Tanner Humanities Center

Daniel Mendelsohn will discuss his acclaimed new translation of Homer’s Odyssey, published in April 2025 by the University of Chicago Press. His talk will be followed by a conversation with Scott Black, Professor of English and Director of the Tanner Humanities Center.

A book-signing, hosted by The King’s English Bookshop, will follow the event. 

Mendelsohn’s translation of Homer’s Odyssey has received enthusiastic praise : 

“He has given us a lithe, deft, psychologically nuanced Odyssey. Timeless, cadenced, thrilling, and humane.” — Michael Chabon, author of Brooklyn Crime Novel  

“Highly recommended.” — Joyce Carol Oates

“This may be the best translation of The Odyssey yet.” — Edith Hall, The Telegraph 

Mendelsohn is Editor-at-large of The New York Review of Books, and author of several influential works, including Ecstasy and Terror: From the Greeks to Game of Thrones (2019) and Three Rings: A Tale of Exile, Narrative, and Fate (2020). His essays and reviews have appeared widely, including in The New Yorker, Esquire, Harper’s, and The New York Times. In 2025, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, recognizing his significant contributions to literature and criticism.

See also:

• Daniel Mendelsohn, “The Man of the Moment Is 3,000 Years Old” — New York Times
• Juan Fueyo-Gomez, interview with Daniel Mendelsohn, “Classically Trained” — Oxford Review of Books
• Robert Zaretsky, “In a time of xenophobia, displacement and distraction, we need Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ more than ever” — Forward

A three-part series of Odyssean events by the Tanner Humanities Center

Monday, September 22 and Wednesday, September 24, 2025:
Homerathon 2025 live outdoor reading of The Odyssey
[day 1 information] [day 2 information] 

Wednesday, September 24, 2025:
Daniel Mendelsohn, translator of Homer’s Odyssey
[information]

Thursday, September 25, 2025:
The Odyssey, translation, and translating The Odyssey – Panel with Daniel Mendelsohn
[information]

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The Obert C. and Grace A. Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah supports academic research, public engagement, and educational programming in the humanities. Views expressed in events and programming do not represent the official views of the Center or University.