An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic
Ratings8
Average rating4.3
15
Ratings8
Average rating4.3
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I went into this expecting more of the memoir about a father taking his son's course and their subsequent voyage retracing the Odyssey (how the book was marketed . . . ), but the book is instead an academic look at the themes of personality and the father-son relationship of the Odyssey then projected onto Mendelsohn's exploration of his father's life. It was interesting to read from an academic standpoint–although at times Mendelsohn's descriptions and asides come off as condescending and pretentious–but my favorite part of the book was the final chapter where Mendelsohn abandons most of the academic reflections for the more emotional look at his dad's aging.
A favourite of 2024, for sure. So many things about this just worked so well for me. A richer, more patient examination of the Odyssey than I've previously encountered in the flurry of four years of a Greek and Roman Studies BA; a focus on its language and its themes, occasionally dipping into the original Greek in a way I never had the chance to encounter; the significance of the original word choice. A memoir focused on a relationship between father and son, an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of the father, through recollections and informal interviews; a collection of wonderful moments in classroom discussions of the Odyssey and the professor reflecting on the father's contributions to the discussion; a segment that sees father and son travel to certain locations covered in the Odyssey; a magnificent paralleling/interweaving of the journey of the Odyssey and the author's, and the author's father's lives. I really enjoyed my time with this book. Can highly recommend the audiobook in tandem with the print. Truly loved having the words in front of me and the audio narrator adding to my focus, and adding character to the voices of those people featured in the book. If you find yourself constantly craving a touch of modern sensibilities with your Ancient Greek tales, if you are among the many adult children who recognize the ebb and flow of understanding your parents better, of coming to grips with their aging and mortality, I think you'll love this.
