The Illustrated Odyssey - by Barry Powell (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A lush, illustrated prose edition of Homer's Odyssey, written by American classical scholar Barry Powell and featuring beautiful, woodcut-style artwork

Soon to be a major motion picture directed by Christopher Nolan.

Embark on a timeless journey with Homer's Odyssey, one of the most epic and enduring works of Western literature. Illustrated by dramatic, colorful artwork, Barry Powell's retelling of the 24 chapters captures the grandeur and lyrical feel of the original appealing to both fans of the story and those reading Odyssey for the very first time.

To the reader: This is not a translation as such of Homer's Odyssey, but a retelling of the story filtered through my own sense of modern English. I aim to tell the story as Homer would tell it if he were alive today. Homer was an oral poet, so can never know his exact words. In life, his performance would have been bound up with the sound of the lyre, the intonation of his voice, and the atmosphere of the song. But the power of Homer's storytelling is so great that the story has endured for nearly 3,000 years. This is the story you're about to read. --from the Introduction

Two decades have passed since Odyssey left to fight the Trojan War, and his family is desperate for him to be home. Shipwrecked on the island of Ogygia and held captive by the nymph Calypso, Odysseus is finally released with the gods' intervention only to face several more challenges that test his resilience, loyalty, and perseverance. From encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemus to the enchantress Circe, and the deadly Sirens, these trials test Odysseus's own cunning and resourcefulness as he struggles to get home.

With themes of resilience, loyalty, and the power of intellect over brute strength--amid tales of mythical creatures and divine beings--Odyssey still resonates today, having influenced countless works of art. With 50 illustrations packaged in a foil-stamped hardcover, The Illustrated Odyssey brings Homer's epic to life in a vivid, accessible form.

About the Author

Barry Powell, an American classical scholar, is the author of the textbook Classical Myth. He studied at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley, and has published verse translations of the Iliad, Odyssey, and selected passages from the Aeneid with Oxford University Press, as well as collections of Greek poetry and various influential academic works. Powell is currently the Halls-Bascom Professor of Classics Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Joanna Lisoweic is an illustrator known for her bold style of work inspired by the beauty of nature. She graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with a B.A. in illustration and lives in Yorkshire, England. Her clients include Penguin Random House, Faber & Faber, and Pavilion.