Post #1427730

Last night, I finished reading *The Odyssey* … and though I haven’t read other versions for comparison, Emily Wilson’s translation is *spectacular*. This is the one to get. The language is contemporary, clear, and brilliant. All the way through, I found myself thinking about everyone who will be seeing Christopher Nolan’s film this summer. Ancient as the story is, there is much that speaks directly to our time … [a spoiler alert is unnecessary, after nearly 3,000 years] it ends with Zeus hurling a thunderbolt, and the goddess Athena shouting “Stop this war!” Hard to miss the point, these days … The momentum of the final chapters was incredible. I found myself thinking … “you know, I really hope that Nolan took the time to sit down with Quentin Tarantino for at least a drink and a chat …” because there’s a climactic sequence that struck me as being pure Tarantino. Still, I can’t wait to see how Nolan pulls this off; I believe he will, and if he does, he has to be a shoo-in for Best Adapted Screenplay awards (among many others) – as it’s a Herculean task. (I’m mixing my mythos.) If you’ve put off reading Homer’s work because it’s a “classic,” or worried it would be dry or stuffy, I can’t recommend Wilson’s achievement highly enough. It will add so much to your eventual experience in the theater. I was *so* sorry when it ended, and there was no more to read … now I’m moving on to her translation of *The Iliad!* #TheOdyssey #Homer #EmilyWilson #Nolan