Episode · Stuff You Should Know · 2026-09-10
Books mentioned on The Odyssey Episode
Why does the story of The Odyssey endure this many years after it was first spoken? Listen in to find out.
Josh Clark discussed The Iliad, The Odyssey, and Ulysses by James Joyce. Chuck Bryant discussed The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Iliad
Homer's ancient epic poem The Iliad chronicles the final weeks of the Trojan War and the devastating wrath of the Greek warrior Achilles.
Discussed“They attribute both the Odyssey and the Iliad, which is kind of the prequel to the Odyssey, to Homer.”
Where to get it
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The Odyssey
The Odyssey by Homer is an epic ancient Greek poem that follows Odysseus on his long, perilous journey home after the Trojan War, remaining one of history's most influential foundational narratives.
Discussed“They attribute both the Odyssey and the Iliad, which is kind of the prequel to the Odyssey, to Homer.”
Where to get it
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Ulysses
James Joyce's landmark modernist novel Ulysses chronicles an ordinary day in the life of Leopold Bloom in Dublin, mapping human consciousness and daily existence through a revolutionary stream-of-consciousness technique.
Discussed“1922, the novel Ulysses by James Joyce was a big one because Ulysses is the Latin version of Odysseus.”
Where to get it
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The Penelopiad
The Penelopiad is a novel by Margaret Atwood that retells Homer's epic from the perspective of Penelope and examines the fate of the enslaved women murdered by Odysseus.
Discussed“Margaret Atwood in 2005 wrote a novel called the Penelope ad.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“I started Moby Dick, by the way, just so everyone knows it's officially happening.”