Further Reading – the Odyssey

In addition to new sources, below you'll find annotations to the sources that appear in the book's Further Reading lists (at the end of each topic) and in the Explore Further, Stretch & Challenge (S&C), and Modern Scholarship boxes throughout the book.

Ahl, F. and Roisman, H. (1996) The Odyssey Re-formed, Cornell University Press.A reading of the Odyssey which challenges the usual interpretations. Stimulating for able students who already have a sound grasp of the epic.

Clarke, H. (2013), The Art of the Odyssey, Bloomsbury Academic.An excellent analysis which will yield many good discussion points. The opening chapter ‘Some First Impressions’ points out how various episodes relate to the themes, and ‘Odysseus in Wonderland’ and ‘the Return of the Hero’ make stimulating reading for teachers and students.

Emlyn-Jones, Hardwick and Purkis, eds, (1992), Homer, Readings and Images, Bloomsbury Academic.An academic book, in which teachers will find much of use. Chapter 12, Halverson J., 'Social Order in the Odyssey' is particularly relevant to the specification.

Griffin, J. (2010) Homer: The Odyssey Landmarks of World Literature, Cambridge University Press.A sound analysis which should be available for students to read. Covers the epic style and main themes, such as gods, men and women, society and values.

Hall, E. (2012), The Return of Ulysses: A Cultural History of Homer’s Odyssey, I. B. Tauris.The able and culturally aware will find this stimulating reading.

Jenkyns, R. (1992), Classical Epic: Homer and Virgil, Bristol Classical Press.Covering as it does, 3 epics in 80 pages, it takes a broad view. Suited to the more able student; teachers will find excellent points for discussion in it.

Jones P. (2013), Homer’s Odyssey: A Commentary based on the English translation of Richmond Lattimore, Bloomsbury Academic.Students find this a useful companion to any translation. There is a good analysis of the important issues for each book

Rubens, B. and Taplin, O. (1989), An Odyssey round Odysseus, BBC Books.A companion to the radio series, which ranges widely across the cultural legacy of the Odyssey, and is well illustrated.

Schein, S., ed. (1996), Reading the Odyssey: Selected Interpretive Essays, Princeton University Press.These short essays on subjects such as sacrifice, death, Penelope and the suitors will be too demanding for most students, but they are a manageable introduction to academic scholarship for the more able, and a useful source of discussion points for teachers.