Book Club Feb 27, 2026: The Odyssey Book V
A discussion about why academics are uncomfortable with heroes
Imagine a man offered everything the modern world chases: eternal youth, endless pleasure, god-like status with zero consequences…and he turns it all down. Instead, he chooses a leaky raft, storms, and the long, uncertain road home to a wife who may or may not still be waiting. That scene from Book V of Homer’s Odyssey is the heart of this month’s Book Club episode, and it questions everything our culture tells us about success, heroism, and happiness. In this conversation, we discuss the questions most of us secretly wonder about when we pick up The Odyssey:
Why does the Odyssey feel so much more human and accessible than the Iliad?
What does true maturity look like when the world rewards youthful rage and recklessness?
Why do so many modern academics seem uncomfortable with the very idea of virtue and heroism?
And can ancient stories still teach us how to live responsibly in an age that celebrates power without accountability?
We discuss why these epics are not relics for specialists, but are a form of living wisdom for anyone trying to navigate loyalty, limits, and meaning in a chaotic world.
Whether you’re a longtime classics lover or someone who always felt “I should read Homer someday,” this episode will leave you energised.
