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Book Reviews of The Iliad / The OdysseyBook Review: Breathtaking Summary: 5 Stars
The Iliad translation is wonderful. My mouth was foaming as I felt Achilles' rage. I am not a frequent reader of the classics or poetry, but this one kept my attention and is one of the best books I have ever read. The tapestry was magnificent, I was constantly visualizing the fractal motifs within motifs, the tragedy of the moment within the tragedy of the episode within the tragedy of the war, within the tragedy of the condition. The translation gives you a palpable sense of the unseen and unstated surrounding the epic. I'll stop gushing, but I cannot imagine anyone not loving this one.
Book Review: The Set You Should Own Summary: 5 Stars
Quality. Quality. Quality.
And at a VERY nice price.
A common problem with sets like these is that the type is often
crammed so close together, and so light, it can be extremely hard to read.
That's NOT the case here.
Very easy on the eyes, well spaced and printed on surprisingly thick, rag edge stock.
The binding (so important in a paperback) is absolutely first-rate.
The covers are way beyond what you'd expect at the price.
And boxed is always nice.
Quality. Quality. Quality.
And highly recommended.
Book Review: Accessible cornerstone of Western literature Summary: 5 Stars
Without knowledge of the Iliad and the Odyssey it is difficult to understand the many allusions and references to them encountered in the ancient sources, as well as many allegories and adaptations of more modern times, such as Oh Brother Where art Thou and Cold Mountain. This set translated by Robert Fagles, with the enlightening introductions by Bernard Knox, allows one to easily become familiar with the stories, mythology and characters that are not only entertaining in their own right, but are essential building blocks to Western history and literature.
Book Review: Epic Style Summary: 5 Stars
What distinguishes the Fagle's Translation of Iliad from dozens of other great translations, is he put the sense of "epic" into its English version. I read and reread it, I can not get over how it achieves to give you a sense of solidity and all encompassing grandeur, in a scale that evokes heroism ,fate, courage, beauty, adventure in every line. I do not read Greek, but I can only imagine if an ancient bard who sang these lines in an amphitheater would want to achieve, what Fagle's translations does in reading all by yourself, alone.
Book Review: Epic made easy Summary: 5 Stars
I love feeling pages in between my fingers and a new book always lifts my spirits. The boxed set is truly a collectible item.
The books by themselves are translated by award winning translator,
Robert Fagles.
The introduction takes the reader through the premise and the verse itself is very simple and simplifies the epic.
The reader wont get confused with the myriad of characters but instead the book sequentially unfolds the main characters and their importance to the legacy of Iliad and Odyssey.
More Customer Reviews: 1 2 3 4 5 6
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