This month join the Mill Valley Library Classic Book Club in reading Homer's The Odyssey in the 2018 Elizabeth Wilson translation, the first English translation published by a woman. Prepare to enjoy the Marin Theatre Company production of the play Odyssey from internationally-renowned writer and director Lisa Peterson. The play, set in a present-day relocation center for refugees on the Isle of Lesbos, focuses on four young women fleeing conflict in Middle Eastern and North African countries. Through the extraordinary characters of the epic tale, the women explore what it is to host a stranger, follow (or not) the rules of the guest law, question what it means to belong without a “place” to call home, and discover the thrill of adventure at the heart of it all. Our reading group will focus on the two journeys Odysseus makes in the epic, from Troy to the island of Calypso, and her island to his home on Ithaca, as he meets both generous and dangerous hosts and learns to be a good guest. Sign up to receive a reader's guide and a special code for 10% off the price of admission to the MTC play for the month of September.

In this fresh, authoritative version--the first English translation of The Odyssey by a woman--this stirring tale of shipwrecks, monsters, and magic comes alive in an entirely new way. Written in iambic pentameter verse and a vivid, contemporary idiom, this engrossing translation matches the number of lines in the Greek original, thus striding at Homer's sprightly pace and singing with a voice that echoes Homer's music.

Wilson's Odyssey captures the beauty and enchantment of this ancient poem as well as the suspense and drama of its narrative. Its characters are unforgettable, from the cunning goddess Athena, whose interventions guide and protect the hero, to the awkward teenage son, Telemachus, who struggles to achieve adulthood and find his father; from the cautious, clever, and miserable Penelope, who somehow keeps clamoring suitors at bay during her husband's long absence, to the "complicated" hero himself, a man of many disguises, many tricks, and many moods, who emerges in this translation as a more fully rounded human being than ever before.

A fascinating introduction provides an informative overview of the Bronze Age milieu that produced the epic, the major themes of the poem, the controversies about its origins, and the unparalleled scope of its impact and influence. Maps drawn especially for this volume, a pronunciation glossary, and extensive notes and summaries of each book make this an Odyssey that will be treasured by a new generation of scholars, students, and general readers alike.

This book club meets the 1st Tuesday of every month on Zoom. To get the Zoom link please register below.

This month's Classics Book Club is brought to you in partnership with Marin Theatre Company.