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The Odyssey: Unabridged (Penguin Classics) |  | Authors: Homer, Bernard M.W. Knox
Creators: Ian McKellen, Robert Fagles
Publisher: penguin audiobooks
Category: Book
List Price: £34.25
Buy New: £29.75
as of 25/11/2009 21:30 GMT details
You Save: £4.50 (13%)
New (1) Used (2) from £18.00
Seller: gabooks5
Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 830202
Format: Audiobook
Media: Audio Cassette
Edition: Cas/Bklt
Number Of Items: 12
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 7.2 x 4.7 x 4.6
ISBN: 014086430X
Dewey Decimal Number: 883.01
EAN: 9780140864304
ASIN: 014086430X
Publication Date: January 1, 1996
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 16
 two for one: amazing value! October 13, 2000
40 out of 46 found this review helpful
What attracted me to this version of the classic books was actually the cover. On bookshelves full of dry classic paperback (each with the obiligatory classic statue on the front cover), the books by Fagles used different textures of paper, begging you to pick them up. Plus the each page is made of paper of deliberately slightly different widths, to give it a hand bound quality. so, before you even start reading, you start falling in love with the book! I promptly called home and asked my girlfriend to check the price on amazon and she told me there was this dual version.No contest, I cam home and logged on here.pThe translation has recieved polarised reactions. some accuse it of ruining the poetic nature of the works, others that it brings it upto date, for a new generation (you can imagine the hyperbole).pI would say its somewhere inbetween. I own another two versions, but this is the one I would read to simply enjoy the story, the drama and the characterisations. ok, if there are passages ou feel have been diluted in the translations, then dig out your other versions ( i assume the crtics ARE talking from experience!)pWhat makes THIS particular purchase so neat is that you get both books in a hard cover surround. (not just one paperback) so not only do you save money (surf on this site and see for yourself), but it looks drop dead gorgeous as well. ie the perfect gift! Highly recommended
Read this twice.... January 16, 2007
Neil Sellen
27 out of 31 found this review helpful
The first time, read it for the tale.
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br /The tale of the wandering of Odysseus and the trials, tribulations and adventures that befall him as he attempts to return to his rocky Ithaca and Penelope of the shapely ankles. It's a rollicking read. You'll be reminded of snippets of Sindbad, Aladdin, Watership Down, Captain Corelli's bloody Mandolin and so many other later works that involve a "homecoming". But this was the first.
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br /The first time these stories about men, gods and monsters were all pulled together into a pretty coherent narrative. Most of the sub-tales such as Odysseus' trip into Hell, his encounter with monsters such as Polyphemus the Cyclops and the Harpies; with Proteus, the Sirens and the witch Circe were all probably part of a repetoire of tales delivered by the local poet/entertainer long before someone called Homer grabbed the posthumous glory by having them ascribed to him.
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br /Homecomings are still a pretty popular genre in film, television and print. There must be something in the plot device which touches an unconscious part of us. It's a bit feelgood; it's a bit dreadful. It engages us all. Is Odyseus going to get home? What will happen to his wife and son? What would I do?
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br /So, read it first for the story. And surprise yourself at how well you recognise the motivations and actions of characters placed in these situations over 2700 years ago. We haven't changed much, have we?
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br /Then read it again.
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br /This time, read it for the world of Odysseus. For what it tells you about the way we lived in a pre-literate, feudal society where any kind of progress was hard-won and very easily lost. Read it for the similes and metaphors Homer uses to describe things and events to an audience to make them come alive and be real to them. What do they tell you about the world back then? What do they tell you about the experiences of the audience and how would they feel, contrasting their life with that of this epic tale?
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br /Read it for the insight into man's relationship with the gods. How did the ancient audience perceive them? Were they beings to be feared and propitiated? Wasn't that what kings were, too? Was there something more in the relationship between Odysseus and Athene? Something a little more human? Hmmmm.
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br /Every page has something new to tell us about this now lost world. Look carefully and you can see stuff about the role of women in Homeric society; there's stuff about the etiquette and meaning of gift-giving in there. There's even stuff about how economics worked all those years ago. In fact, if you look closely enough (and stare at a few vase paintings as well) you can make an entire academic career out of this book.
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br /But that would be missing the point.
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br /Read it (at least) twice. It's got to be the best fiver you'll ever spend.
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A classic at its best August 13, 2007
rhinoa (London)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
The Odyssey covers the twenty years Odysseus is away from his family and friends in Ithica. The first ten years or so are spent in Troy where he fights on the side of the Greeks against the Trojans (see The Iliad) and concieves the idea of the famous "wooden horse". The remainder of his time away is spent on an ill-fated journey home where he looses all of his crew at various stages.
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br /The main cause of delay is due to Poseidan the Earth-Shaker after he blinds his son, Cyclops Polyphemus. He is then detained by Circe (a demi-Goddess who is a witch). After an incident where she turns some of his crew into pigs, she sends him to the Underworld to speak to the seer Teiresias to learn how to return homw. After he leaves he faces the Sirens and the monsters Scylla and Charybdis who carry off some of his crew. The rest of his crew are killed after eating the Sun-Gods cattle on the island Thrinacia as punnishment. Odysseus is then detained 7 more years on the island of Ogygia where he washes up by Calypso. She is trying to get him to marry her and become immortal.
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br /Eventally he gets back to his homeland with a little help from the Phaeacians and the Goddess Athena disguises him. While he has been away his wife has been beset by suitors who are trying to win her hand (assuming Odysseus is dead) in marriage and are treating his house and son Telemachus with disresect. Eventually father and son team up to kill all the suitors and all are finally reunited.
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br /I really enjoyed this book, more so than The Iliad. I definately recommend reading The Iliad and then The Odyssey, not just because it makes sense chronologically but also because this is a more enjoyable story. The only problem I really had was that poor sensible Penelope is never consulted or trusted by her son or husband. Telemachus runs off and doesn't tell her and then Odysseus returns and tells his son and old nurse, but not his wife who has spent the last twenty years crying and mourning his loss. Pretty heartless really!
A treasure of literature June 27, 2004
James Murray
17 out of 23 found this review helpful
Studying for A-levels requires a lot of wider reading (i.e. reading beyond set texts)...so I chose to read The Iliad and The Odyssey.pYou open either of the books and are instantly immersed in a mythical realm of escapism and fantasy. Reading at first can be a little difficult, the style in which the text is set out is that of poetry (I'm not sure of the poetic style) and so you may find yourself trying to read it like a nursery rhyme, but the key is to read it as if it was a normal book, one finds it reads with a flow after a while anyway.pThe aesthetics of the set are very appreciable. The covers and case are attractive, at the edge of the books' pages they're cut in a ribbed manner - a unique to my library at least.pOverall wonderful stories, good for evening/relaxing reading, cheap (RRP of each book is £12). If you wish to escape to the 5th Century BC - and immerse yourself in wonders of the archaic world then read this: a truly memorable experience and a must-read for everyone.
A giant of a book March 11, 2002
Mr. J. Holroyd (Manchester UK)
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
Homer's epics for many years have been available as prose translations, used to bore young english students into a state of stupor. Some of these translations were good many simply dire. Fagles has produced what is to my mind the definitive translation, of not only the Odyssey but also the Iliad; it has pace, power and striking use of good english. I can see why some of the reviewers would prefer a prose translation as Fagles translation has a powerful rhythm, which drives on through the story, never faltering, leading you on with winged words. The story itself is a classic for good reason, it is one of the oldest and widest read (or listened) to works of literature ever, the tale of the Warrior Odysseus, weary from the 10-year siege of Troy determined to make his way home and thwarted by the angry gods. His son and wife in dire peril from unwelcome suitors, and his father living the life of a beggar out of misery at losing his only son. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 16
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