An Odyssey A Father, A Son and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn
Daniel Mendelsohn’s most recent book explores his experience reading the Odyssey with his father. After hearing him on my favorite podcast, The History of Literature, I quickly bought and loved the book. Offering literary interpretation and reflections on Mendelsohn’s relationship with his father, the work combines memoir, scholarly analysis, and travelogue.
Mendelsohn, a Classics Professor at Bard College, is recognized for his exceptional writing. His comprehensive understanding of the Odyssey (he just published a new translation) is noteworthy. Homer’s ancient story is about Odysseus’ journey back to his home after the Trojan War. Between fighting in the war, being held captive and traveling home, he has not seen his wife and son for twenty years. The book addresses universal themes such as the cycle of life, transitions, journeys, recognition, fidelity, loyalty, familial relationships, and the experiences of childhood and parenthood. Mendelsohn shows how the characters’ emotions in this 3,000-year-old epic remain relevant today.
The narrative is enriched by the presence of Mendelsohn’s 81-year-old father, Jay Mendelsohn. In 2011, Jay decides to participate in his son’s seminar on the Odyssey at Bard College, travelling from his home in Long Island each week. Although he initially promises to observe rather than contribute, he promptly voices his perspective in the first class. He explains why he believes Odysseus is not a hero. This viewpoint leads to lively discussions with his son and other students throughout the semester. I loved the questions Professor Mendelsohn asks his students. For instance, he says, “When the exterior, the face and body have changed beyond recognition, what remains? Is there an inner ‘I’ that survives time?”
After the course concludes, Daniel and his father embark on a personal journey to Greece. Their cruise, which traces Odysseus’s legendary journey from Troy to Ithaca, becomes a metaphor for their journey of understanding and reconciliation. By combining their academic experience, travels, and engagement with the text, they gradually arrive at a deeper understanding of one another, making their story deeply relatable and emotionally resonant.
Knowing little about the Odyssey, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I appreciated Mendelsohn’s example of how literature can facilitate meaningful dialogue and understanding. Both he and his father share their respective experiences as son and father. Ultimately, Mendelsohn’s book highlights that we are all on a journey with ourselves and those we love, a quite simple and extraordinarily complex dynamic. 4/5