Padraic Colum's classic retelling combines the immortal stories from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey into one glorious saga of heroism and magical adventure. Come voyage to ancient Greece with Achilles who, guided by the gods, seeks vengeance on the Trojans. And follow Odysseus on his perilous journey on the sea—through the land of the Cyclopes, past Circe the Enchantress, the terrible Charybdis, and the six-headed serpent Scylla.
Young readers will delight in these accessible tales of action and adventure.
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"AWESOME! Finally the tale of Odysseus in a language I can actually understand! The plot is surprisingly interesting... "
— Grace (5 out of 5 stars)
“Published in 1918, Colum’s stirring telling of the Greek epics is still unequaled as an introduction to the classic myths for young readers.”
— Publishers Weekly“[Vance’s] distinct narration gives a clear rendition of classic myths The Iliad and The Odyssey. The reading is intelligible to children yet preserves the heroic style of the sagas. It is a treat to hear Greek words pronounced with such ease.”
— Lolly Gepson" A great introduction for children!!! "
— Kl, 9/25/2010" I was a little cunfusing. I think at one piont some one was telling a story of a man who told a story. "
— Anna, 12/12/2009" its pretty exiting but they talk kinda wierd. but theres lots of fights and its cool "
— Jack, 6/6/2009" Wonderful way to introduce Homer to kids and learn the Odyssey <br/> "
— Sally, 3/22/2009" I had to read this for one of my classes this year and the book was ok, not the best. It had its ups and downs. "
— Garrett, 1/10/2009" Long book but worth to read. "
— Alex, 8/20/2008" My kids loved this book! (And I enjoyed reading it to them!) Very palatable Homer! "
— Wendy, 7/30/2008" I'm embarrassed at the difficulty I'm having reading this book, and how children 100 years ago must have been better schooled. The timeless tales told in an abridged format, but without losing the literary interest. "
— Megan, 10/15/2007" Wonderful prep for Homer. Also incredible is Blackstone Audiobooks' version read by Robert Whitfield. Masterful! "
— Leila, 8/16/2007Padraic Colum (1881–1972) was an Irish poet, playwright, author, a major leader of the Irish Renaissance, and a friend to James Joyce and William Yeats. Well versed in the old Gaelic myths as well as those of other cultures, he wrote a number of books for children that retell these tales. His book The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived before Achilles was a Newbery Honor Book, and he was awarded the Regina Medal for his distinguished contribution to children’s literature.
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.