The Odyssey

This is truly a wonderful rendition that speaks to the heart and soul of the poetry, tends to the lyricism of the tradition and culture and the joys of the language. It has a vigor and a thrust that are exceptionally Attic and Hellenic (thereby) and the supporting material in the editorial work is superb. There are translations that deserve much credit out there - from Lattimore to Fitzgerald to Graves to Lombardo. All have merits. Emily Wilson also deserves much of an applause for her joy and rhythm. (Chapman and Pope are classics for different reasons and their beauty is not because of translation standards but poetic value…)This is unique in so that it lives the language, the culture, the wordplay, the the nuances of emotional and psychological stages with the heroic valor and stultifying hubris that is part of the very depths of this beautiful tale. Read them all but if you must chose a one this is immensely satisfying and a wonder that will make you will hug the book itself after every chapter. Well done! Exceptional!

This translation looks excellent but I haven't gotten much into it. btw I can also recommend the recent translation by Emily Wilson, which is a great read (ISBN-10: ‎ 0393356256). What I thought I'd point out off the bat: This hardcover edition has a sewn binding and a very appealing, wide-page layout. Just a nice book to hold and read. So rare that it's worth noting ... for those who care!

I have been a devoted fan of Daniel Mendelsohn's memoirs and essays for a long time, and have always marveled at his preternatural gift for words and thought, as if anointed by the gods. So I have waited patiently, since I first heard tell of his upcoming translation of the Odyssey, wishing to read it as soon as I could. And now it has arrived, and it exceeds my expectations! This is not the first time I've read this story. From 9th grade on various translations transfixed me. But none like Daniel Mendelsohn's! The beauty of the diction, the rhythm of lines have me reciting this translation outloud. No other way - certainly not just silently reading it - feels right. Mendelsohn lets you understand the compelling beauty of Homer's meter, words, alliteration! I never want this experience to end!

In the Kindle edition, the formatting of the verse is terrible, with an odd and unnecessary gap before and after every tenth line. It's unreadable. The University of Chicago Press needs to fix this mess as soon as possible.

This is a criticism of the Kindle version, not the translation or the notes. The notes are terrific, but that leads to the criticism of the Kindle version. The notes are linked from the note back to the text, but not from the text back to the note. This makes it virtually impossible to read with the notes which are a key selling point to the print/ebook edition.I would suggest getting a print copy if you have any desire to meaningfully interact with the notes.5* for the text and the notes.4* for the audio perfomance.0* for the Kindle format

I teach high school classics. This is the best translation of "The Odyssey" that I have ever come across.

Love it!💋❤️😘 Great Homer!AND Matt Damon is starting in the NEW movie NOW!!Wow! Can’t wait and hope you all can’t wait to see it next year!Fantastic!😝