Be Specific About Epithetical Books Whom The Gods Would Destroy
Title | : | Whom The Gods Would Destroy |
Author | : | Richard Powell |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 209 pages |
Published | : | Historical Fiction on Greece and Rome 238 books — 250 voters About the Trojan War 211 books — 198 voters |
Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. Historical Fantasy |
Richard Powell
Paperback | Pages: 209 pages Rating: 4.53 | 138 Users | 14 Reviews
Chronicle As Books Whom The Gods Would Destroy
When I was 17 I can remember being home sick from school with the chickpox. My mom went to the local drug store to pick up a prescription for me so I asked her to find me a book to read. She came back and handed me Whom the Gods. "It has Greeks on the cover, so I figured you'd like it." She was right. Whom the Gods became my favorite book of all time in high school, and I still think it's great read. After finishing it I was so taken by the author Richard Powell's style that I began collecting all of his works. Most were out of print, but I haunted the local used bookstores until I found them. Probably his most famous work was The Philadelphian. It was turned into a movie called The Young Philadelphians starring Paul Newman. Like most movie versions, the book was 10x better. Always wished someone would pick up the rights to Whom the Gods and turn it into the movie. Would have been a much better story than the recent Brad Pitt movie Troy. Powell was a journalist and I believe a creative writing teacher. Whom the Gods was his last work, and undoubtedly his best. Anyone who enjoys ancient history, particularly the Trojan War epic cycle should check it out. Powell brings characters like Achilles, Helen, Odysseus and Hector to life in such a way as a 17 year old I remember being quite sad when I finally finished the book. I wanted it to go on forever.Details Books In Pursuance Of Whom The Gods Would Destroy
Original Title: | Whom the Gods Would Destroy |
ISBN: | 0340147245 (ISBN13: 9780340147245) |
Edition Language: | English |
Rating Epithetical Books Whom The Gods Would Destroy
Ratings: 4.53 From 138 Users | 14 ReviewsAssess Epithetical Books Whom The Gods Would Destroy
Fantastic story. One of the themes in the book seemed to be that seemingly normal people turn into legends because observers see a fraction of the real story and fill in the details with what they want to see. My favorite thing about this book is that the author weaved mythological characters into a real story. It seems that he did his research to find out if these people were even real and how they became the legends that they are known today. I loved the characters and the way that they wereUltimately, it was an enjoyable book on the events of the Iliad, seen from the viewpoint of a young boy who grows to be a man. Well written, interesting characters and themes. I enjoyed the characterization of Odysseus in particular, as well as Helios. I wasn't thrilled with Achilles, though I saw how it suited the story the author was telling. My main quibble with the book is that Helen is not portrayed with much depth or nuance at all. Connecting her to the goddess Gaia made sense and worked
Interesting take on the Trojan War. Humanized mythic figures such as Odysseus and Achilles. Loved Powell's description of the Trojan Horse - makes so much more sense than what we learned in school. If you liked this book, read The Amber Princess by Henry Treece, which is the sad story of Agamemnon' s homecoming told by his daughter Electra.
As a child and teenager, I loved reading the myths and legends of other cultures, in particular the Greeks and Romans (though I also read a great deal about the Scandinavian deities). Powell's Whom The Gods Would Destroy was a resounding favorite of mine, and I must have read it a half dozen times during my teenage years. The Trojan War comes to life under Powell's pen, and the characters (about whom I had read much elsewhere, including in Homer's Iliad and Oddyssey) are masterfully brought to
Richard P. Powell, a graduate of Princeton University, was a journalist and worked in advertising before becoming a full time writer. Two of his books, 'the Philadelphian' and 'Pioneer, Go Home!' were best-sellers in the '50s and were both adapted into movies.Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
After the Illiad, this is simply one of the best books on the Trojan War. I've read this about 15 times since it came out. If you can find it, read it. Also worth reading is David Gemmell's Troy trilogy.
I loved this book when I was younger, coming upon it by accident one summer in a rental house. A flourish of the ancient and mysterious, with politics both sexual and class-based, and the wars men fight. It brought to life the characters of Greek mythology and the players in the Trojan War through the eyes of a young boy, destined for playing a part in large events. Too bad it is so hard to find now, and so expensive once you find it.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.