A bold reimagining of our civilization’s greatest tale of war, by the author of the acclaimed best seller Silk.
Alessandro Bari... read full description
Alessandro Bari... read full description
reviews
Jul 20, 2010
Tess
rated it: 
Just cracked this open on the bus this morning and it’s very intriguing. In the preface Alessandro Baricco explains that he came up with the idea of holding a public reading of the Iliad in its entirety. After the madness settled, he set to work on condensing it, the result is AN ILIAD. He translated the Greek to Italian and the reading was broadcast throughout Italy. Whether or not you enjoyed the movie TROY (I thought Eric Bana was a great Hector and of course Peter O’Toole as King Priam-
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Jan 16, 2012
manyhighways
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I found myself wondering, as I read the introduction to this modern retelling of Homer's "Iliad", if anything useful or worthy could be gleaned by reading this book. What on earth is the point of taking one of the world's greatest stories and retelling it in a different style than the one in which it was written? As it turns out, not much.
The attempt at making the "Iliad" more accessible to modern readers is a worthy one, but Baricco is unable to pull it off. H More...
The attempt at making the "Iliad" more accessible to modern readers is a worthy one, but Baricco is unable to pull it off. H More...
Oct 15, 2011
Joselito
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This is supposed to be like a chess game: two armies clashing in a fixed, designated field of battle with the gods watching and meddling with their affairs, like players moving the warring chess pieces. Many consider reading the original, however, to be a much daunting task of epic proportions (in the first place, the original is an epic poem, he, he) so what Alessandro Baricco did was to remove the gods from the story, condensed everything and tried to make it as short as his masterpiece Silk (
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Jul 12, 2009
Mel
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Just a quick one: I am a diehard Troy/Iliad reader and am doing research in order to write my thesis about Andromache in the next couple of years. A friend picked this book up for me specifically because it included a chapter from Andromache's point of view.
As a concept, this is a good idea. In my opinion there are too many Helen-centric or Achilles-centric narratives taken from the Iliad when other characters have just as much to say. However, in An Iliad, the first person voices a More...
As a concept, this is a good idea. In my opinion there are too many Helen-centric or Achilles-centric narratives taken from the Iliad when other characters have just as much to say. However, in An Iliad, the first person voices a More...
May 20, 2009
Rachel
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One day, Alessandro Baricco decided that it would be of general benefit to the world at large for him to take an uninspired prose translation of The Iliad (the epic poem generally acknowledged as one of the greatest works in all literature), strip from it the stylistic quirks that make it so entirely fascinating, excise all references to the gods who formed such an integral part of the Greek consciousness, change all of it to first person, and add randomly, generic anti-war statements scattered
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Dec 21, 2010
Stuart
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It's not a bad translation, but it takes out the gods and honestly, that doesn't make for a more interesting story, even though that seems to be the thing to do these days. Additionally, though it is divided into different voices, they have a tendency to all sound a bit the same, and so while the ultimate goal was to "humanize the Iliad", ironically it just tends to flatten out the epic quality of the war and reveal the somewhat two-dimension quality of many of these iconic characters.
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Feb 10, 2011
Peregrino
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Esplendida versión de la Iliada, escrita para ser leída en un acto público durante horas. Barico ha ido a la esencia de la obra, prescindiendo de los aspectos marginales y que hoy resultarían caducos y poco interesantes. Nos muestra, como dice en el epílogo, "...entre las lineas de un monumento a la guerra, la memoria de un obstinado amor por la paz..." La Iliada es una oda a la guerra, es pura violencia, puros sentimientos. Las bárbaras descripciones de las batallas en otra novela cau
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Jan 30, 2012
Gabriella
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Some of us had to read the Iliad at school. I was probably one of those but I couldn't remember much of Homer's original version.
Baricco's An Iliad will, instead, stay in my mind forever. I really appreciated the re-writing of such an epic tale, modernising the voices of the characters, making me feel part of the war, undecided of who should win (although I already knew whawould have happend). And in the end, I finally chose who to support: Hector of Troy, whose death really made me sad.
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Baricco's An Iliad will, instead, stay in my mind forever. I really appreciated the re-writing of such an epic tale, modernising the voices of the characters, making me feel part of the war, undecided of who should win (although I already knew whawould have happend). And in the end, I finally chose who to support: Hector of Troy, whose death really made me sad.
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Mar 10, 2011
Marty
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Yes, I know it's a great classic, but it's not very enjoyable to read. It's so, so violent. It just makes me think about how our human species hasn't evolved for the better. Maybe we should go back to that kind of man-to-man warfare, more personal. This translation is easy to read, so at least that's better than older translations. I can't remember if I ever read this before. I may have just read chapters from it. The reason I picked it up to read is that Anna, a junior, just read it in an Engli
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Jan 27, 2009
Pete
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I enjoyed this abbreviated take on The Illiad, it was appropriately modified to meet the modern (insert my) reading habits. Homer, was a bit long winded, I am sorry if that is offense, but seriously folks. Baricco, broke this down to the key story telling elements while keeping it's warfare, humanity and beauty. Another Goodreader compared it to a Cliff Note version, and I would not go that far, but it was definitely a slimmer telling of the epic. I thoroughly enjoyed this telling and I sincerel
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Mar 23, 2009
Peter
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There's much to say about the book -- it's a sprawling, gruesome masterpiece, at times gorgeous (especially the description of Achilles' shield), sometimes dull (as when combatants are catalogued), imaginative, always diverting. Rereading the text is at least as pleasurable as the first reading. I read parts of both the Lattimore and Fitzgerald translations -- the former, written in "hexameter isometric verse" (description taken from a reviewer) is fluid, elaborate, occasionally awkw
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Jan 29, 2012
Esta es una versión de La Iliada sin los Dioses y con pequeños añadidos por parte del autor. Finalmente añade un trocito de ¿La Odisea? para terminar el libro un poco difernete,
Me ha gsutado bastante. Mientras lo leía, pensaba lo bien que maneja el ritmo Baricco, cosa que fue lo que más me gustó de Seda, el único libro que he leído de él y pensaba que la Iliada es una pura exaltación de la guerra. No solo de ésta sino de los valores masculinos y guerreros por excelencia. El Valor, el More...
Me ha gsutado bastante. Mientras lo leía, pensaba lo bien que maneja el ritmo Baricco, cosa que fue lo que más me gustó de Seda, el único libro que he leído de él y pensaba que la Iliada es una pura exaltación de la guerra. No solo de ésta sino de los valores masculinos y guerreros por excelencia. El Valor, el More...
Jan 09, 2012
Kelanth, in tenebris lux tua
rated it:
Io ci ho provato anche in questa forma ma... proprio l'Iliade non riesco a digerirla in qualunque forma dai tempi della scuola al contrario dell'Odissea che mi è sempre piaciuta; soprattutto in questa forma e versione che è stata slavata dalla prosa Omerica e dalle influenze divine per una sorta di "ammodernamento", che sarà stata bellissima inscenata a teatro ma che per me lettore è stata un supplizio, per fortuna durato poche ore solamente.
Sicuramente sono io in difetto More...
Sicuramente sono io in difetto More...
May 25, 2009
Jamie
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This book begins with the argument between Achilles and Agamemnon and ends with the death of Hector, with a concluding summary chapter about the fall of Troy. I'm really into the whole Greek mythology and Trojan War stuff, so I enjoyed this book because it retold a familiar story in a unique way. However, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone but diehard Trojan War aficionados.
The book drags on in many places, and is filled with horrible dialogue. Simplifying and modernizing are one t More...
The book drags on in many places, and is filled with horrible dialogue. Simplifying and modernizing are one t More...
Dec 22, 2010
Marco Latini
rated it:
Questo libro dovrebbe essere letto riascoltando i 3 giorni di spettacolo con attori diversi per ogni personaggio. Quello che mi ha entusiasmato di questo libro non e' la trasposizione in prosa molto bella che ne e' una riscrittura per una diversa narrazione, ma lo scopo di far capire perche' questo libro scritto da Omero e' una storia per tutti gli uomini e perche' in fondo si fa la guerra.
Aug 23, 2011
Of all the Iliad translations this is the best I've read, Mr Baricco is very talented in that he gives us the subjective experience and voices of 21 characters. One was Thersites who states, They all knew me. I was the ugliest man who went to the siege of Troy: bowlegged, lame, shoulders humped and curving in over my chest; pointed head covered by scraggly fuzz. I was famous because I liked to insult kings, all the kings.
war is an obsession of old men, who send the young to fight.
war is an obsession of old men, who send the young to fight.
Aug 09, 2011
Stefan
rated it:
Despite the scary man/woman thing on the front cover, this really is quite a good book.
Baricco re-jigs Homer's Iliad and tells it from the perspectives of those involved (Hector, Hecuba, Odysseus etc) to bring a personal touch to the narrative.
Definitely worth a read, whether or not you're a fan of classical literature.
Baricco re-jigs Homer's Iliad and tells it from the perspectives of those involved (Hector, Hecuba, Odysseus etc) to bring a personal touch to the narrative.
Definitely worth a read, whether or not you're a fan of classical literature.
Dec 23, 2009
Nadja
rated it:
an amazing adaption of a great classic! written from the point of view of the protagonists, baricco manages to evoke as much the "feel" of an era long gone as the real human fright and despair lurking behind any epic drama.
Jun 27, 2009
Lisa
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This book started out well. Unfortunately, about half way through it deteriorated. It was so slow and downright boring that I struggled through three more chapters before giving up on page 74. Life is too short to read bad books.
Aug 24, 2011
Carlos
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"Decir y enseñar que la guerra es un infierno y nada más es una mentira nociva. Por muy atroz que pueda sonar, es necesario acordarse de que la guerra es un infierno, pero bello."
"Por ello, la tarea de un pacifismo verdadero tendría que ser hoy no tanto demonizar hasta el exceso la guerra, sino comprender que sólo cuando seamos capaces de otra belleza podremos prescindir de la que la guerra, desde siempre, nos ofrece."
"Por ello, la tarea de un pacifismo verdadero tendría que ser hoy no tanto demonizar hasta el exceso la guerra, sino comprender que sólo cuando seamos capaces de otra belleza podremos prescindir de la que la guerra, desde siempre, nos ofrece."
Dec 30, 2011
Caroline
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This was a cool idea, and well done - but taking the deliciously crazy machnations of the Greek gods out of the Iliad leaves it flat. Solidly interesting, but only as a companion piece.
Jul 27, 2011
Mari
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La storia narrata da Omero rimessa in prosa, x ripassare gli eventi della guerra Troia... operazione molto ben fatta e interessante. Spero faccia anche l'Odissea
Aug 04, 2010
Christina
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Very well done just not my cup of tea...I should have known I would not enjoy a book that is almost 100 percent war related. However, it was very well written.
Jun 16, 2010
Gonzalo
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I love the Greeks, nevertheless I enjoyed Bariccos work very much and hope many young people approach the classics trough this memorable version.
Feb 05, 2012
Lilyfenix
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Este libro es mucho más que una relectura de la Ilíada; es una visión de la guerra desde Homero hasta la actualidad. Lo recomiendo muchísimo.
May 25, 2008
Ivan
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Those who haven't known anything about Homer's The Iliad or the fictional (existed?) war between the Greeks and the Trojans, would have been confused with An Iliad. Using article 'An' instead of 'The' does explain something.
Alessandro Baricco wasn't writing a parody over the Homer's poem, but telling in such a daring way and surprising prose. The interventions of the lesser characters' point of view are engrossing and , to me, such a nice method to make the book different. An Iliad More...
Alessandro Baricco wasn't writing a parody over the Homer's poem, but telling in such a daring way and surprising prose. The interventions of the lesser characters' point of view are engrossing and , to me, such a nice method to make the book different. An Iliad More...
Sep 27, 2010
Eleionomae
rated it:
heb het gelezen wegens geschiedenis studie, maar was meer onder de indruk van de odyssee.
