Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great translation
This is a wonderful translation of Homer's classic story of Odysseus and his return home. It was a nice read.

It's Free, Folks
This Kindle download is difficult to figure out.It begins with a very lengthy introduction by Theodore Alois Buckley, which might cause you to think you had downloaded a critique of the Odyssey and not the actual story.That is not so.


The actual translation of the Odyssey begins at 8% on the Kindle: "O Muse! resound; Who when his arms had wrougt the destined fall of sacred Troy, and razed her heaven-built wall, wandering from clime to clime, observant stray'd..."

"Now at their native realms the Greeks arrived; all who the wars of ten long years survived; and scaped the perils of the gulfy main."

It is the translation by Alexander Pope and you either like his translation or you don't; there are, I believe, easier ones to understand.

Buckley says,"It would be absurd, therefore, to test Pope's translation by our own advancing knowledge of the original text.We must content to look at it as a most delightful work in itself,-- a work which is as much a part of English literature as Homer himself is of Greek."

The Kindle edition has what I consider a major problem:

There is no Table of Contents so you can not jump to a particular book which is very unfortunate because when studying the book you want to do exactly that.The fix would be to add a Bookmark every time you come to a new book so that you can easily go back and forth.But that, obviously, would mean you have to read through the whole book bookmarking as you go which is why I gave this a four star instead of five star review for this Kindle edition.

But... it is free and free is a very good price.

Not Homer's Odyssey
I downloaded this thinking it was Homer's Odyssey. It is not. The title is misleading.

Not the best adaptation for the Kindle
This is Alexander Pope's verse translation of the Odyssey, first published in 1726, glommed into a kindle edition. It is not formatted for the Kindle and is thus very difficult to read -- instead of stanzas, it's all oddly-broken chunks that vaguely resemble paragraphs, presumably an artifact of whatever software was used to scan the original text. To add to that, it's poetry *by Alexander Pope*, and thus largely in heroic couplets, deliberately archaic even to the ear of Pope's18th-century contemporaries, with "thou"s scattered throughout -- there's a reason that William Wordsworth thought Pope's poetry archaic and artificial.

As this is a "kindle bestseller" but there aren't any other listed reviews, I suspect a lot of people are (like myself) downloading this for their kindles because it shows up readily in a search for "Odyssey", and then getting stymied by the five-hundred-"location" introductory essay (written, as best I can tell, in the early 1800's, and thus hopelessly outdated by little things like two hundred year's worth of Homerian scholarship, Schliemann's discovery of Troy, etc.) and the near-impenetrable arrangement of the text. If anyone can find a better-formatted free-download kindle version of the Odyssey (perhaps a prose translation?) please link me to it in a comment. Thanks. ... Read more

Product Description
ONCE IN NINE LIVES, SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS.
 
The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight.

Everyone warned that Homer would always be an “underachiever.” But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease, survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night. But it was Homer’s unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that transformed Gwen’s life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most valuable lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes.Amazon.com Review
Book Description
Once in nine lives, something extraordinary happens...

The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight.

Everyone warned that Homer would always be an "underachiever," never as playful or independent as other cats. But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo, a tiny daredevil with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease and leapt five feet into the air to catch flies in mid-buzz. He survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night.

But it was Homer’s unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that inspired Gwen daily and transformed her life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized Homer had taught her the most important lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes.

Homer’s Odyssey is the once-in-a-lifetime story of an extraordinary cat and his human companion. It celebrates the refusal to accept limits—on love, ability, or hope against overwhelming odds. By turns jubilant and moving, it’s a memoir for anybody who’s ever fallen completely and helplessly in love with a pet.

Amazon Exclusive: Gwen Cooper on Homer's Odyssey

I never wanted to be a writer of non-fiction.While I can honestly say that I dreamt of being a writer from my earliest discovery of books, memoirs held no interest for me. The stories I loved—and devoured with a single-minded intensity that charmed my English teachers while causing my math teachers to gnash their teeth in frustration—were stories that were larger than life, that played out on a grand scale.I read fairy tales, mythology (Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, Native American, you name it), epic poems, novels about soldiers, pirates, adventurers, explorers, heroes, magicians, revolutionaries, beautiful damsels, dashing cads, romances, tragedies, comedies—everything, in short, that struck me as just a touch more interesting than real life ever seemed to be.

It amazes me now that, for years, I never thought about Homer as being the hero of his own story. I knew that he was extraordinary, I knew that everybody who ever met him was full of questions—wanting to know why and how. But he was also just my cat, the goofy little guy who jumped around in circles when I came home at night, who loved to chase around stuffed toys, insisted on getting his fair share of tuna if I was making a tuna sandwich, and curled up in a tight ball on my left knee whenever I sat at the computer to email friends or finish up work projects.

The idea of writing about Homer didn’t occur to me until Laurence, my husband—who was then my boyfriend—met him for the first time and wanted to know (as most people do) how it was that Homer ended up blind. When I told him how Homer had been abandoned shortly after birth, how he’d been near death until he was brought in to my veterinarian, how the price of saving his life had been the loss of his vision, and how he’d still nearly met an inglorious end in an animal shelter because nobody wanted to adopt him until finally my vet called me—when he heard all that, Laurence’s response was, "He’s like Daredevil, like a comic book superhero. He has an origin story and everything."

Laurence was quite pleased with this analogy, and loved to expound upon it. When he observed that Homer was braver, faster, and more agile than my two sighted cats, or when he saw Homer leap five feet straight into the air to catch a buzzing fly in mid-flight, he would talk about Homer’s "superpowers." When I told him how Homer had once single-handedly chased off a burglar who broke into my apartment in the middle of the night, Laurence said, “You’re a storyteller—why don’t you tell some of these stories?”

It’s impossible to quantify or define the ways in which Homer has moved me, inspired me, and flat-out entertained me over the years. But perhaps the greatest gift he’s given me is the ability to find the heroism and grandeur of my favorite stories smack-dab in the middle of my everyday life.Don’t get me wrong—there’s plenty of action and larger-than-life adventure tales to be found in these pages.But Homer is extraordinary even when he’s at his most ordinary. No aspiring writer in love with adventure stories could have asked for better material.

I always wanted to be a writer, but I never wanted to be a writer of non-fiction.Sometimes, things work out differently than you think they will.Sometimes life picks you up and drops you in the middle of a story that’s better than any you could ever have imagined.Sometimes you don’t know what’s missing until you find it.Homer is the living proof.—Gwen Cooper

... Read more

Customer Reviews (159)

Heart warming story for all cat lovers
I would've given 10 stars if I could! Gwen told her story with the cats (Homer, Scarlett and Vashti) with such passion. I can totally relate to her story as I have been adopted by 4 semi-feral cats who appeared from somewhere in the woods in my backyard. Apparently the mother cat was somebody's pet before she was "let go". At any rate, Homer's story is very touching and heart warming. A must read for all cat lovers.

Homer's Odyssey
A great read.Gwen Cooper is a wonderful writer, I found her passion and emotion drawing me in as a participant in the story.I invisioned myself running frantically through the streets of New York City after 9/11, as she did in a quest to get back to her 3 beloved cats.And of course the story itself is one of great love and triumph.Such a little, blind cat; such a big loving heart.

The story of Homer should serve as an inspiration to all who have ever questioned the meaning of life.Life for this little cat is one big leap of faith.

I couldn't put this book down.I hated reaching the last page, I wanted more.I could go on and on, but I think that anyone who has ever felt a bond with a pet will love this book.And for those of you who just need a good fun book to read this is the one.It's full of laughs a few tears and a whole lot of action.

I love Homer
I bought Homer's Odyssey on a whim. I'm a cat lover, and when I saw Homer's little black face staring up at me from my computer screen, I couldn't resist. I purchased it immediately and received it in the mail two days later. I started reading that night and quickly found I loved the story and appreciated Cooper's style of writing. In an effort to pace myself and not finish the book too quickly, I vowed to read a chapter a night. It was incredibly difficult not to read multiple chapters, let alone the entire book, in one sitting. This story brought me a new appreciation of cats, especially special needs cats. The tales Cooper tells of Homer's escapades made me laugh and cry on many occasions. I loved this book and I love Homer. I strongly recommend reading Homer's Odyssey.

Encouraging!
I picked up this book because of the good reviews and the number of reviews. Gwen shows us how brave Homer is facing this world. He never gives up hope. I am so glad last time I check Homer is still well. I recommend this book to any pet lovers.

Amazing story of love - an instant favorite
This book moved me more than I was prepared to be moved. I have always loved stories about animals, and stories about people overcoming the odds, and this combination of an animal overcoming the odds, and so inspiring people along the way really spoke to me. It is a story and a life lesson wrapped up into the confines of a book, and I could not be more grateful to Ms. Cooper for writing it. I, too, hope to learn from Homer and throw myself at the world with as much joy and abandon as that cat has done. This is a quick read, and nearly impossible to put down. ... Read more

Product Description
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, THE KANSAS CITY STAR, AND BOOKLIST

Homer and Langley Collyer are brothers—the one blind and deeply intuitive, the other damaged into madness, or perhaps greatness, by mustard gas in the Great War. They live as recluses in their once grand Fifth Avenue mansion, scavenging the city streets for things they think they can use, hoarding the daily newspapers as research for Langley’s proposed dateless newspaper whose reportage will be as prophecy. Yet the epic events of the century play out in the lives of the two brothers—wars, political movements, technological advances—and even though they want nothing more than to shut out the world, history seems to pass through their cluttered house in the persons of immigrants, prostitutes, society women, government agents, gangsters, jazz musicians . . . and their housebound lives are fraught with odyssean peril as they struggle to survive and create meaning for themselves.Amazon.com Review
Amazon Exclusive: E.L. Doctorow on Homer & Langley

E. L. Doctorow's novels include The March, City of God, The Waterworks, Welcome to Hard Times, The Book of Daniel, Ragtime, Loon Lake, Lives of the Poets, World's Fair, and Billy Bathgate. His work has been published in thirty-two languages. Among his honors are the National Book Award, three National Book Critics Circle awards, two PEN/Faulkner awards, the Edith Wharton Citation for Fiction, the William Dean Howells Medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the presidentially conferred National Humanities Medal. E. L. Doctorow lives in New York. Read his exclusive Amazon essay on Homer & Langley:

I was a teenager when the Collyer brothers were found dead in their Fifth Avenue brownstone. Instantly, they were folklore. And so there is the real historical existence of them and the mythological existence--two existences, as with Abe Lincoln, though of a less exalted standing. I didn’t know at the time that I would someday write about them, but even then I felt there was some secret to the Collyers--there was something about them still to be discovered under the piles of things in their house--the bales of newspapers and the accumulated detritus of their lives. Was it only that they were junk-collecting eccentrics? You see that every day in the streets of New York. They had opted out--that was the primary fact. Coming from a well-to-do family, with every advantage, they had locked the door and closed the shutters and absented themselves from the life around them. A major move, as life-transforming as emigration. In fact it was a form of emigration, of leave-taking. But where to? What country was within that house? What would have caused them to become the notorious recluses of Fifth Avenue? As myths, the brothers demanded not research but interpretation, and when a few years ago I was finally moved to do this book, I felt as if writing it was an act of breaking and entering just to see what may have been going on in that house, which really meant getting inside two very interesting minds. And with the first sentence, “I’m Homer, the blind brother,” I was in.

In one sense I think of Homer & Langley as a road novel--as if they are two people traveling together down a road and having adventures, though in fact they are housebound. It turns out that the world will not let them alone--others intrude on their privacy as if it is the road running through them. As for their collecting, I think of them as curators of their life and times, and their house as a museum of all our lives. That is my idea of them, that is my reading of the Collyer myth. I make them to be two brothers who opted out of civilization and pulled the world in after them.--E.L. Doctorow

(Photo © Philip Friedman)

Customer Reviews (122)

Why call it Homer and Langley?
This book does not take liberties with the facts.It obliterates them.If nothing in history is true except the dates, in this book, nothing is true except the first names of the title characters. Doctorow has changed almost ever aspect of the story of the Collyer brothers to the point where it has almost nothing in common with what actually happened. So why not just call it Bill and Bob?

The novel does showcase Doctorow's gift for describing old New York and and contains many fine observations, despite a less than gripping story line.(It's not exactly Billy Bathgate: A Novel or The Waterworks: A Novel.)The one thing that might keep readers interested -- Doctorow's insights into the Collyer Brothers' bizarre deaths -- loses its power when you realize that hehas changed the chronology of the story, reversed the characters' birth order, altered their relationship with their parents, changed essential aspects of their early and late life experiences,and manufactured so many other things, huge and small, that the fate of these two fictional characters has nothing to do with the the actualCollyers.

Instead of offering a fresh, novelistic take on a great enigma, Doctorow has made up a different story. If you know anything at all about Homer & Langley Collyer, you will be agog at how far off this is.You may find yourselfscratching your head, wondering what Doctorow was doing when he linked this novel with their their names. A simpler version, closer to the truth, would have been more rewarding.(By way of comparison, consider Ghosty Men: The Strange but True Story of the Collyer Brothers and My Uncle Arthur, New York's Greatest Hoarders (An Urban Historical)

Well-written and an intriguing subject
I have read two other novels by Doctorow ("Ragtime" and "World's Fair")and I like this one the best.Anyone who's heard of the story of the Collyer brothers has to wonder how their living conditions got that way, and what was going on in their minds.The author imagines this and masterfully tells the tale. It is heavily fictionalized, as the disclaimer in front of the book notes.The real Collyer brothers died in 1947; the author extends their lifespans to the 1970s, revealed as Homer makes a reference to the Jonestown tragedy. The real brothers were born in the 1880's, but in the novel their birth years appear to be closer to the turn of the 20th century.However, many actual events in their lives are depicted.

I had no problem with their lives being so fictionalized and prolonged, because it made it a longer story to tell and there was more of this intriguing novel to read that way.I also liked how the reclusive brothers reacted to a changing society when they did interact with the outside world.The novel explores the greater context of the world changing in an often tragic way. The growing disorder and chaos in the home can be likened to that of the city and the world around it in general. At least that's my interpretation.

I borrowed the book from the library, but I will probably buy it when it comes it paperback as it's definitely worth a re-read.

Just as described
I received the book in a timely manner, and in the condition as described in the ad.I will do business with this seller in the future.

Homer & Langley
"Homer & Langley" is not, and does not claim to be, an entirely factual biography of the Collyer brothers, who lived out their lives in a dark and decaying New York mansion surrounded by 130 tons of junk and old newspapers. (Interested readers may want to consult online sources for the authentic background. For instance, the brothers, in fact, died in 1947 although Doctorow has them living on into the 1970s).)
But departures from fact should deter no one from relishing this fascinating meditation on the human condition. The story is narrated by Homer, the blind brother--appropriately a blind singer of tales, although his canvas is not epic but miniature. Through his words, we see the two young men, popular and sociable in the beginning, gradually retreat into eccentricity, reclusiveness, misanthropy, turning their parents' luxurious home into a rat's nest, a lonely fortress, and ultimately into a tomb.
Homer and Langley have been diagnosed posthumously as victims of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but Doctorow invests their condition with the trappings of a cockeyed philosophy. Thus, Langley collects newspapers by the ton in an effort to reduce all the world's news items to their Platonic forms, which he will publish in a universal newspaper valid for all time. And Homer's narrative voice, ever tolerant, sensitive, and affectionate, works a kind of magic on this craziness, drawing us into their solipsistic world until the abnormal begins to seem eerily normal.
Unlike the author's Ragtime or The March, this small book tells a very small story, but one that is wonderfully imagined, deeply felt, and wise.

Kingdom Of Rubble
Quite simply, "Homer & Langley" is one of the most imaginative, interesting and compelling novels I've read in years. Like many books I end up admiring the most, "Homer & Langley" felt a bit slow at first before it gathered momentum.Toward the end, I felt as if I carried the weight and the burden of the stuff these brothers had accumulated in their "kingdom of rubble."

Doctorow's clean, clear imagination is powerful.The prose is straightforward, unadorned.We are deep inside the world of increasingly blind Homer Collyer, whose brother Langley returns from World War I and never seems the same.Homer can't comprehend what Langley has endured in Europe. "Langley would tell me through the following weeks, interrupted occasionally by poundings on the door by the army constabulary for he had left his unit before being legally mustered out and given his discharge papers, and of all the difficulties with the law we were to endure in the years to come, this one, the matter of his technical desertion, was like the preview."

"Technical desertion," for me, is the theme here. What rights does anyone have to define their surroundings, their environment?If you live in the city--particularly if you live in the city--is there an expected level of conformance?Do you have a right not to pay your mortgage or your bill to the "electromonopoly?" The Collyer brothers push the boundaries, whether it's on purpose or not. "The truth is that Langley couldn't say why he'd put the Model T in the dining room. I knew his mind worked: he'd operated from an unthinking impulse, seeing the car on one of his collecting jaunts around town and instantly deciding he must have it while trusting that the reason he found it so valuable would eventually come clear to him."

Doctorow takes the Collyer brothers' fictional life decades beyond the real people this book is based upon--and to me toward the end it was hard to separate the Collyers' struggles and slow demise with parallel woes the country faces, including the "the endless process of corporate mutations in which nothing changes or is improved."The story spans the 20th century, from "glorious elegance" of post-World War I, including free-flowing tea and dance parties, until the brothers live in one giant but miserable enclave and "tunneled passageways."

You can't help but feel the weight of their world and admire Doctorow's ability to show their gradual withdrawal from society even as they remained kind and human to each other.
... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
Welcome to Centerburg! Where you can win a hundred dollarsby eating all the doughnuts you want; where houses are built ina day; and where a boy named Homer Price can foil four slickbandits using nothing but his wits and a pet skunk.The comic genius of Robert McCloskey and his wry look atsmall-town America has kept readers in stitches for generations! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (68)

homer price
Homer Price by Robert Mccloskey.Homer Price lives in a place that is close to Centerbug.In the beginning Homer finds a skunk in the kitchen and he decided to keep it like a pet.then they discover that some robbers took the money and shaving lotion.he hear that if hey find the robbers they would have the half of the money.They start to look for the robbers .When Homer finds the robbers,they go to jail.
The next part is about Homer and his cousins.they were reading a comic book about Super Duper.They were dicusing if Super Duper exists.they saw that Super Duper would present in Centerburg and they went to see him.they took pictures with him and saw a movie and then they left when they were going to their homes they heard a very fast car coming and then the car crashed.to find out what happens next read the book.
I like Homer Price because it was fun because there were different stories.I liked the story of the dougnuts more than the one of the four robbers.I didnt like the Super Duper story because it was boring.

Homer's Adventures
Homer Price

The author of this book is Robert McCloskey. The book takes place at Centerburg. Somehow the funniest things are happening in Centerburg. It is all about this boy named Homer Price. You'll love the part when Aroma, Homer's skunk pet, smelled out those four bank robbers, it is very funny and well done for Aroma!
You will also love the part when Homer, Freddy and Freddy's little brother Louis, get to met the Super-Duper. It starts with a movie about this super hero and he is going to be at the theater in person! So they decide to go to the movie. The boys save autographs and all of that. After the movie Super-Duper had problems with his car so the boys help him.
You get to read the other funny parts that happened in Centerburg, including Homer!!!!! I liked this book like you will like it when you finish it. It is very funny and all that happensin Homer life is utterly fantastic!!!! If you read Homer Price you will utterly shocked and you will ask to yourself how do these things happen in such a short time?

Homer's Adventures
Homer Price

The author of this book is Robert McCloskey. The book takes place at Centerburg. Somehow the funniest things are happening in Centerburg. It is all about this boy named Homer Price. You'll love the part when Aroma, Homer's skunk pet, smelled out those four bank robbers, it is very funny and well done for Aroma!
You will also love the part when Homer, Freddy and Freddy's little brother Louis, get to met the Super-Duper. It starts with a movie about this super hero and he is going to be at the theater in person! So they decide to go to the movie. The boys save autographs and all of that. After the movie Super-Duper had problems with his car so the boys help him.
You get to read the other funny parts that happened in Centerburg, including Homer!!!!! I liked this book like you will like it when you finish it. It is very funny and all that happensin Homer life is utterly fantastic!!!! If you read Homer Price you will utterly shocked and you will ask to yourself how do these things happen in such a short time?

Blast from the Past
This is a real find.I'm 65 and I read this book as a child.I bought a copy to share with my grand-children.Who could ever forget the room filled with donuts or the giant ball of string???A great classic book of stories!

Wholesome and fun!
My 6yo son and 4yo daughter enjoyed listening to the audio version (read by Mike Ferreri) of this book in the car.It is a collection of stand-alone stories, and the first in the series (with Aroma the pet skunk) started with a fast pace, drawing us listeners in immediately. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (12)

Great for a class of all boys
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P Figg was an excellent choice for my class of all boys in 5th/6th grade.It gave them a real feel for the time period and the reality of war.The book was for sure entertaining and they couldn't wait to read again the next day.This book was informative and entertaining.The slang or period type of language used added a twist or challenge for the students.I am glad that I chose this book for our unit of inquiry on fairness, equality and justice for all people in the world.The expected choice was Rifles for Watie and this book was a much more lively read for my 5 boys.

Fun and engaging (with a bit of history thrown in)
I don't know exactly why I picked up this book, but I'm glad I did.The characters were very interesting (and believable) and the story built and built with tremendous energy and originality.It grabbed me right from the beginning.I hope the book finds the young audience for which it's intended, because it has a lot of valuable things to say about courage, loyalty and determination.Plus, there's a surprising (and welcome) amount of Civil War history thrown in, including an adventure dealing with the Underground Railroad.

Civil War Book for Tweens
This is a good book for kids learning about the Civil War, specifically the Battle at Gettysburg.It is funny and touching at the beginning where a relationship between two orphan brothers is established.The younger brother goes on amazing adventures to save his older brother who has been enlisted into the Union army at 17.As I was reading I thought it was light and funny with some minor learning about history, The Underground Railroad, Quakers, Union vs. Confederate soldiers.At the end, all lightness is gone.The experiences of battle are graphic and scary.It might be too graphic for a child under 11 years old and yet too juvenile for a child ever 13.With that said, I am glad it does not glorify war.The sacrifice of lives for a small piece of land was clear.

Hard to put this one down!
I purchased this book for my daughter who is hard to purchase for because she likes books with alot going on and with adventure in it's content. She is ten, and told me she can hardly put it down! Whew! So, I count this one a winner. I love to purchase books and am an avid fan of children's literature. Amazon, keep them coming!

Homer Figg
The book would be a great, entertaining story, I am sure, but many pages are either missing or out of order as you are reading along.It was obviously an error on the part of the printer and the seller MAY not have actually read through the book to know that these errors were in the book, but I was most disappointed to find the book in such a condition. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Typo City!
Directly from the inside of this book:"First we scanned the original rare book using a robot which automatically flipped and photographed each page.We automated the typing, proof reading and design of this book using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software on the scanned copy..."

They basically copied pages into a computer, the computer translated it, and whatever the computer thought was the word was what ended up on the page.What this means is that there are many typos. There are mistakes and extraneous letters/symbols all over the place. The end result is a book that appears to be disorganized, sloppy and confusing.The formatting of the book is horrible and it looks like the whole story is crammed into a long, long chapter.

Since I can't trust the words I'm reading to be the actual text of the book and not an OCR-related error, why bother reading this version of the book at all?

Perhaps I hadn't read the description carefully enough or correctly interpreted what it meant before purchasing it, but I am very disappointed.

Check out the product description before you buy 'The Children's Homer' published by Nabu Press
The Nabu Press imprint of this book was made available in April 2010 - all 28 earlier reviews of this book are from books from different publishers. For the record (read the Product Description carefully) Nabu Press created this book by scanning in an old version. The cover art gives you an idea of the editing that was done. Around zero. I've tracked down a few Nabu press books that people have actually bought and the reviews are mixed - usually based on the quality of the original book that was scanned to create their version.

Anyhow, Nabu Press specialise in copying and printing "copyright free" books and they're generally listed (like this one) at a much higher price than much better quality versions from genuine publishers who actually edit their books with care.

Lovely introduction to this epic tale for 2nd grader
My second grade son, who is very into all things "Star Wars the Clone Wars" and Legos (like most 8 year olds his age!) is really getting immersed in the tale of Telemachus and his search for information about what happened to his dad Odysseus.The narrative is beautifully written and engaging.It is not too literary for him but also does not over simplify the story.I also apprieciate the illustrations, they are a good intoduction to classical greek line work!I am reading it aloud and it has been a joy to share with him.

The Allen Kids Review
Our mom just finished reading The Children's Homer to us. It was interesting. The story is about people and adventures. We liked the part when someone sings a song about Odysseus building the horse. It's the children's homer and we think you should learn more about the journey of Odysseus. You will also learn about Achilles and some of the battles of Troy. We like that Odysseus was most wanting to get home to his family.
Ages 10, 8, and 7.

A delightful unabridged recording of a rich retelling
I can't imagine a better narrator for The Children's Homer than Robert Whitfield. His voice is so smooth, articulate, and warm. Colum's retelling of Homer is great for kids; this is my 5yo's favorite audiobook. Highly recommended as a stepping stone to more advanced retellings and eventually to Homer himself. ... Read more

Product Description
The Iliad: Join Achilles at the Gates of Troy as he slays Hector to Avenge the death of Patroclus. Here is a story of love and war, hope and despair, and honor and glory. The recent major motion picture Helen of Troy staring Brad Pitt proves that this epic is as relevant today as it was twenty five hundred years ago when it was first written. So journey back to the Trojan War with Homer and relive the grandest adventure of all times.The Odyssey: Journey with Ulysses as he battles to bring his victorious, but decimated, troops home from the Trojan War, dogged by the wrath of the god Poseidon at every turn. Having been away for twenty years, little does he know what awaits him when he finally makes his way home. These two books are some of the most import books in the literary cannon, having influenced virtually every adventure tale ever told. And yet they are still accessible and immediate and now you can have both in one binding. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great stories, not so good translation of the Odyssey, Bad Kindle edition
This review is divided into two parts, first a review of the translation itself and then a review of the Kindle edition.

Translation:
Homer's stories are great and in this translation extremely easy to read. They were originally written in dactyllic hexameter. This is a very difficult metric to translate into modern poetry and some translations (Chapman's and Pope's) that attempt a strict conversion suffer from being too difficult to follow (the convolutions necessary to make the story fit make them very difficult to follow).

The Butler translation does away with all attempts at poetry and is written in prose. This makes the story very easy to follow. One glaring problem is that while the Iliad follows the original Greek (and hence the Greek names), the Odyssey suddenly changes to the character's Roman names and Zeus becomes Jove, Poseidon becomes Neptune and so on. This makes the story extremely difficult to follow as every character changes name.

Kindle edition:
In terms of the Kindle conversion, this was not well done. While it does not suffer from broken lines as other Kindle editions do, there are two big problems: 1) a lack of a table of content, and 2) this edition has not been indexed. Not being indexed means that you cannot use the search feature to jump to a specific book or chapter.

As a reference, The Iliad starts in location 24 and the Odyssey at location 6202.

Will Try Fagles' Translation
While I am sure many will love this translation, I found myself several pages into it with no clue what Homer was trying to say to me.I will try Fagle's translation instead; it costs more but appears more readable (at least for me).

Inconsistent
This review is for the Kindle edition and not a review of the classic stories themselves (they are fabulous). I had no problem with The Iliad, the format was good and as easy to read as The Iliad can be. However, I was very disappointed when I got to The Odyssey because the translation went from the Greek names in the Iliad to the Roman names in the Odyssey. What a let down to get all the way through the Iliad, look forward to the next book, and to have the names changed on me! Despite what Shakespeare may have thought, names do matter.

Guess its back to my tried and true paper copies.

Must have - Great book
The text is excellent (it's the Iliad after all!) and the illustrations are nice. I live in Ireland and they're included in so it's really a nice Kindle book.

Thumbs up for Homer!

Yes - Typos
Yes there are two typos on the back cover. "Staring" should be starring, and "import" should be important. I won't buy a book from a publisher that can't even have an error free cover. ... Read more

Product Description
Odysseus, the most heroic of the ancient Greek warriors, journeys home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Major Issues with Kindle Edition
I have no beef with the translation, but the Kindle edition of this particular book is missing pretty much all of Book XV.If you need this, get the print version off of Amazon -- it's almost as cheap, especially when you consider that they skimmed a little off of the top by removing a chunk of the actual content. It's pretty easy to transfer print to Kindle format, why remove around twenty pages? It's infuriating.

Great version of odyssey
This is a fabulous way to experience the Odyssey. It was meant to be (and originally was) oral. This is a wonderful translation read by a truly great actor (and great reader). Gripping! I highly recommend this version. Good for older kids too.

"I long to be homeward bound" Simon and Garfunkel
The Trojan War is over and one of our hero kings is lost. His son (Telemachus) travels to find any information about his father's fait. His wife (Penelope) must cunningly hold off suitors that are eating them out of house and home.

If he ever makes it home, Odysseus will have to detect those servants loyal from those who are not. One absent king against rows of suitors; how will he give them their just deserts? We look to Bright Eyed Pallas Athena to help prophecy come true.

Interestingly all the tales of monsters and gods on the sea voyage was told by Odysseus. Notice that no one else survives to tell the tale. Therefore, we have to rely on Odysseus' word.

Many movies took sections of The Odyssey, and expanded them to make interesting stories those selves.

Not just the story but also the way in which it is told will keep you up late at night reading.


The Odyssey

Troy (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

get the Lattimore instead
Although Mandelbaum's translation of the Divine Comedy is well-done and highly recommended, I don't think too much of his translation of the Odyssey:it reads stiffly and is very dense going.

If you're gonna read it, I would recommend the Lattimore translation (0060931957), which reads much more clearly and naturally.

This ain't just me:look at the difference in the Amazon reviews.

Hear the Sirens sing.
When I was a younger lad, I bought Richard Lattimore's translation, which is a grandiose bore.Then I had the good fortune to read Mandelbaum's Aeneid, which shines.This brought me to Mandelbaum's Odyssey. And it is the ideal Odyssey for scholarship and pleasure:

-The language is simple and strong.Mandelbaum knows his job--he tells the story simply and brings the ancient genius of Homer through with vigor and clarity.Occasionally Mandelbaum goes on a stint of rhyme and that's distracting, but overall the translation is beautiful.

-There's a well-drawn map of Ancient Greece in the beginning that really sets the scene for the wild sea adventures.

-One of the complaints I often hear about epics is that the many characters are difficult to keep straight. Mandelbaum solves this by giving us a comprehensive glossary in the back of the book that explains who everyone is and lists the page numbers of where they occur in the book.

-Another thing makes this a swift read is that, at the beginning of each book, Mandelbaum gives a quick summary of what's about to happen (a fantastic feature for reference and review).

Thus, with the book summaries, the glossary, and the map, you always know where you are in the epic--so while Odysseus wanders, you are never lost. ... Read more

Product Description

The history of Homer and his works is lost in doubtful obscurity, as is the history of many of the first minds who have done honor to humanity because they rose amidst darkness. The majestic stream of his song, blessing and fertilizing, flows like a river through many lands and nations.

The creations of genius always seem like miracles, because they are, for the most part, created far out of the reach of observation. If we were in possession of all the historical testimonies, we never could wholly explain the origin of the Iliad and the Odyssey. But it must be noted that Homer's great epic poems hold a singular place in literature.Within the knowledge of all of history that has been passed down to us, there is no known predecessor that could lay claim to be the progenitor or equal to these great works.

It was Homer who formed the character of the Greek nation. No poet has ever, as a poet, exercised a similar influence over his countrymen. Prophets, lawgivers, and sages have formed the character of other nations; it was reserved to a poet to form that of the Greeks. When lawgivers and sages appeared in Greece, the work of the poet had already been accomplished; and they paid homage to his superior genius. He held up before his nation the mirror, in which they were to behold the world of gods and heroes no less than of feeble mortals, and to behold them reflected with purity and truth.

His poems are founded on the first feeling of human nature; on the love of children, wife, and country; on that passion which outweighs all others, the love of glory. His songs were poured forth from a breast which sympathized with all the feelings of man; and therefore they enter, and will continue to enter, every breast which cherishes the same sympathies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Revisiting an old Friend
It has been years since I had a chance to get reacquainted with one of the classic writers, Homer.I've been able to do just that with this book.Mr. Ford has provided me a copy of both the Illiad and Odyssey, in one paperback.I consider this larger paperback an easier format that allows me to concentrate on the story at hand.

I don't often recommend books to my wife (an assistant librarian at our high school)but I believe she should order several for our students. Job well done!

The Iliad***** and the Odyssey***
The Iliad*****

The Iliad is a story of martial heroism and a fascinating historical document.Although the Iliad is a fictional account, it provides considerable insight into ancient Greek warfare, technology, society, and metaphysics.To someone who's not being forced to read it in high school, the Iliad offers considerable attractions.

As the story opens, the Greeks and their allies are camped near the walls of Troy, many years into the Trojan War.Achilles, a demigod and the fiercest warrior among the Greeks, is angered by the commander of the Greek forces and withdraws from the fighting.Despite the loss of their best warrior, Ulysses and Nestor persuade the Greeks to continue their war against the Trojans.Throughout the rest of the book, over a period of several days, the two forces slaughter one another with arrow, sword, and spear, greatly preferring the latter weapon.The reader learns about the armor and shields that the fighters used, and every possible way they can fail their owners.The narrative focuses on the most prominent men on each side, but the opposing armies numbered in the thousands.Homer relates the action in terms that his listeners would understand, either realistically ("Diomed struck him in the middle of his neck with his sword and cut both sinews ...") or through simile ("... as a couple of well-trained hounds press forward after a doe or hare that runs screaming in front of them, even so did the son of Tydeus and Ulysses pursue Dolon ...")

There is a great deal of appreciation of martial spirit and character in the text.At one point, Sarpedon turns to Glaucus and says:

"Glaucus, why in Lycia do we receive especial honour as regards our place at the table?Why are the choicest portions served us and our cups kept brimming, and why do men look up to us as though we were gods?Moreover we hold a large estate by the banks of the river Xanthus, fair with orchards, lawns, and wheat-growing lands; it becomes us to, therefore, to take our stand at the head of all the Lycians and bear the brunt of the fight, that one may say to another, `Our princes in Lycia eat the fat of the land and drink the best of wine, but they are fine fellows: they fight well and are ever at the front in battle.'My good friend, if, when we were once out of this fight, we could escape old age and death thenceforth and for ever, I should neither press forward myself nor bid you to do so, but death in ten thousand shapes hangs ever over our heads, and no man can elude him; therefore let us go forward and either win glory for ourselves, or yield it to another."

The men encourage one another during the fighting, and share their strength.Diomed "of the loud war-cry" agrees to spy among the Trojans at night but asks for a companion: "When two men are together, one of them may see some opportunity which the other has not caught sight of; if a man is alone he is less full of resource, and his wit is weaker."

Interludes between the fighting offer scenes of a kind of domesticity and a glimpse at societal structure.The Greek leaders eat, drink, and rest in their tents, attended by large retinues, and the common fighting men sleep on the ground, using their shields as pillows.Decisions are made in assemblies that include all.

The fortunes of the two opposing armies wax and wane, and their fortunes are attributed to the gods, who intervene to help their favorites and even fight among themselves.

I read the Iliad rather slowly, over a period of three weeks or so, mostly before going to sleep at night, and drew a considerable amount of pleasure from it.The Samuel Butler translation is superb.

The Odyssey***

This Homeric poem focuses on Ulysses, one of the Greek heroes portrayed in the Iliad.When the story opens, Ulysses has been away from home for ten years, and a great deal of the book recounts his fantastic adventures as he tries to return to Ithaca.Meanwhile, at home, a group of suitors courts his wife, Penelope, while they eat his livestock and drink his wine.When he arrives home, Ulysses prowls about in disguise to establish who has been loyal and who disloyal in his absence.This done, he unleashes an unbelievably violent revenge on the suitors and their allies among his household staff.

Ulysses' adventures are highly imaginative, and, as in the Iliad, it is interesting to see how the ancient Greeks supposed that the gods intervene in our affairs.It is interesting, too, to see how they tried to read the gods' intentions through portents and omens.The extreme violence is rather surprising to a modern reader, and the poem could possibly be criticized for its rather abrupt resolution of the conflict between Ulysses and the other townspeople.

A gift
This book was a gift for my son.He is enjoying reading this book

Indispensable Reading

It is hardly an exaggeration to say that Homer is to World Literature what Shakespeare is to English Literature. With the two books combined into this one volume - the scribe, scholar, genius or whatever Homer really was - made a mark on literature that stands alone.The epic siege of Troy and the adventures of Ulysses are so deeply ingrained into the consciousness of Western culture that these works are a part of us even today.

The world of literature, and culture itself, owes a debt to Homer that cannot even be estimated.To not have read (the movies are but pale imitations) the Iliad and The Odyssey is a loss beyond description.
... Read more

Product Description
The Iliad of Homer - Translated into English Blank Verse by William Cowper is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by M. A. (Mary Ann) Dwight is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of M. A. (Mary Ann) Dwight then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
If The Iliad is the world's greatest war epic, then The Odyssey is literature's grandest evocation of everyman's journey though life. Odysseus's reliance on his wit and wiliness for survival in his encounters with divine and natural forces during his ten-year voyage home to Ithaca after the Trojan War is at once a timeless human story and an individual test of moral endurance.

Translated by Robert Fagles
Introduction and Notes by Bernard KnoxAmazon.com Review
Robert Fagles's translation is a jaw-droppingly beautifulrendering of Homer's Odyssey, the most accessible andenthralling epic of classical Greece. Fagles captures the rapid anddirect language of the original Greek, while telling the story ofOdysseus in lyrics that ring with a clear, energetic voice. The storyitself has never seemed more dynamic, the action more compelling, northe descriptions so brilliant in detail. It is often said that everyage demands its own translation of the classics. Fagles's work is atriumph because he has not merely provided a contemporary version ofHomer's classic poem, but has located the right language for thetimeless character of this great tale. Fagles brings theOdyssey so near, one wonders if the Hollywood adaption can befar behind. This is a terrific book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (156)

Quality Purchase
Fast delivery and book was in great quality! I would definitely purchase from this seller again.

Great Service!
Fast shipping-- I ordered wednesday night and received my books(also ordered The Iliad- same translation) on friday morning. Books came new and exactly as advertised. Very pleased!!

school project
The book arrived in very good shape however it was shipped through 2 places before it arrived.

Good book
The book is in great condition. It's been written in it, but nothing too ridiculous. All the pages are in fantastic condition.

Good purchase, but long time for delivery
I already gave up on receiving the item - and then, weeks after the purchase - it arrived... well the item is in good condition and as discribed. Thanks. ... Read more

Product Description
The #1 New York Times bestselling memoir that inspired the film October Sky, Rocket Boys is a uniquely American memoir--a powerful, luminous story of coming of age at the dawn of the 1960s, of a mother's love and a father's fears, of a group of young men who dreamed of launching rockets into outer space . . . and who made those dreams come true.

With the grace of a natural storyteller, NASA engineer Homer Hickam paints a warm, vivid portrait of the harsh West Virginia mining town of his youth, evoking a time of innocence and promise, when anything was possible, even in a company town that swallowed its men alive. A story of romance and loss, of growing up and getting out, Homer Hickam's lush, lyrical memoir is a chronicle of triumph--at once exquisitely written and marvelously entertaining.

Now with 8 pages of photographs.

Amazon.com Review
Inspired by Werner von Braun and his Cape Canaveral team,14-year-old Homer Hickam decided in 1957 to build his ownrockets. They were his ticket out of Coalwood, West Virginia, a miningtown that everyone knew was dying--everyone except Sonny's father, themine superintendent and a company man so dedicated that his familyrarely saw him. Hickam's smart, iconoclastic mother wanted her son tobecome something more than a miner and, along with a female scienceteacher, encouraged the efforts of his grandiosely named Big CreekMissile Agency. He grew up to be a NASA engineer and his memoir of thebumpy ride toward a gold medal at the National Science Fair in1960--an unprecedented honor for a miner's kid--is rich in humor aswell as warm sentiment. Hickam vividly evokes a world of closecommunal ties in which a storekeeper who sold him saltpeter warned,"Listen, rocket boy. This stuff can blow you to kingdom come." Hickamis candid about the deep disagreements and tensions in his parents'marriage, even as he movingly depicts their quiet loyalty to eachother. The portrait of his ultimately successful campaign to win hisaloof father's respect is equally affecting. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Customer Reviews (562)

rocket boys
i purchased this book for my son & it was delivered to his school ok
book didn't have any damages and saved him an extra twenty dollars.saving money with amazon .com helps a lot.

Enjoyable, monotonous. Adorable, predictable.
The story was very enjoyable and entertaining to read, but every chapter felt like you were reading what you had just finished, so it got rather boring. I'm the kind of person that starts reading and doesn't stop. But people reading this for the first time I recommend taking breaks from reading it, otherwise it's going to get boring very fast. The writing and the story itself was absolutely adorable. Just by reading the first couple of chapters you can already predict the ending. So this book was good but not amazing.

the story line was not interesting! The plot was very Blah!
My son read this for a required read for summer...He Hated it! Not so much the subject matter but the way it was written!
per his opinion the story was needed more excitement. It was just too boring.

Very Good Book
This Book is awesome.It is an inspiring true story of how a young man turned his childhood dream or being involve in space exploration into a reality and the many trials and tribulations he encountered on his journey from rural, poor coal mining region of West Virginia to one of NASA's top rocketry experts. An excellent read for young people and old for it is never to late to follow ones dreams.

An inspiring story
As a casual reader I found this book fascinating. The events in the book take place within a year of my birth and remind me how different life was just 50 years ago. You realise just how much the aspirations of the young generation have changed. The book gave also an interesting insight into community life in an industry that undoubtedly was mirrored in many other places as coal mining gave way to other energy sources. I thoroughly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description

The most eloquent translation of Homer's epic chronicle of the Greek hero Odysseus and his arduous journey home after the Trojan War

Customer Reviews (4)

The best translation available
Overall, the best translation available -- here presented in a new approach with Reading Group questions at the end. I am not sure how many reading groups are going to read The Odyssey, and most of those reading, either for solitary pleasure or in a classroom setting where better questions are going to be discussed make the past few pages really somewhat worthless -- but overall, this is the finest translation you can get. If you read this in High School and haven't picked it up in 20 years, take the leap -- and enjoy reading it in a way you never recalled while in HS....complement this with the authors translation of The Illiad and you have a summer of reading ahead of you.

on time, great condition!
This order came to me on time and in brand-new condition! I was very pleased with this order!

The Odyssey of Homer translated by Richard Lattimore
I've read other translations of the Odyssey but Lattimore's is the most readable and clear. Fitzgerald's translation occasionally clarifies a point of two but for the most part I depend upon Lattimore's.

Too Good!
Since reading Lattimore's translation of the Odyssey this past summer, I haven't been able to read ANYTHING ELSE with the same interest and enthusiasm. Homer's Odyssey needs no endorsement from me. It sits at the very heart and genesis of the Western literary tradition and will forever continue to do so. If you haven't read the Odyssey, you should: it's an important part of our human heritage. It's also incredibly fascinating for its age. Almost three thousand years old now, the Odyssey transports you into another strangely foreign time, imagination, and culture.

The Odyssey is also a compelling narrative in its own right. It's simply an amazing and beautiful story, and this is certainly what accounts for its continued influence throughout history. The prose, beautifully and faithfully rendered in this edition by Lattimore, are captivating and rythmically satisfying. The world is rich, awe-inspiring, but not over-indulgently described. Odysseus is a hero in the truest sense of the word. Everything you want is there but not in over-abundance. The Odyssey is just sparse enough to leave you yearning for more, which is why I haven't been able to read much else lately. I figure Lattimore's translation of the Illiad is my next stop. I'll let you know how that goes.





... Read more

Product Description
"Gripping. . . . Lombardo's achievement is all the more striking when you consider the difficulties of his task. . . . [He] manages to be respectful of Homer's dire spirit while providing on nearly every page some wonderfully fresh refashioning of his Greek. The result is a vivid and disarmingly hardbitten reworking of a great classic." —Daniel Mendelsohn, The New York Times Book ReviewAmazon.com Review
So great is the impact of ancient Greek literature on Westernculture that even people who have never read Homer's Iliad orThe Odyssey know a lot about them. The Trojan Horse, Achilles'heel, the Sirens' call, Scylla and Charybdis--all have entered popularmythology, becoming metaphors for the less heroic situations we facein our own lives. Ever since these oral poems were committed to paper(probably in the 8th century B.C.E.), people have been translatingthem. The version of Iliad translated by Stanley Lombardo is abrave departure from previous translations; Lombardo attempts to adaptthe text to the needs of readers rather than the listeners forwhom the work was originally intended. To this end, he has streamlinedthe poem, removing many of the stock repetitions such as the infamous"rosy-fingered dawn," or rewriting them in ways dependent ontheir context. What emerges is a vivid, lively rendition of one of theworld's great stories of men and war.

But classicists, beware:This Iliad has something of a '90s sensibility, from the coverart (a photograph of the D-Day Normandy landing) to Achilles'Rambo-like diction. It might well outrage the purists, but for thosewho remember their musty high-school reading of Homer's great epicwith a barely suppressed yawn, Lombardo's energetic translation isjust the version to change their minds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

Wonderful Readable Iliad
Lomadardo's translation is amazing. I last tackled Homer's Iliad a quarter of a century ago during my undergraduate studies. This time through, I read for my personal pleasure and Homer as translated by this author, did not disappoint. I would highly recommend to all, but especially to the war fighters I have served with in the last 23 years as this work will touch all who have been in the business for a while. The dust jacket: perfect.

Not translation, but performance
I understand many of the comments of the lowest-rated reviews here: this retelling of the story is much shorter than any of the translations, and does feel self-consciously "contemporary". However, the reviews do not note one extremely important fact of Lombardo's work: it was based on notes the author made when he performed parts of the Iliad in English. I do not consider this to be a TRANSLATION of Homer's Iliad, any more than the marks a musician makes on her sheets, or the notes an actor makes in the margins of a script as he scans the verse.

This project began as a guide to a performer looking to find a rhythm, a language in a text that he could perform to a living audience, to communicate an experience to them. A modern reader, not used to verse or the English of older translations, can read Lombardo's work and get many of the dramatic turning points of the original poem. Homer's Iliad began as a cycle of stories, probably sung by professionals for religious festivals or entertainment. It is very interesting (and personally satisfying) to see someone attempt to solve the problems of performing this ancient poem to a contemporary audience, and that is how this book should be read. It is not a complete rendering of the story into English, in the way that Fitzgerald, Fagles, and Lattimore accomplished.

Not the best translation of one of the best stories
Having just read The Iliad for a Greek Civilization class in the spring of 2009, I owned a copy of the Robert Fagels translation. However, for my Troy and the Trojan War class in the fall of the same year, we had to buy the Stanley Lombardo translation. We also had to read the Introduction by Sheila Murnaghan. The translation is certainly not terrible, but I came to the conclusion that Fagels' was the superior version. The Fagels translation is beautifully poetic and impossible to put down. The Lombardo version takes a timeless, fascinating story and merely takes it down slightly. It is really not a bad translation, but if you want to take the most from The Iliad, get the Robert Fagels version. Also, while I'm sure the Introduction supplemented the reading decently, I thought it was pedantic and pretentious. Overall: By no means the worst you could do, but also not the best.

The first anti-war story?
You would think that The Iliad is about the war against Troy because Paris abducted Helen, wife of Menelaos - one of the greek commanders.
And yet Homerus begins his epos by asking the Muses to support him- not in telling the Trojan war, as one might expect - but to tell about the quarrel between Agamemnon - the chief in command - and Achilles, one of the Greek commanders. The quarrel is about
a girl. Her name is Briseis, one of the slaves. Agamemnon took her away from Achilles.

In doing so, Homerus creates a parallel with Menelaos - one of the greek commanders- who lost his wife because Paris took her to Troy.

Instead of a war poem Homerus tells us the coming of age of Achilles.

In the beginning he's like a whining child making a quarrel with Agamemnon over a girl. He refuses to send his troops into the battle. But when things are going bad for the Greeks, some of the warlords go to the tent of Achilles and implore him to participate in the battle.He refuses but agrees that his friend Patroclus leads his troops to battle. ( It's noteworthy that Agamemnon plays second fiddle to Achilles from start to finish.)

When Hector - a Trojan commander - kills Patroclus, Achilles grieves for a long time and he finally understands that in a war there are no victors only losers. He becomes a man with understanding and compassion for the grief of others, even for his enemy. He has come a long way since his childish whining for Briseis.

Avoid the Introduction
I liked this version of the Epic but I do still prefer the antiquated versions.I had a hard time imagining Homer using the same kinds of language that Lombardo used.He takes some liberties but if you are reading it for the first time, or if you can't comprehend Shakespeare, then this is a good starting place.If you don't mind older English, then I would recommend an older translation - the language seems more fitting, more poetic.

Aside from the content, the introduction is really long and it summarizes the entire story.Don't bother with it unless you have to.Just read the story and skip it.There is nothing in there that you cannot read in the content of the story.The introduction seems to read as an essay that tells you the plot, what the best parts are supposed to be, and what you should think of them.It is tedious and really serves no purpose unless the book is an assigned reading and you just don't have time to finish it. ... Read more

Product Description
Lombardo's Odyssey offers the distinctive speed, clarity, and boldness that so distinguished his 1997 Iliad. From the translation:

"And when the wine had begun to work on his mind,

I spoke these sweet words to him:

'Cyclops

You ask me my name, my glorious name,

And I will tell it to you. Remember now,

To give me the gift just as you promised.

Noman is my name. They call me Noman-

My mother, my father, and all my friends too.'

He answered from his pitiless heart:

'Noman I will eat last after his friends.

Friends first, him last. That's my gift to you.'" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Homer in the Here and Now!
Stanley Lombardo has done it again!

His Odyssey is as fast-paced, lucid, poetic and punchy as his Iliad, but this time with a human feel, a warmth that the story calls for.

He brings real thoughts and real emotions to the characters...the like I've never seen! (I must have compared around 10 different translations).

...Lombardo has said that the "Iliad" is like the Sun blazing at its peak in mid-summer, whereas the "Odyssey" is like a setting Sun as fall sneaks in...

The best modern translation available!Get it with his amazing Iliad!

Cheers!

Finally an adaptation worth its salt!
The Odyssey is mandatory reading for my freshman English classes and it has been quite difficult to teach.This literary work can be a very dry read for those who do not enjoy poetry reading (most freshmen).For this reason, I began a search for a translation that would make it easier for my students to understand.I read the previous reviews before buying it and I must say, I am glad that I did.Lombardo does an excellent job of making the translation understandable without dumbing down the text.My students this year have enjoyed this story much more than previous classes because of this.If you are looking to gain better understanding for yourself or to teach this text to others, this is the translation to get!

Originality of Homer's epic recovered
Stanley Lombardo's translation has brought back the original "feel" of the ancient Greek epic. Classical and Koine Greek are both what you call "earthy" languages, a tone lost with many established and contemporary translations. Lombardo restores the drama and the linguistic edge that the epic poem possessed in its original tongue. The Lombardo translation is quickly becoming standard among university professors and students of classical literature.

Eminently readable and true to the original text
Lombardo's translation of the Odyssey, as well as his Iliad and Aeneid, receive much-deserved kudos as the most readable translations available.He writes with poetic and colloquial English that makes it easy for the lay person to understand.

Unfortunately, many of these same lay readers bash Lombardo's translations because they assume the personable nature of the writing makes it inaccurate.People expect a classic to have a certain formal diction to it, in the vein of Shakespeare and the King James Bible. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.The King James Bible, despite having the most formal prose, is certainly not the most accurate translation of the Bible.Similarly, verbose translations of Homer do not mean it is more true to the text.Lombardo's version of the Odyssey preserves the immediacy and hard hitting nature of Homer's original Greek poetry. You will notice in other reviews that readers disapprove based on what they imagine Homer should sound like.Trust me, they haven't read the original texts.Classical scholars, some of whom I personally work with, have given universally excellent reviews to Lombardo'stranslations.This translation proves you can have your cake and eat it too.It is highly recommended.

Retains the Spirit
One reviewer here took umbrance at some of the language used by the translator.One point he made was the use of the word "chow".Another was about the language used by a Goddess.He asked if Homer would really have used such vernacularisms.I say:YES!Of course he would have.He wasn't trying to live up to some modern readers' clueless perceptions of "high art".He was trying to tell a good story, like any good storyteller.And like any good storyteller, he would have used techniques that enabled his audience to identify with his characters.In this instance, sailors will be sailors regardless of the times.Also, the gods of the ancient greeks did a lot of things that wouldn't have been done by God as we commonly percieve him.Now, take Shakespear for example.He wrote for the Everyman of his times.It is only much later that elitists turned him into an acquired taste.I think ostentatious readers need to understand that 200 years from now critics, looking back on our literature, will probably have long forgotten the pseudo-intellectual whinings of the Kurt Vonneguts and consider as classicists solid storytellers like Dean Koontz.The problem here lies in the fact that there is absolutely no way to translate literally from the greek and retain the original impact.I would strongly recommend reading Lattimore's translation as well if one wants a more literal interpretation, but remember that something will be lost that way. Lombardo has translated more than just the words, he has translated Homer's intentions, and that is the important thing. ... Read more

Product Description
The classic translation of The Odyssey, now in a Noonday paperback.

Robert Fitzgerald's translation of Homer's Odyssey is the best and best-loved modern translation of the greatest of all epic poems. Since 1961, this Odyssey has sold more than two million copies, and it is the standard translation for three generations of students and poets. The Noonday Press is delighted to publish a new edition of this classic work.Fitzgerald's supple verse is ideally suited to the story of Odysseus' long journey back to his wife and home after the Trojan War. Homer's tale of love, adventure, food and drink, sensual pleasure, and mortal danger reaches the English-language reader in all its glory.

Of the many translations published since World War II, only Fitzgerald's has won admiration as a great poem in English. The noted classicist D. S. Carne-Ross explains the many aspects of its artistry in his Introduction, written especially for this new edition.

The Noonday Press edition also features a map, a Glossary of Names and Places, and Fitzgerald's Postscript. Line drawings precede each book of the poem.

Winner of the Bollingen Prize
... Read more

Customer Reviews (95)

Just in time!
I had to hurry up and buy this book because the class on it was already starting.The shipping was really fast and the book was in excellent condition.It wasn't the cover that the picture shows but that's good because that's not the cover I wanted.Thanks!

The Story-Telling Tradition
It is clear from reading "The Aeneid" that there is one author:there's a unity and a consistency throughout.It is clear from reading "The Bible" that there are many authors:there's conflict and contradictions throughout.It's not clear whether "The Odyssey" has one or many authors, but it's clear that it comes from a Greek oral tradition.That's because there are stand-alone stories throughout, two major strands (the travails of Odysseus in seeking home and the journeys of his son Telemakhos in seeking news of Odysseus) that come together in a seemingly redacted ending."The Odyssey" is about the power of story-telling, as exemplified by the hero Odysseus, who the Greek bards must have thought their patron saint and that's why they rhapsodized him so.When Alkinoos gives treasures to Odysseus and a ship to send him home, it seems these gifts are less the will of the Gods or even the acknowledgement of a legendary warrior but simply because Odysseus was able to tell such great stories.

It is probably with "The Odyssey" more than the Sophists in mind that Plato wrote that all art was artifice.Odysseus dissembles throughout through the power of his words to distort reality.He somehow transforms from a liar of necessity (as when he lies to escape the clutches of the Kyklops) to a liar of circumstance (as when he deceives his servants, his son, and his wife in order to plan the killing of his enemies) to a liar of compulsion (as when he lies even to his frail father).Modern psychology would suggest that at the root of Odysseus' compulsive lying are trust issues.

But character in the eyes of the ancient Greeks is much different from our conception of character.There is no agency, no identity, and no individual per se in the Odyssey.We are nothing more than the plaything of the Gods, and what the Gods hate most (pride in man) Odyssey and his family lack and what the Gods appearance most (forbearance) Odyssey and his family have.Odysseus and Penelope can be forgiven for their dissemblance and deviousness because they are patient and know humility and forbearance.Even though the Gods send Odysseus adrift for ten years away from his family he neither cursed nor complained; he simply accepted his fate.When Odysseus re-appeared in his homeland of Ithaka it was as a beggar who must suffer the insults and beatings of Penelope's suitors, and when it was only when the Goddess Athena, who had scripted the Odyssey all alone, could see that Odysseus knew humility and forbearance that she permitted him to kill those who did not.

There are many contradictions and questions in "The Odyssey," and the major contradiction and question is one inherent in the story-telling tradition:one of veracity and reliability.Most of "The Odyssey" is in fact dialogue and story-telling; Odysseus renders his voyages as stories to be told in different versions to different people.There is instability in "The Odyssey" which reflects the mutability of Odysseus, and so "The Odyssey" represents both the triumph and the limitations of epic story-telling.

The Ultimate Epic Poem
In high school we were assigned to read a shortened version of the Odyssey with some parts removed and a simple synopsis added to explain what happened. I liked it so much that I then read the epic poem in its entirety. The version I read was the Fitzgerald translation. The story is about Odysseus' journey from the conquered Troy back to his homeland, Ithaca. Every time he is about to sail back home, something goes wrong which delays him. While on his journey he has a dangerous encounter with a Cyclops who is the son of Poseidon, stays at the island of a witch, visits Hades, the Underworld, and has other adventures and mishaps. While he is journeying, his wife waits at home patiently for him while she is pressured by suitors to forget him and remarry.

"I long to be homeward bound" Simon and Garfunkle
The Trojan War is over and one of our hero kings is lost. His son (Telemachus) travels to find any information about his father's fait. His wife (Penelope) must cunningly hold off suitors that are eating them out of house and home.

If he ever makes it home, Odysseus will have to detect those servants loyal from those who are not. One absent king against rows of suitors; how will he give them their just deserts? We look to Bright Eyed Pallas Athena to help prophecy come true.

Interestingly all the tales of monsters and gods on the sea voyage was told by Odysseus. Notice that no one else survives to tell the tale. Therefore, we have to rely on Odysseus' word.

Many movies took sections of The Odyssey, and expanded them to make interesting stories those selves.

Not just the story but also the way in which it is told will keep you up late at night reading.


The Odyssey

Almost too readable?
Well, I'm not a Greek or Classics major. The writing program I work for assigns this edition. Now, although with a work of this bulk I feel bad complaining, but I am sure that several Greek scholars will feel much unease with Fitzgerald's translation. Why? Because it is almost too readable. A vast abyss of history opens between us and Greek Antiquity, but if you read this translation, you want to slap Odysseus on the shoulder and have a glass of wine with him. I am torn, because I love the emotional responsiveness F. creates in me, but the student of Old English is sceptical of whether this approach is really a good idea. The obvious bonus is that (disinterested) students will complain less about their assigned reading, and teaching will mean less "what he is saying here is..."-stuff. Still, I have my reservations (many of which are addressed in the foreword and afterword, as well as in the notes on the translation) against making it too easy and enabling the student to ignore the cultural difference.

That said, if you have no classical training, no interest in academic translations, and just want to read the darn thing for once, then I HIGHLY recommend this edition! ... Read more

Product Description
Selections from both Iliad and Odyssey, made with an eye for those episodes that figure most prominently in the study of mythology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Essential Homer
book was in pretty good condition for being used. does not contain all of Homer's 2 books, the Iliad and the Odyssey, some nonessential chapters to the books are left out because it is the Essential Homer

The Best of the Best of the Best
Lombardo's translations of Homer are brilliant, energetic, and fun to read. While other translations are as dry and dusty as ancient Greek itself, Lombardo remarkably manages to bring it all to life, and reading both the Iliad and the Odyssey are as interesting and exciting as reading the most fascinating and lurid novel you've ever had in your hands.

The best thing about this edition is that it has MAPS in the front, and NAME GLOSSARIES in the back (for both the Iliad and the Odyssey).This edition is abridged, but I found that only long, tedious descriptions of preparations for battles seemed to be missing.

This is the ideal student text.(If you are looking for the best FULL edition ever, Lombardo's entire translations of the Iliad and Odyssey are also available.

If I could give it six stars, I would.

The Iliad
I had to use this book for a school project. This version by Stanley lombardo is great, and the refreshed modern day speaking makes the book easier to get through. Furthermore, the character guides and reference to other books in the back proved to be very helpful! ... Read more

Product Description
'I long to reach my home and see the day of my return. It is my never-failing wish'

The epic tale of Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War forms one of the earliest and greatest works of Western literature. Confronted by natural and supernatural threats - shipwrecks, battles, monsters and the implacable enmity of the sea-god Poseidon - Odysseus must test his bravery and native cunning to the full if he is to reach his homeland safely and overcome the obstacles that, even there, await him.

E. V. Rieu's translation of the Odyssey was the very first Penguin Classic to be published, and has itself achieved classic status. For this edition, Rieu's text has been revised, and a new introduction by Peter Jones complements the original introduction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

The Idyssey (Wordsworth Classics
The good news . . . priced at $1.61 plus postage.
The bad news . . . This translation was made in 1616 in good old King James English.I found it almost impossible to read and after a few dozen pages bought another translation done in the 1990's.It was excellent!

Vendor did a good job of quick delivery.

The Odyssey
This was a birthday gift for my younger granddaughter. I was very pleased with the item and the shipping. She was delighted to receive the book. I will shop first at Amazon for everything I am wanting to purchase.

Fagles Is the Best Translation Available
This review is not a review of the story of Odysseus, but rather a review of Robert Fagles's translation of the Odyssey. Fagles's work in this translation is sparkling. I absolutely love the way he's revived this classic tale.

Let me begin with nuts and bolts. The Penguin Classics version of Fagles's translation is simply a great book to hold in your hand. The book FEELS good. Also, the book has some extras that make it essential. First, Barnard Knox has written an excellent introduction to the text. He explains Homer's cultural and literary context, and he covers the various debates regarding the poem's creation and transmission in a thorough, non-technical manner. Highly recommended reading. Second, the book has some helpful maps of the Greek-speaking lands to help orient the reader. Third, in the back of the book is a pronunciation guide and glossary. Some of these names are a bit strange, so it's helpful to refer to the back sometimes to get some help. Every character and place in the book, no matter how minor, is explained in the back.

In addition to all these benefits, this translation of the text is my absolute favorite. Fagles has produced a verse translation, which preserves the poetic nature of the original. If you're looking for a prose version of Homer, then this book might not be for you (but I'd suggest you give the verse a try). Fagles's main competition for a verse version of the Odyssey is Richard Lattimore's which was published in the 1960s. Some people feel that Lattimore's version is still superior, but I think those people are just being snobby. Lattimore's version is a little more rigid, maybe a little closer to the Greek, but not as poetic and enjoyable.

One of my favorite things about Fagles over Lattimore is that Fagles has abandoned the pretentious adherence to Greek spellings. In Lattimore we read about Athene, Kalypso, Aithiopians, Kronos, and Ithaka, while in Fagles we read about Athena, Calypso, Ethiopians, Cronus, and Ithaca. It's an Enlish translation so translating the names into their traditional English forms makes for a superior reading experience. Also, Fagles has a better ear for English poetry. So he refers to Odysseus as "the man of twists and turns," while Lattimore calls him "the man of many ways." Lattimore is more literal, but he doesn't capture the essence of the Greek meaning or poetic nature as well as Fagles does. One more example from the first page, Lattimore says that those who made it home from the Trojan War "escaped the sea and the fighting." Compare this with Fagles's far more literary "escaped the wars and waves."

Buy this Fagles translation. Read this Falges translation. Love this Fagles translation.

Looks nice on a bookshelf, but worth taking down to read
I am a big fan of this new series from Penguin Classics.The hardcover bindings (each featuring a stylized pattern that relates--sometimes subtly, sometimes obviously--with the subject of the book), the high-quality pages, and the ribbon bookmark all make these books attractive collectibles.But I also really enjoyed the content of this book.The prose translation was accurate but not slavish.I felt like I was reading a novel.The introduction was also highly readable and informative--I actually wanted to read it, which is unusual.

Could you bend Odysseus' bow?
Fagle's translation of the Odyssey is excellent as is Knox' knowledgeable foreward.During my life, I've read both the Iliad and Odyssey half a dozen times or more, by various translators, and regard Fagle's version as the best.I don't read Greek, ancient or modern, so, like most of us, I am unable to read the subtleties, glory and poetry of the original tales.I rather suspect, however, the Fagle's interpretation gets us close, indeed.

Every time I read the story...at different stages of my life...I read different things into the tale.This times, perhaps, I am more aware of the duplicity that is the very substance of the hero, Odysseus.Lies...complex, detailed lies...flow from his lips as easily and quickly as water poured from a flask.True, his lies usually serve a 'greater' purpose, but they are still lies...a fact of which gives Odysseus no problem.

Since reading the 'Iliad' and 'Odyssey' as a teenager, I've always been partial to the directness and overall simplicity of the 'Iliad.'Believability is also a factor.The Trojan War, some of the characters in it and some of the action details are almost certainly based in reality.The 'Odyssey', far lesss so.It seems to be a collection of out-and-out fables in which Odysseus is the primary player.Still....even fables may have echoes of the truth.Could Odysseus have been away from Ithaca for twenty years and would his wife have remained faithful all this time?Quite possibly.

The story of Odysseus' experiences with the goddesses, Circe and Calypso, are fascinating but, of course, fabulous.They also account for most of the time Odysseus spends on his long path home.This might be a fanciful way of dealing with reality.Odysseus may have been captured on his way home and held as a slave.This reality could definitely 'eat up' years of time but the Circe/Calypso stories are far more interesting and add to Odysseus' reputation as a very accomplished ladies man.Later, although, Odysseus has spent so much time as a virtual sexual slave to the goddesses, he happily recounts the adventures to his wife, Penelope.Penelope isn't offended.Afterall, her husband turned down goddesses and eternal blissful life, in favor of return to his wife of many years.It's one heck of a compliment.

There are a couple of other features that I noted that, again, may be rooted in reality.Twice, Odysseus lies that he is from Crete and that he led an unsuccessful attack on the peoples of the Nile Delta.A number of Egyptian accounts report accounts of attacks by 'The Peoples of the Sea'.Could the Achaean Greeks, in their black ships, have been some, or most, of the Sea Peoples?

Also, the death of Agammemnon, should also be noted.This may also be based on reality.Agammemnon, commander of all Achaean Greek forces against Troy, and King of Achaea's most powerful city, Mycenae, is slain by his wife and her lover.The motive is given as sexual infidelity and greed...greed for the throne of Mycenae.In the Odyssey we learn a fascinating 'detail'.Clytemnestra, Agammemnon's murderous wife, slaughters the slave-captive, Cassandra, on Agammemnon's just-killed body.

Hmmmmmm?Why would Clytemnestra kill a valuable slave?Cassandra, of course, was a Princess of demolished Troy and had been violently raped during the destruction of the city.Nevertheless, it would appear that Clytemnestra hated or feared Cassandra.Why?Probably the oldest reason of all...sexual jealousy.Cassandra's murder suggests that the REAL motive for Agammemnon's killing is quite different than usually represented.He may have preferred the company of Cassandra to that of his queen.Clytemnestra reacted with her well-known violence...a woman jilted.

Also, is it conceivable that the Queen, Penelope, could be held virtual prisoner in her own palace...for years...by 100 or so rampaging suitors?The answer must be 'No' but there are some interesting things to note.Odysseus' father, Laertes, would logically be King, but his son, Odysseus, IS King, which leaves a 20 year vacancy to the throne.We learn that Laertes, mourning over his lost son, lives in rags and poverty as a barely surviving farmer.Possible.Depression and/or mental illness.But why not Odysseus' son, Telemachus?

At the time the first suitors might have 'settled in' to pay court to Penolope and to eat up her wealth, Telemachus would have been underaged.The suitors, who would have become more arrogant and confident, would scarecely have Telemachus the opportunity to claim the throne.Still......it's a far-fetched tale.

Ron Braithwaite, author of novels...'Skull Rack' and 'Hummingbird God'...on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico ... Read more