Community Corner
Madeline Miller speaks about her book "Song of Achilles" (coffee and cookies available at 7:00 p.m.)
Understanding
Achilles
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In writing “ The Song of Achilles,” Madeline Miller drew on Homer as her
primary source, but also sought inspiration from depictions of Achilles
through the ages, from Plato to Shakespeare. In this book she describes how,
using those sources, she found the man inside the hero.
The front flap of this extraordinary book tells the story briefly. “Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks” – strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess---
Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast
companions. Their bond deepens as
they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and
medicine—much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a
cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.
When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece, bound by blood and oath must lay siege to Troy in her name.
Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their
cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the Fates will
test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.
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Built on the groundwork of the Iliad, Madeline Miller’s page-turning, profoundly moving, and blisteringly paced retelling of the epic Trojan War marks the launch of a dazzling career.”
Ann Patchett, bestselling author of Bel Canto, is quoted as saying. ““The Song of Achilles” is at once a scholar’s homage to the Iliad and a startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist. Madeline Miller has given us her own fresh take on the Trojan War and its heroes. The result is a book I could not put down.”
Thanks to BookEnds, paperback copies of her book will be available for Madeline Miller to sign on Tuesday, September 24, after she speaks about her book, “The Song of Achilles”. If you prefer a hard cover copy, you may order it from BookEnds.
About the author
Madeline Miller grew up in Philadelphia, has bachelor's and
master's degrees in Latin and Ancient Greek from Brown University, and has been teaching both languages for the last twelve years. She has also studiedat the Yale school of Drama, specializing in adapting classical tales for a modern audience.
The Song of Achilles, her first novel, was awarded the 2012 Orange Prize for
Fiction and was a New York Times Bestseller. It has been translated into
twenty-three languages including Dutch, Mandarin,Japanese, Turkish,
Arabic and Greek. Madeline was also shortlisted for the 2012 Stonewall Writer
of the Year, and her essays have appeared in a number of publications
including the Guardian, Wall Street Journal, Lapham’s Quarterly and NPR.org. She currently lives in Cambridge, MA,where she teaches and writes.
This program is presented by the Education Committee of the Winchester Seniors Association and is supported by a grant from the John and Mary Murphy Educational Foundation.
