Highly readable!

Entertaining, informative, and inspiring, with a writing style that's as fresh as green grass after a spring rain. Ask most people what The Odyssey is about and they’ll probably say something like it’s a tale of a war hero coming home after a long war. But maybe this ancient classic is about something else. This thoughtful and highly readable work shows us why The Odyssey is about more than an epic journey and how it has something to say to today’s readers. First off, note that The Odyssey Decoded isn’t meant to replace Homer’s original work. It’s intended to serve as an introduction, a companion, and a fresh perspective on “one of the most influential stories ever told.” It succeeds. In spades. The book opens with one of the greatest tragedies in history: the burning of the Library of Alexandria and the consequent, incalculable loss of ancient thought and writing. It then takes us back to the origins of The Odyssey as an oral tradition and then to the poet Homer. The Odyssey Decoded then poses two key questions that propel the balance of this intriguing and highly engaging book: 1) What does the myth really tell us?, and 2) Why is The Odyssey one of the most studied books in human history? Those familiar with Homer’s tale will recognize the principals in this book. Odysseus. Penelope. Telemachus. Calypso. Athena. Poseidon. Circe, Ino, and so on. So, the book has a familiar feel to it. The basic story is told in Episodes like a docudrama. An Episode refreshes our memory about a portion of the story. Then, under Decoding, the text explores what happened in the segment indicated and why. Decoding includes The Pride of the Victor, The Price of Survival, The Warning from the Dead, The Call of the Impossible, and true victory (it’s probably not what you think.) Themes and settings are also explored, including the Trojan War and years of combat and conflict and the toll they take. There’s also Odysseus’s faithful hound, Argos. Revenge. Correcting hubris. Miasma. (I’d almost forgotten about Argos.) Analytical without being didactic, The Odyssey Decoded shows us that the original tale is about much more than an epic journey and maritime adventures. It shows us how Odysseus’s journey can be read as a trial and how said trial is part of a long process that brings Odysseus back to his human condition. We realize how Odysseus is slowly transformed from the triumphant conqueror of Troy to a weary traveler who just wants to go home. And how that transformation can apply to any reader, across any century and culture. It’s brilliant. Also discussed is what Odysseus embodies and what Penelope symbolizes as well as the key role of Telemachus. So The Odyssey is not just the story of a man returning home after a long war. It’s a guide to human experience. Indeed, Odysseus’ story shows us how a human being becomes a whole individual. It’s one reason why this work has resonated over millennia and continues to be read and studied widely. Don’t miss the Conclusion: The Last Secret of the Odyssey. And that’s all I’m going to say about that. The final chapter, For the Road, includes some key recaps. An illustrated companion map of Odysseus’s route through the Mediterranean is included. So if the words “Homer” or “Odysseus” make you want to jump up and run screaming from the room or reach for the nearest bottle of No Doze, just wait a minute. Think again. The Odyssey Decoded is definitely a worthwhile read. And no, it is not a dry and brittle rehash of the original tale. Nor is it a classroom lecture that’s as arid as the Atacama Desert. It’s entertaining, informative, and inspiring. Bursting with vitality, energy, and insight. In fact, the writing style is as fresh as green grass after a spring rain. Finally, it’s been years since I read The Odyssey. The Odyssey Decoded inspired me to dig up my copy and read it with a fresh perspective. I love that. You will, too.