Odyssey (Edited Classic)

Meet Odysseus, the most admired man in his world. Hes a crafty survivor, always plotting his next move. A fearsome opponent, deadly with bow, spear, and sword. A skilled liar who deceives friends, foes, and family. A cruel avenger who beheads a harmless priest as he begs for mercy. In twenty years of hardship and adventure, he has defeated men, monsters, and gods. Now Odysseus must face one last challengea hundred skilled warriors determined to possess his wealth, his palace, and his wife.

Townsend Library classics have been edited to make them more accessible to todays readers. But the books have not been abridged in the sense of shortening them by sacrificing story development, character richness, and the authors voice. In our experience, abridged books result from a simplistic removal of large chunks of material or a formulaic translation that robs a book of its distinctive flavor. By contrast, as we produce a Townsend Library title, we seek to edit the material carefully and respectfully in order to preserve the qualities that have made the book a classic.

TL editors approach every book entirely on its own merits, guided constantly by these questions:

What will get in the way of a readers enjoyment of this wonderful story?

How can the story be made more readable while preserving the integrity of the original book?