The War That Killed Achilles: The True Story Of Homer's Iliad And The Trojan War (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
Ok. I cheated here and listened to the unabridged audio book. This is a deep reading and analysis of The Iliad as the first anti-war opus. It's assessment of Achilles, and indeed all the poem's cast, is thorough and considered. Alexander's translation of the death of Hector makes me wish she would take on the entire work and has prompted me to attempt reading the book in its original Greek. This book is magnificent and crucial for a deep reading of The Iliad. I took a class in 10th grade that did nothing for a term but read the Iliad, and while I have a few distinct memories of insights and observations from the highly enthusiastic teacher, after reading this book it is apparent how little I appreciated of the essential dramatic structure of the epic. This retelling of the tale reminded me of an abridged version of Gibbons Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, which excised long sections not germane to the overall flow. The War of Achilles also mentions and gives context to various portions of the epic that would not interest a modern reader in the same way as an ancient group listening to Homer. But the important themes are all carefully set forth and described, and great detail is provided on how the story would resonated with audience so aware of Greek myths. And I completely subscribe to her theories about the characterization of war in the Iliad: the heros do seek and find glory through battle, but it is all for nought. The author weaves in so much history and background that I found fascinating. Definitely a 5. Read it you mortals
What do You think about The War That Killed Achilles: The True Story Of Homer's Iliad And The Trojan War (2009)?
This was an excellent book. If you love The Iliad, you will love this book.
—benwilliams98
Thought-provoking assessment of what is known about the Trojan War.
—Icantlivewithoutmusic
One of the best books committed to paper in the english language.
—nnanitsua
