2024 the best translation of the odyssey review

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(as of Nov 30, 2024 21:23:08 UTC - Details)

From Stephen Mitchell, the renowned translator whose Iliad was named one of The New Yorker’s Favorite Books of 2011, comes a vivid new translation of the Odyssey, complete with textual notes and an illuminating introductory essay.

The hardcover publication of the Odyssey received glowing reviews: The New York Times praised “Mitchell’s fresh, elegant diction and the care he lavishes on meter, [which] brought me closer to the transfigurative experience Keats describes on reading Chapman’s Homer”; Booklist,in a starred review, said that “Mitchell retells the first, still greatest adventure story in Western literature with clarity, sweep, and force”; and John Banville, author of The Sea,called this translation “a masterpiece.”

The Odyssey is the original hero’s journey, an epic voyage into the unknown, and has inspired other creative work for millennia. With its consummately modern hero, full of guile and wit, always prepared to reinvent himself in order to realize his heart’s desire—to return to his home and family after ten years of war—the Odyssey now speaks to us again across 2,600 years.

In words of great poetic power, this translation brings Odysseus and his adventures to life as never before. Stephen Mitchell’s language keeps the diction close to spoken English, yet its rhythms recreate the oceanic surge of the ancient Greek. Full of imagination and light, beauty and humor, this Odyssey carries you along in a fast stream of action and imagery. Just as Mitchell “re-energised the Iliad for a new generation” (The Sunday Telegraph), his Odyssey is the noblest, clearest, and most captivating rendition of one of the defining masterpieces of Western literature.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Washington Square Press; Reprint edition (October 7, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 145167418X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1451674187
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1050L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.06 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.13 x 1 x 9.25 inches
Reviewer: PHILTHESKIER
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A splendid, moving, poetic translation!
Review: I have read this version of the Odyssey with a fresh appreciation of the story of his much desired "homecoming" , and the challenges to his wife and son. The determined efforts to overcome human and cosmic challenges are beautifully detailed in the art of Homer, and I'd recommend this translation to the contemporary reader. I've been amazed and delighted at how much I've enjoyed reading and discussing this work and translation in group of friends.Mitchell's language is fluent and evocative carrying the eye to really see this amazing adventure and invention. He invites us to share the deep emotional life of the hero and his colleagues. Some scholars say Homer was both blind and old - and if so it is an even better read as we gain in age and experience!The Introduction offers keen insights gained by Mitchell as he translated this carefully and made certain artistic choices. He gives examples and reasons why we benefit from paying profound attention to important topics. As we are aware of Greek cultural codes such as the importance of hospitality - and deeds of inhospitality, exhibited by the Suitors and others, we can connect with the story better. Mitchell provides a helpful chart showing the region of the voyages, and annotations about the characters, conveniently referenced at the end.I am very pleased to have this work and have bought it as a gift for friends who I think will also enjoy becoming reacquainted with a "classic" that may not ever have been enjoyed like this before.

Reviewer: Kathryn Pon
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Modern Restraint Allows Fuller Appreciation. Swift. Spare. Poetry. Beware Limited Downloads.
Review: This translation sings. It flies. It is spare. It is direct. Mitchell refrains from the epithets which weight the Pope translation. Where he does retain repetition, his verse becomes ceremonial chant, giving meaning and gravity to the narrated acts. Example, in five recurrent scenes of hospitality to strangers, "...with a beautiful golden jug, and she poured clear water over his hands as he rinsed them, catching it in a silver basin..." Mitchell has done well in reserving his rhetorical pointing to the significant where generosity, celebration and virtue are measured and judged. Mitchell's modern restraint allows fuller appreciation of character and dilemma: the ethics, the politics and the prejudices of the culture. This translation is shot through with a numinous quality. If you have not read this since high school, I recommend you read this translation now.My one concern: As with my other kindle poetry books, I simultaneously downloaded this on kindle, ipads and laptop attached to hdmi TV screen. This ebook has a limited number (4?) of allowed downloads. I wish amazon had warned me. I wouldn't have been so profligate in repeatedly downloading, removing (and revelling 🙂 ) in this book.

Reviewer: Tad Davis
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Graceful and fast-moving
Review: I have to admit, with embarrassment, that I’d forgotten I had posted a negative review of the original Kindle version of this. The formatting in that first version was terrible. Amazon has since fixed it. It is now beautifully formatted, and the text can be appreciated without distraction. This had actually been done some time ago, but my auto-update failed for some reason, and I found out the problems had been fixed by accident. I’ve since read this text in an iPad and an iPhone and it looks fine in both.Mitchell is a fluent and graceful translator. I love his translation of the Iliad, and this is equally good. It’s not literal; it’s not line for line or epithet for epithet. (If that’s what you’re after, check out the translations by Anthony Verity and Peter Green.) What it is is a vigorous and accessible English poem. When I finished reading it, it was a feeling of satisfaction I haven’t gotten from other translations.It needs to be an audiobook. Alfred Molina did Mitchell’s Iliad; it would be great if he were available to do this as well.

Reviewer: E. Schneider
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Beautiful Book
Review: I received The Odyssey promptly, well packaged, and in excellent condition. The is the polar opposite to my experience with another book and seller. It is heaven when a seller delivers what they promise and this seller certainly did that.

Reviewer: T. Park
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: For engaging and sensitive treatment of significant works I have found none better. If you've never read Homer before
Review: Have not finished it yet, but find this enthralling. I have read the Odyssey many times in several translations. I am not scholar enough to say anything about the accuracy (which I think is something of a moving target and honestly difficult to assess) but, as with all of Mitchell's translations it is both accessible and engaging.I have come to appreciate Mitchell as a translator over the years and have ready much of his work. For engaging and sensitive treatment of significant works I have found none better. If you've never read Homer before, this is a good place to start. If you have and it's left a bad taste, try this. If you have and are hungry for a fresh look you will not be disappointed.

Reviewer: magic mitch
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title: The kindle edition is not a kindle edition
Review: I'm reading (or trying to read) the kindle edition of Stephen Mitchell's The Odyssey with the kindle app on my ipad. It must be just a glorified .pdf, because there's no way to enlarge the type, no way to highlight, no way to look up words, and on and on. Mitchell's translation is enthralling, as one should expect, but this digitized garbage file is a ripoff. Thanks for nothing, amazon.

Reviewer: Howard Ross
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great translation
Review: This is a very clear translation of a classic, easy to read and follow. Recommend for classes and perusal edification.

Reviewer: KLS
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great, accessible translation
Review: As an English teacher, I teach The Odyssey to high school students. I have read multiple translations and have tried to use varied options to engage students in this classic text. This, however, is the first version that seems to really be relevant and engaging for my students. Stephen Mitchell has done a fabulous job with it, making it both true to the original story and a wonderful contemporary read. While I know that this is not necessarily the most authentic translation, it is well done and ideal for those who want to read this classic.

Reviewer: B Char
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: If you want a digestible entrez into the classics of Homer et al, this is the book for you. Lots of action and don't be afraid of the label as 'poetry'. This version is fluid and engrossing.

Reviewer: Dakota
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I liked Mitchell’s translations of Homer. Both for this book, and the Iliad

Reviewer: Dave
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Stephen Mitchell is a master translator of old classics and this is one of his best works. A great story redone in todays English with notes and explanations.

Reviewer: Vegasbloom
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Everything was good except for a dam red line on the bottom someone must have marked.