The best books about the heroes and myths of the Trojan War

This is a must-read for lovers of The Odyssey. From the viewpoint of the loyal wife, Penelope, we see her early life, her marriage to Odysseus, her life in Ithaca, the trick played by Palamedes to force Odysseus to go to war, and her painful separation from her husband that lasts not a year or two but twenty years. Deceased when she narrates her story, in the Underworld she confronts the worst of the suitors and also Helen. And she shows her compassion for the twelve maidservants hung for taking suitors as lovers. She really believes Odysseus wants to be with her, but he’s incapable of settling down (on Ithaka or in the Underworld where he elects numerous times to be reborn). It’s fun to read about familiar characters deepened and transformed by Atwood’s sharp eye.

Here are the voices of the women caught in the endless war at Troy. So many women would be separated from husbands and sons; others mourn for lost loved ones. Some would be sacrificed, such as Iphigenia and Polyxena, many more (such as Hector’s wife Andromache) would be taken to new lives of slavery in foreign lands, and some (like Priam’s wife Hecabe) would prefer death to enslavement. To listen to these women is to know the violent ruin of war. The voice of Penelope, a survivor but nonetheless wounded, is especially poignant as she recounts her feelings about exploits attributed to Odysseus (including his trysts with Circe and Calypso). And Neoptolemus explaining to Andromache (his slave who shares his bed) how his sacrificial killing of Polyxena haunts him is one of many telling moments in the novel. 

I loved this book. It tells Odysseus’ story from the viewpoint of his loyal dog Argos. Intended for readers aged 8-12, it can awaken the child in all of us. We knew from The Odyssey how loyal a dog Argos was. But hearing in Argos’s own words how he protected Penelope, Telemachus, and the hall of Odysseus in his master’s absence makes absolutely clear that Argos is formidable indeed. In fact, he shares many of his master’s characteristics. He can plan, trick his opponents, and use his wits to overcome any challenge in service to Odysseus. He learns of Odysseus’ movements by speaking to birds who have come from the islands where Odysseus is struggling to return home from Troy. Although Argos dies of old age when he finally sees Odysseus, he has had a son who, loyal like his father, stands beside Odysseus and Telemachus and witnesses their slaughter of the suitors. A great read.

This is a great book if you love the larger mythology of the Trojan War (from which The Iliad and The Odyssey were created). Here we find the reason Patroclus came to the court of Achilles’ father, how Patroclus and Achilles came to be companions and lovers, how Achilles chose to go to war and face the death he knew was his fate if he sought fame. There are two schools of thought as to whether Achilles and Patroclus were, in fact, lovers (The Iliad could support either view). But there can be no doubt of the great passion animating their relationship, a passion captured in this lovely “Song.”

The author, a professor of classics at Bard College, invites his father to attend his class on The Odyssey. What unfolds is a marvelous father-son story as his opinionated father vigorously participates and the author limns his complicated relationship to this endearing and perplexing man. All this is set against insightful discussions of The Odyssey and the father-son relationship of Odysseus and Telemachus. A surprising and very pleasurable read.