THE ODYSSEY

This is a listen for anyone who wants to hear an updated version of the classic work by Homer. It's also for fans of Claire Danes, who does a superb job narrating the much-praised translation by Emily Wilson. Danes brings a restrained but inviting enthusiasm to what could easily have been a dry, difficult reading. Wilson succeeds in staying true to Homer's story of the journey of Odysseus but without relying on language from a bygone era to convey a more authentic sense to the translation. Instead, with Danes's capable reading, this listen becomes an interesting history lesson, a literary exposition, and, perhaps most important of all, an engaging story that reveals why it has withstood the test of time. J.P.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2019]