Readers describe how Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster has ignited or reawakened their interest in classical literature
“I’m having a classics summer this year,” says Tommy Maddinson, 26, from London. He’s been inspired by Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey to delve into the subject, which has involved cinema trips, visits to the British Museum, and reading Homer’s epic before the film’s release. “I managed to finish it the day before. Since then I’ve been reading a few other classical texts and commentaries …”
Maddinson is not alone. Thanks to the popularity of Nolan’s film, poetry sales in the UK are on course to reach a record high this year after surpassing £8m during the first 30 weeks of 2026 – an increase of 13.3% on the same period last year, according to the market researchers NielsenIQ.
Robert Zoellner, 70, had never read any of the Greek classics because of a “fear” of poetry translations being pretentious and unreadable. “After seeing The Odyssey, I decided to try again,” he says. “I saw on Kindle that Emily Wilson’s translations were available. I found out that if I ignored the fact that it was written in verse and just read it as if it were a normal text, I was really enjoying it.
“I read The Iliad before The Odyssey since it sounds like the proper progression. Agamemnon and Achilles are at each other’s throats, and that’s fun to read about.”
Kerry Lecomber, 56, from Suffolk, has seen The Odyssey three times and says it has “really stoked” her love “of all things ancient Greece”.
“I had a place to study classics at age 18 at Leeds University, but it was 1988, and I was far too busy raving and I didn’t get the grades. I’ve always retained a keen interest in the subject. I’ve just started Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey, which my daughter, who studied ancient history at A-level, bought me recently for my birthday.”
She adds: “I’m now looking into finally doing a degree in classics via the Open University. I’ll have to do it part-time while I work full-time, but I know how much I’ll enjoy it.”
A similar trend can be seen in the US, where print sales of The Odyssey across all editions are up 76% so far this year, according to Circana BookScan figures. Emily Wilson’s translation, published by WW Norton, is the bestselling edition.
“I actually watched the film because of all the criticism,” says Kaylee Brent, 32, from Montana, referring to Wilson’s recent critique of the film. The classicist, whose 2017 translation of The Odyssey was cited by Christopher Nolan in early publicity for his adaptation of the poem, said the film “has nothing convincing to say” and “lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth”, adding: “Its narrative structure is gimmicky. The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words.”
However, Wilson acknowledged the film’s impact in “bringing audiences back to cinemas” and increasing cultural awareness of ancient Greek literature.
Brent says: “I hadn’t much been into Greek literature except some required readings as a teen, but it was really the back-and-forth critiques and interpretations of Nolan’s interpretation that convinced me I needed to read The Odyssey and The Iliad. Now I’m even getting into the weeds of translation arguments and having the time of my life.”
Emily Hughes, 33, a charity fundraiser from Cheltenham, says that after seeing the film she “wanted to explore the female characters more”. Before the film came out, she reread The Odyssey (the Emily Wilson translation), which she “really enjoyed”.
“Coming out of the cinema, I felt so inspired by how epic it was and wanted to read it again,” she says.
“In my local bookshop, they had a table of books to read if you’ve seen The Odyssey and wanted more,” she says. “I decided to pick up Claire North’s Ithaca, which explores more of what Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, might have been experiencing during his 20 years away. It’s told from the perspective of the goddess Hera, and explores a kingdom ruled by the old, infirm and, most importantly, by women, during such a time. It’s brilliant, and I immediately ordered the next two books in the series after finishing it.”