Odyssey Readalong: Structure and First Lines.

My copy.

 I'm really excited to begin rereading The Odyssey. There is something about it that simply inspires me every time I read a passage. I feel as if it is almost an extension of myself, and it is probably one of the only books that I can recite lines from without mistake.

I've lost count as to how many times I've read it in whole. There are many times when I will pull an edition off the shelf just to read a section. The Fagles edition (pictured) is my most well-loved copy, as it was the one I read from when I studied it in college. At the time, I didn't understand my professor's intention in having his class of freshman English majors read it for weeks on end when all the other classes were diving into Dickens, Brontes, and Austen. Where they read a novel a week, we pored over every line of Homer's The Odyssey. Reading my edition is like revisiting my time in his classroom. There are passages highlighted in purple, post-it notes marking reading assignments, and little notes jotted in the margins (as well as poorly drawn caricatures of my tweed-wearing professor). Now I am glad he made us study it. I only wish I got to study everything I read as deeply as I studied The Odyssey.

In any case, it is a book that has followed me in my life. It served as the inspiration for my place here on the internet and was the first book I marked off my list of 250. I haven't read it fully since then (nearly 4 years ago), so I miss it.

Most kids read an abridged version of The Odyssey when they are in school. Our district places the reading of it in our 9th grade year (along with To Kill a Mockingbird and Romeo and Juliet). The abridged version focuses mainly on Odysseus, a hero of the Trojan War who is struggling to come home after 20 years away. In the version our students read, it picks up with Odysseus telling his story and focuses on his battles against the various monsters of the Greek isles, his time with Circe, and his eventual return home to Penelope. Granted, those are some of the most interesting of the books included in the whole story, but they only comprise about half of the actual text (I think the actual number is 9....out of 24 books). The abridged version most are familiar with leave out the story and coming of age of Telemachus, Odysseus' son, and the well-detailed and drawn out homecoming of Odysseus to Ithaca (the last 12 books...so essentially HALF of the text).

I find that while I really enjoy Odysseus' exploits (you know, the murder, deceit, and that journey to the land of the dead), I also really enjoy Telemachus and his coming of age. Not to mention, the reuniting of Telemachus and Odysseus at home and the big "finale" of the story in Ithaca. Those are the pieces I'm glad I studied in college. I appreciate them more and find that they tell more of a story than defeating the Cyclops (that scene does have some wonderful imagery...).

Anyway, the whole story begins with the bard, those responsible for actually telling the tale in ancient Greece. The opening lines, according to Fagles, go like this.

“Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns
driven time and again off course, once he had plundered
the hallowed heights of Troy.
Many cities of men he saw and learned their minds,
many pains he suffered, heartsick on the open sea,
fighting to save his life and bring his comrades home.
But he could not save them from disaster, hard as he strove—
the recklessness of their own ways destroyed them all,
the blind fools, they devoured the cattle of the Sun
and the Sungod wiped from sight the day of their return.
Launch out on his story, Muse, daughter of Zeus,
start from where you will-sing for our time too.”

I love his call for inspiration-for the right words to tell the story of Odysseus as he should. And it really is the last two lines that grab me every time-that inspire me to want to read on and relearn the story of Odysseus and his son. Because from the beginning, we know that Odysseus is a man who has know heartache and struggle. He has lost his men and is simply trying to return home against all odds and the wishes of the gods. But he will persevere and return.

I love that.

It inspires me.

Now, I'm going to go read the rest of the first book and become absorbed in the tale all over again. 

The Odyssey Readalong Master Post and Launch.

 It's hard to believe that it is July 1st already, and the beginning of our readalong of Homer's The Odyssey. I pulled my (rather battered) copy off my shelf last night and flipped through it. It brought back many memories, and a surge of excitement as we begin our venture through Homer's masterpiece.

I'm not lying when I say that The Odyssey is one of my favorite pieces of classic literature. There is something about the language and emotion of the story that grabs me every time. I love the perseverance of Odysseus, the hopeful nature of Telemachus, and Athena's quest to right the wrongs of the gods. It is a story deep with history and culture, but it is one that inspires me whenever I read a passage.

While only a few bloggers have officially agreed to join me on our little readalong, I'm hoping that as go along, more will be inspired to join in. This readalong is meant to be stress-free. This post will stand for the duration of the readalong and will be a place for us to link our posts as we read. I don't expect that everyone else will post multiple times, but I'm planning on posting as I finish each of the 24 books that comprise The Odyssey. I hope that my posts will serve as guidelines for those of you who are tackling it for the first time. And since this formed the basis for my very first English class in college (we spent 10 weeks of the semester reading, analyzing, and learning about it), I do have more than a little knowledge. But my main goal is to be inspired to reembark on my own literary odyssey, since I have pretty much abandoned it.

Anyway, I will be reading the Robert Fagles edition, which is my favorite of the 5 editions I've read (and own-obsessive, yes). I find it to be the more poetic form and lends itself easily to being read aloud. Since The Odyssey was originally intended to be performed by bards, it seems fitting to read a version that aligns with that feeling. And I will admit that I will often read passages aloud to myself. :)

The only guidelines for the readalong is that you finish by August 31. Make sure to post by then. I think I'll give out a prize to someone who finishes by then, so if you need a bit of extrinsic motivation, there you go. ;) The Mister Linky is below for any of your posts on The Odyssey. Feel free to post away.

Good luck!

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Under the Dome by Stephen King.

Ever since Under the Dome by Stephen King came out, I wanted to read it. I hesitated for a few reasons:

1. I associated King with horror. And I don't like horror. Horror movies scare the beejeezus out of me, and I can barely tolerate parts of "The Walking Dead" on AMC (but I love the characters).

2. Length. While I am not afraid of long books, I was afraid that Under the Dome was long and horrific (see #1). How would I power through it?

3. I actually have no experience with King, beyond On Writing. How would I react to King's work?

However, I knew the miniseries was coming out (it debuted on Monday), so I knew that if I wanted to read it, now would be an excellent time. There was also a readalong going on that offered some encouragement. So I joined up, a bit late in the game.

I did not expect to like the book from the first page...or to become so hooked that I raved about it as I was reading to anyone who would listen. My husband has been the biggest victim, and he is just as excited as I am to watch the series. I think I also convinced my mom to read the book. :)

For anyone who hasn't seen the trailer for the series, or who has no idea what the book is about, it focuses on the town of Chester's Mill. One fall day, a mysterious dome covers the town, sealing it off from the rest of the world. There is no explanation for the dome and while the military tries to penetrate it, it stands firm.

What happens inside the town, "under the dome," forms the basis of the novel. What happens when a community is isolated and on their own? Inevitably people begin to take advantage of the situation-some rise to help others, and others rise to push their own agendas.

This novel felt very political to me as I read it. Big Jim Rennie, one of the novel's biggest villains, rises up early on to seize power in the town. And while there are many who disagree with the actions he is trying to take to seize control, no one steps in stop him. And by the time things get really bad, it's too late. Big Jim has so much power that he really can't be stopped.

There were also a lot of environmental issues that were central to the book. As the dome holds in the air, pollution, and fumes from the town, it takes on a yellowish tinge and the temperature rises. You have to wonder if King was doing this on purpose-showing us the error of our ways (because obviously it was noticeable to the townspeople and they did nothing to stop it to prevent it from getting worse). 

The biggest piece of the book that I enjoyed was the actual writing. I found it to be very straightforward in style. And while there were certainly some extremely cheesy lines, the whole book just felt fun. Fast. Action-packed. It was something I miss when I'm reading, say, Dickens. If this title is anything like his others, I can see why King is so successful. It was an easy read-uncomplicated, catchy, and intriguing. I would definitely read another book by him (as long as it wasn't horror).

There is more I could say, but I don't want to spoil. (And to be honest, I'm having a hard time writing about this in general. I've fallen out of the habit of reviewing and talking about books...so this has taken me far too long. :) I hope it gets easier the more often I write).

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I've Read in 2013.

When I saw this week's topic for Top Ten Tuesday, I chuckled a little bit. My goodreads reading challenge tells me I've read a paltry 34 books this year. I believe that at this time last year I was in the 50s...but oh well!

Most of what I've read this year falls into the YA category, which I'm actually okay with. I miss my classics diet, but I needed some YA in my life!

Without more rambling, here are the top ten books I've read this year. They aren't in any particular order-just going from January to now.

1. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns: I thought this was a brand new book when I began reading it in January, but it was so familiar to me that I eventually put the pieces together (apparently I read this as a sophomore). I loved the small town focus of this, and the hilarious scenes. It was heart-felt and warm...and just what I needed to kick off the year.

2. My Antonia by Willa Cather: I was really worried I would hate this, since I hated it as a high school freshman, but imagine my surprise when I LOVED it. I loved it so much that I kicked off my Willa Cather Project and began reading a long list of Cather titles. This is the perfect story about life on the plains...I kind of want to read it again.

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: I think what made me love this book even more was being able to teach it. I got to pull so much from it to share with my kids and they, in turn, pulled a lot to share with me. It was a great experience, and this is most definitely my favorite book I've taught (I'm guessing until I teach The Catcher in the Rye this fall. I have a feeling that I'm going to LOVE that).

4. Graceling by Kristin Cashore: I adored this novel. It was the perfect fantasy novel, with a great and believable love story. And lots of action! It is what jump-started a series of YA books on my nightstand. I ended up flying through Cashore's other 2 titles shortly after...and now I have to wait for the next one.

5. Loteria by Mario Alberto Zambrano: This was a title that I accepted for review...and have yet to actually review on the blog. It's the story of a young girl who pieces her story together slowly, and as she inspired by the pictures on Loteria cards. It was a beautifully written book-one that was slowly put together, and I really fell in love with the writing and mix of Spanish and English.

6. Every Day by David Levithan: I tried another Levithan book earlier in the year, but wasn't a huge fan. Since this one had pretty good reviews, I selected it as my second chance title...and wow. I love the premise of this-waking up in a different body every day and experiencing a new life every morning. It was wonderfully written and had great conflict. It also left me wanting to try another by Levithan!

7. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys: I am deeply in love with Sepetys' other novel, Between Shades of Grey. It blew me away and I convinced about 10 people at school (teachers and students) to read it over the last school year. So I was very excited for her sophomore title! I loved this one as well-a great story about a girl in New Orleans who is struggling to find her place in a truly messed up environment. It was a fast and absorbing read!

8. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz: I don't know what I thought I was getting when I started this one, but wow...this was something. There were many lines that made me laugh loudly (so I had to share many with my husband, who was wondering what exactly I was reading). But I loved the story of this family-woven in and out of the generations. In some ways it reminded me of One Hundred Days of Solitude...but more intense in some ways. It was great.

9. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris: First, let me just say that the title of this is awesome. And the cover equally so. I won this during the readathon, and I was excited to dive in. This is the only title by Sedaris I've read (I have another on a shelf somewhere), so I went in not knowing what to expect. It was funny, random, and just what I needed to get through the last week of school.

10. Under the Dome by Stephen King: My most recent read, but one that I really loved. It was my first fiction book by King (I had previously only read On Writing), so I was a bit hesitant. I ended up becoming completely obsessed with this book for the better part of 5 days until I managed to finish. It was simply awesome, and I cannot wait to try more novels by King (of the non-horror persuasion).

Let me know what your favorites have been from this year!

Weekly Wrap-up for June 23, 2013: On Grandfathers, Babies, Organization, and Books.

Today marks 10 years since my paternal grandfather passed away after a battle with cancer. It was just a couple weeks after my high school graduation, so the time period has always remained fresh in my memory. Many of my pictures from my senior high school events-prom, graduation, my graduation party-all show my grandfather's slow deterioration.

I never knew my maternal grandfather. He passed away before I was born, so my Grandpa Fred was something pretty special. He was a great man, and we all loved him dearly. I think about him, and my Grandmother Kay (who passed away a couple years after he did) regularly. I wonder what they would think of where I am now.

Matt and I were talking about Grandpa this morning. Matt was lucky enough to know my Grandpa (we've been together almost 11 years), so he has some memories. He was at the funeral with me and shared those thoughts and memories. And he agreed, it doesn't feel like it's been 10 years.

But to bring things full circle, my cousin Kate had her second son this morning-Sawyer James. James was my grandfather's middle name, so it was a touching tribute to him. My brother and his wife gave their daughter Zoey the middle name of "Kay" in memory of my grandmother. I love that we can honor our relatives in such a way. And little Sawyer made today a much more special day.

Switching gears...

I've been out of school for a week, and I haven't been all that productive. :) I got sick on the last day of school (what I thought was a cold-turned out to be a sinus infection and a double ear infection), and I'm still fighting it off. It settled in my chest, so I have an icky cough that just won't go away. So, all the cleaning and organizing I wanted to bust out in my first week off just plain didn't happen.

I did make a huge list of all the things I want to get done this summer. A lot of the list includes cleaning and organizing. I've gotten to the point where I just don't see why we have so much STUFF. Our apartment isn't super tiny, but it also isn't big. But we have too much crap everywhere! Our storage unit in the basement is pretty full (although, most of that is Matt's...I have no idea what's down there...), so that definitely needs to be cleaned out this summer. I'm at the point where if we haven't used or needed something in the almost 3 years we've been living here....why do we have it? I'm ready to dump, donate, and rediscover.

Today's agenda includes scrubbing down the bathroom and starting to go through the closet out here in the living room. We don't really use our closet all that much...and it's a big one! So I want to dig through and see if there is anything in there worth keeping, or if I can toss whatever I find in the dark corners. :)

I'm also planning on settling in with On the Road. I started it last night and while I am only 20 or so pages in...I'm not a fan of the style. At all. Perhaps it will grow on me, but I'm kind of doubting it!

I have finished a number of books in the last couple of weeks, so it seems my reading has picked up again. Granted, much of what I've been reading is light and fluffy, but I'm craving some classics. For example, right now I really want some Steinbeck, and I've been eying The Grapes of Wrath all morning. We'll see what happens. But, I do have plans to start reviewing and talking about books in more detail....starting with Stephen King's Under the Dome. I flew through all 1100 pages this past week. It was the first big King novel I've read, and I was definitely a fan!

Anyway, those are my plans for this week. I'm excited to be blogging again, even if it has taken me a lot longer to write this post than I remember...I've lost the writing touch! I hope you all have an excellent week!