A Novel Challenge recently posted a notice about an Odyssey readalong taking place in the month of November. Despite the fact that my current reading challenges are in critical condition, and that I haven’t read the Iliad yet, this challenge is too tasty to pass up. The Odyssey Readalong is being hosted by Trish at Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity, and has so far attracted 14 hardy souls to join Odysseus in his journey through Siren-infested waters and Cyclops-ridden lands. I like that it’s a small group—with some of the larger challenges it’s simply impossible to visit all the posts and it’s too easy to just stick to familiar blogs. This will be more life-raft than cruise ship, so we should be able to get to know each other by month’s end. The reading pace seems reasonable, and it will be a nice way to get in one last serious reading binge before the Christmas craziness sets in.
I still haven’t decided which edition to read. Trish has tantalizingly suggested trying an audio version. I have two audio options at the library, Fagles and Rouse. From what I’ve read elsewhere, I suspect the Fagles version might be too casual for my liking, though it certainly gets lots of rave reviews. I understand that the Rouse is prosified and easy to follow, but I think I’d rather have it in verse. In print I have Lattimore and my lovely little Loeb Classical Library edition (Murray and Dimock). I should probably go with the Lattimore since the Loeb translation is intended more as an aid to reading the original Greek (which is on the verso pages) than an aesthetic rendering in English.
There’s still time to head down to your favourite bookstore or library and grab a copy for yourself before the challenge starts on Monday. Who’s in?
