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04-07-2019 11:22 AM
Occasionally I come across a book that grabs me in the first few pages. This one got me before I finished the first page!
Back in November, I bought the Kindle version book of "The Eighth Arrow: Odysseus in the Underworld." I bought it because it includes Greek mythology, Dante's Inferno (2 of my top 10 interests) and the author J. Augustine Wetta* is a Benedictine Monk (always a plus). Book is long enough to keep me entertained for a bit ... 330 pages.
I finally got around to starting it last night. Totally into the book by the second paragraph. Third paragraph:
I am Odysseus, Sacker of Cities, Son of Laertes, Raider of Troy, Blinder of the Cyclops, Teller of Tales, Man of Many Faces. Sing, heavenly Muse, the last adventure of flame-tossed Odysseus.
(In his Divine Comedy - Inferno, Dante put Odysseus in the 8th circle of Hell "among liars, frauds, and sowers of discord." And I think many of us are familiar with Homer's "Odyssey." )
Last month, I bought Fr. Wetta's "Humility Rules: Saint Benedict's Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem."
04-07-2019 12:31 PM
@ALRATIBA @Sorry but after reading that third paragraph I would have put that book in the donation pile.You do like some heavy reading material.Enjoy your book.
04-07-2019 01:16 PM
@ALRATIBA Good for you! I know little about mythology and that has always been a regret of mine. But I guess not enough of one that I've done something about it.
I love to read and learn and research things, but most are about practical things and self knowledge, faith etc., cooking, financial things, computers etc.
04-07-2019 01:36 PM - edited 04-07-2019 01:56 PM
@ALRATIBA
Well, it is clear you were an English major, lovely reader! The closest I come to such intelligent reading is literary fiction, but I'm a tad ashamed to reveal how much time I spend reading psychological thrillers with unreliable female narrators, a la Gone Girl, The Woman in the Window, etc. Color me embarrased!
The last book on Greek mythology I read was the famous one we all read in HS, by a woman author whose name escapes me now. Edith maybe??
04-07-2019 01:39 PM
@Sooner wrote:@ALRATIBA Good for you! I know little about mythology and that has always been a regret of mine. But I guess not enough of one that I've done something about it.
I love to read and learn and research things, but most are about practical things and self knowledge, faith etc., cooking, financial things, computers etc.
I agree about faith - that's more than practical! That's Vital!
But .... the other stuff is too much like real life.
04-07-2019 01:47 PM - edited 04-07-2019 01:52 PM
Edith Hamilton! I read her in the 1970s - required readng for a Humanities class.
The Roman Way for a class entitled "Arts and Ideas - Italan Culture." It was a seminar type class. We were paired and each pair assigned a particular topic of Italian culture ... and were required to "teach" a class after our research.
We did Literature ... great class. At the end of the semester there was a big party at Prof's house - featuring Italian pot luck.
(Not to brag but we did get an A in that class.)
04-07-2019 01:57 PM
04-07-2019 06:03 PM
If you haven’t read anything by Dr. Scott Hahn, I would recommend his tape and study book ( college level course) entitled The End. It gives the historical information about the Book Of Revelation which was a head scratcher for me when I read it through the first time.
The linkages and precursors Old / New Testament are fascinating.
BTW, I remember reading the Edith Hamilton book as a college freshman....required reading for translating some Latin classics.
Also, a modern French playwright used the gods in some of his plays ( did my Honors thesis on him with the topic “ The Role of Woman as mediatrix between the Worlds of Gods and Men “ in the mid-60’s !!! )
Thanks for the memory !
04-07-2019 07:46 PM
I guess I read junk. My current book starts with 'The beach was empty tonight.'
04-07-2019 08:11 PM
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