was blind. Most scholars believe he composed the Iliad and the Odyssey by relying on oral traditions. Their value lies chiefly in the poetry itself, moving from sublime passages about the gods and heroic exploits to passages expressing deep human emotion.
About Anthony Heald
Anthony Heald, an Audie Award–winning narrator, has earned Tony nominations and an Obie Award for his theater work; appeared in television’s Law & Order, The X-Files, Miami Vice, and Boston Public; and starred as Dr. Frederick Chilton in the 1991 Oscar-winning film The Silence of the Lambs. He has also won numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards for his narrations.