Thoroughly recommended - "Deluxe" Penguin eBook of "The Odyssey"

HarryT · 08-01-2008, 07:18 AM

I've just bought the Penguin "Deluxe Edition" of Robert Fagle's translation of Homer's "Odyssey" ($10.80 from FictionWise) and would like to recommend it to fellow MR members.

Homer's "Odyssey", as I'm sure most people are aware, is one of the cornerstones of Western Literature. Generally believed to have been composed sometime during the 8th century BC, it tells the story of the 10 year struggle of the Greek hero Odysseus to return home to Ithica following the end of the Trojan War, and the equal struggles of his faithful wife Penelope and son Telemachus at home to resist the advances of the "Suitors" who are trying to win Penelope's hand in marriage, believing Odysseus, who has been away from home for 20 years by the end of the book, to be dead. En-route Odysseus encounters the Cyclops, Scylla and Charybdis, the Sirens, pays a visit to the Underworld, and has all sorts of other wonderful adventures. The Odyssey is one of the greatest "adventure" stories ever written, and almost 3,000 years after its creation, it retains its magic for the modern reader just as much as it did for the ancient world. Indeed, the very word "Odyssey" (which originally simply meant a story about Odysseus) has come into English to mean any journey filled with adventure or unexpected events.

There have been many excellent translations of the Odyssey into English over the years, but the 2002 translation by Robert Fagles, like his translation of the Iliad, is widely regarded as one of the best. It's a faithful, line for line, translation of the original Greek dactylic hexameter verse into English "blank verse" and it retains pretty much as much of the "flavour" of the Greek that it's possible to transfer into an English version.

This is one of the best eBooks I've ever encountered, taking full benefit of all the features of an eBook. Not only does one get a superb introductory essay about the Odyssey (fully linked to the appropriate passages of the poem), but the poem itself is fully annotated, with every proper name, allusion, cross-reference, etc, being linked to an extremely comprehensive end-note which throughly explains it.

The really is a case where the eBook is dramatically "better" than the paper book. I recommend it without hesitation to anyone who has the slightest interest in the subject matter.

montsnmags · 08-01-2008, 07:53 AM

~sigh~ I really don't need this, Harry. Do you realise how much reading I have backlogged already? And now, this...and this one is important. ~sigh~

No, forget it...no, wait...maybe I'll buy it...no...yeah, well I can buy it, and just sit it behind In Search Of Lost Time (which theoretically is next up...and has been for the last three or four books I've read ~sigh~).

Okay, yeah, I can do that. Where's the harm?

Damn you, Harry.

Cheers,
Marc

HarryT · 08-01-2008, 08:09 AM

There are LOTS of versions of the Odyssey - best way to find this one is to do an author search for "Fagles".

montsnmags · 08-01-2008, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

There are LOTS of versions of the Odyssey - best way to find this one is to do an author search for "Fagles".

I shall do. I hope you realise that the above is my needlessly obscure way of saying "thank-you". If not, then "thank-you".

Cheers,
Marc

Patricia · 08-01-2008, 08:54 AM

Thanks, Harry. This is useful to know.

zelda_pinwheel · 08-01-2008, 09:29 AM

i might get it as well ; i have a paper copy (in french though) which i treasure because it was given to me by someone very dear to my heart, but notwithstanding that context i loved the story and i would really like to learn more through the notes (the copy i have is quite well annotated as well, which i appreciated, but i just can't get enough of notes...). this seems to me to be precisely the sort of purpose that e-books are perfect for, whether deliberately or no.

Over · 08-01-2008, 11:22 AM

15$... A little bit steep. The fact that is fully annotated makes it a little bit more worthy, I guess.

HarryT · 08-01-2008, 12:17 PM

It's only $10.80 if (like me) you're a member of the Fictionwise "club". That's approximately half the price of the equivalent UK paperback (£10.44 from Amazon), and you get something a lot more useful too. I think it's excellent value for money, personally.

=X= · 08-01-2008, 01:32 PM

Thank you for the review. I've added it to my reading list.

=X=

Be Szpilman · 08-01-2008, 11:56 PM

Very interesting really! I can't say I've added to my reading list quite yet but definitely to my Fictionwise's Wishlist

I'm sure I'll get around to it... before ebooks are an obsolete medium at least.

Thanks for the pointer!
Bernie

kaas · 08-05-2008, 08:13 AM

I can also recommend the AENEAD by Virgil. If you enjoyed the Iliad, you will like it

cheers,
kaas

HarryT · 08-05-2008, 10:15 AM

Which version of it do you recommend, kaas?

kaas · 08-05-2008, 10:36 AM

I am afraid that I have read it in German and russian, which would -probably- do you not good

Thus I honestly can not recommend a good English version- sorry

kaas

HarryT · 08-05-2008, 10:38 AM

I read Virgil in the Latin original, so I'm not too well up on good translations, either

.

Again, though, from what I've read of it, the translation by Robert Fagles seems to be very good. For people who prefer prose, David West's translation is also good.

kaas · 08-05-2008, 11:06 AM

damn, latin- I was as happy as a clam once I could stop learning that language

Five years of Latin in school was enough of a torture for me!

I am impressed, HarryT!

cheers,
petr

08-01-2008, 07:18 AM	#1
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Thoroughly recommended - "Deluxe" Penguin eBook of "The Odyssey" I've just bought the Penguin "Deluxe Edition" of Robert Fagle's translation of Homer's "Odyssey" ($10.80 from FictionWise) and would like to recommend it to fellow MR members. Homer's "Odyssey", as I'm sure most people are aware, is one of the cornerstones of Western Literature. Generally believed to have been composed sometime during the 8th century BC, it tells the story of the 10 year struggle of the Greek hero Odysseus to return home to Ithica following the end of the Trojan War, and the equal struggles of his faithful wife Penelope and son Telemachus at home to resist the advances of the "Suitors" who are trying to win Penelope's hand in marriage, believing Odysseus, who has been away from home for 20 years by the end of the book, to be dead. En-route Odysseus encounters the Cyclops, Scylla and Charybdis, the Sirens, pays a visit to the Underworld, and has all sorts of other wonderful adventures. The Odyssey is one of the greatest "adventure" stories ever written, and almost 3,000 years after its creation, it retains its magic for the modern reader just as much as it did for the ancient world. Indeed, the very word "Odyssey" (which originally simply meant a story about Odysseus) has come into English to mean any journey filled with adventure or unexpected events. There have been many excellent translations of the Odyssey into English over the years, but the 2002 translation by Robert Fagles, like his translation of the Iliad, is widely regarded as one of the best. It's a faithful, line for line, translation of the original Greek dactylic hexameter verse into English "blank verse" and it retains pretty much as much of the "flavour" of the Greek that it's possible to transfer into an English version. This is one of the best eBooks I've ever encountered, taking full benefit of all the features of an eBook. Not only does one get a superb introductory essay about the Odyssey (fully linked to the appropriate passages of the poem), but the poem itself is fully annotated, with every proper name, allusion, cross-reference, etc, being linked to an extremely comprehensive end-note which throughly explains it. The really is a case where the eBook is dramatically "better" than the paper book. I recommend it without hesitation to anyone who has the slightest interest in the subject matter.

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08-01-2008, 07:53 AM	#2
montsnmags Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,155 Karma: 4632658 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	~sigh~ I really don't need this, Harry. Do you realise how much reading I have backlogged already? And now, this...and this one is important. ~sigh~ No, forget it...no, wait...maybe I'll buy it...no...yeah, well I can buy it, and just sit it behind In Search Of Lost Time (which theoretically is next up...and has been for the last three or four books I've read ~sigh~). Okay, yeah, I can do that. Where's the harm? Damn you, Harry. Cheers, Marc

08-01-2008, 08:09 AM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	There are LOTS of versions of the Odyssey - best way to find this one is to do an author search for "Fagles".

08-01-2008, 08:54 AM	#5
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	Thanks, Harry. This is useful to know.

08-01-2008, 09:29 AM	#6
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	i might get it as well ; i have a paper copy (in french though) which i treasure because it was given to me by someone very dear to my heart, but notwithstanding that context i loved the story and i would really like to learn more through the notes (the copy i have is quite well annotated as well, which i appreciated, but i just can't get enough of notes...). this seems to me to be precisely the sort of purpose that e-books are perfect for, whether deliberately or no.

08-01-2008, 11:22 AM	#7
Over Wizard Posts: 1,462 Karma: 6061516 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cascais, Portugal Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2", OnePlus 6	15$... A little bit steep. The fact that is fully annotated makes it a little bit more worthy, I guess.

08-01-2008, 12:17 PM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It's only $10.80 if (like me) you're a member of the Fictionwise "club". That's approximately half the price of the equivalent UK paperback (£10.44 from Amazon), and you get something a lot more useful too. I think it's excellent value for money, personally.

08-01-2008, 01:32 PM	#9
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	Thank you for the review. I've added it to my reading list. =X=

08-01-2008, 11:56 PM	#10
Be Szpilman Fetch that LRF Posts: 63 Karma: 44 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-505, Treo 650	Very interesting really! I can't say I've added to my reading list quite yet but definitely to my Fictionwise's Wishlist I'm sure I'll get around to it... before ebooks are an obsolete medium at least. Thanks for the pointer! Bernie

08-05-2008, 08:13 AM	#11
kaas Muncher of ebooks Posts: 312 Karma: 6423 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Fürth, Germany Device: Pocketbook 360	I can also recommend the AENEAD by Virgil. If you enjoyed the Iliad, you will like it cheers, kaas

08-05-2008, 10:15 AM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Which version of it do you recommend, kaas?

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08-05-2008, 10:36 AM	#13
kaas Muncher of ebooks Posts: 312 Karma: 6423 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Fürth, Germany Device: Pocketbook 360	I am afraid that I have read it in German and russian, which would -probably- do you not good Thus I honestly can not recommend a good English version- sorry kaas

08-05-2008, 10:38 AM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I read Virgil in the Latin original, so I'm not too well up on good translations, either . Again, though, from what I've read of it, the translation by Robert Fagles seems to be very good. For people who prefer prose, David West's translation is also good.

08-05-2008, 11:06 AM	#15
kaas Muncher of ebooks Posts: 312 Karma: 6423 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Fürth, Germany Device: Pocketbook 360	damn, latin- I was as happy as a clam once I could stop learning that language Five years of Latin in school was enough of a torture for me! I am impressed, HarryT! cheers, petr