Odyssey of the West I: Hebrews and Greeks

by Timothy B. Shutt

This course is an interdisciplinary series of connected lectures delivered by eminent scholars from several colleges and universities. Each professor addresses an area of personal expertise and focuses not only on the matter at hand, but on the larger story-on the links between the works and the figures discussed. The lectures address-in chronological sequence-a series of major works that have shaped the ongoing development of Western thought both in their own right and in cultural dialogue with other traditions. In the process, the course engages many of the most perennial and far-reaching questions that we face in our daily lives.

Lecture 1 From Sumer to Athens
Lecture 2 The Epic of Gilgamesh
Lecture 3 The Hebrew Bible: Historical Background and Genesis
Lecture 4 The Hebrew Bible: Exodus and the Covenant
Lecture 5 The Hebrew Bible: Psalms, Prophets, The Song of Songs, and Job
Lecture 6 Greece: From the Bronze Age to the Archaic Age
Lecture 7 The Iliad
Lecture 8 Homer: The Odyssey
Lecture 9 Hesiod and Lyric Poetry
Lecture 10 Greek Tragedy: Aeschylus
Lecture 11 Greek Tragedy: Sophocles
Lecture 12 Greek Tragedy: Euripides
Lecture 13 Herodotus of Halicarnassus
Lecture 14 Greek Art

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

For eighteen years Professor Timothy Baker Shutt has taught at Kenyon College in rural Gambier, Ohio, famed for its splendid teaching, for its literary tradition, and for its unwavering commitment to the liberal arts. No teacher at Kenyon has ever been more often honored, both by the college and by his students, for his exceptional skills in the classroom and as a lecturer. Professor Shutt’s courses in Kenyon’s interdisciplinary Integrated Program in Humane Studies and in the Department of English alike are always heavily oversubcribed, and he lectures on Homer, Plato, and Aristotle, the Bible and the Greek historians, Virgil and Dante every year to a packed house.

Shutt is a native of Ohio, raised in Michigan and schooled in Connecticut, where he was honored as an All-American swimmer during his high school years at the Hotchkiss School, and devoted much of his time to drama. He majored in English as undergraduate at Yale (’72). After three years at St. Mark’s School of Texas, where he taught English and History---and coached swimming---Shutt went on to graduate school in English, specializing in medieval literature and the history of ideas at the University of Virginia as a du Pont Fellow. After earning his Ph.D. in 1984, Shutt spent two further years at Virginia as Mellon Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, and took a position at Kenyon in 1986, where he has taught happily ever since, deeply enjoying his contacts with his students and the peaceful life of the Ohio countryside.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor Timothy B. Schutt joined by Eric Cline, Kim Hartswick, Peter Meineck, and Lawrence Schiffman

Until I started working full time in a public library, I was completely unaware of the Modern Scholar series of audiobooks, which is really too bad because the series covers topics in a wide range of academic disciplines and breaks them down into easily digestible and engaging series of lectures.

This particular course is the first in a series providing an overview on the foundations of western culture. Starting with the early Sumerian cultures, covering early Hebrew society and going up to the Classical Age of Ancient Greece, Professor Schutt and associates take us on a journey through the very beginnings of western culture.

This is definitely an academic course, and yet the 30 minute lectures are totally digestible during your daily commute. The lecturers are excited about their topics and make an effort to draw connections to modern life. Also supporting the intellectual air of these courses are the course guides and websites with links to more information and a final exam you can take to see just how well you absorbed the material covered. I really enjoyed this series and plan to enjoy the rest of the Odyssey of the West series and maybe a few other Modern Scholar titles.

[Brian Eshleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice overview. Ironically for someone whose heart and mind are far more Hebrew, the Greek sections were more engaging. If you already know the Hebrew Scriptures, this outline will add little, although hearing it from a Jew of northern extraction will be an interesting contrast to Southern preachers. The lecturers love their subjects and would rather share with the uninitiated than impress other academics.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Basic education on literature

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

First half was great. Love Timothy Shutt but the second half of the book devolved into a long discussion of Greek art and plays that was honestly a bit of a snoozer for me.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book is good but greek section is too long and at times dull. Good info all together.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern Scholar Odyssey of the West Part I is the beginning of an interdisciplinary course of study designed to present an overview of Western Culture from its Middle Eastern beginnings to the present. Five eminent scholars present 14 lectures dealing with history,philosophy, literary study, art history, religious studies, political science and technology. The reader sees and learns how western culture evolves through the merging of concepts within each discipline. Each of the presenters lectures from their area of expertise and indirectly uncovers many of the central questions of our lives. These questions are: what is the most important in human life, how can we best live", is there truly a right way to live and if so what is that? The presenters each have a different voice and aptly present a different slant on what it means to be an evolving culture. As the voices and concepts merge for the reader a greater understanding of the larger story of modern mankind with all its complexities and beauty emerges.

[Beauregard Bottomley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who among us doesn't love ancient text? I did get lost on the Greek play sections, since I know so little about that stuff. I did love the section on Homer since I know so little about that stuff. The section on the old testament was near brilliant.

As always you get you money's worth on a modern scholar course.

[Kevin Beary · Rating 4 out of 5]

These audio books provide a wonderful overview of classical western thought.

See my site for the lecture outlines of all 3 volumes

[Denny · Rating 4 out of 5]

very informative on the history of first written works in through the Old Testament.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

something else to listen to while working around the house and yard.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio book.

A really edifying set of lectures on ancient history/western civilization. Dr. Shutt is pretty awesome.



First listen: 9/22/10

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent, but weaker than most of the modern scholar's I have listened to. Some production problems made it difficult to hear at times without turning the volume up.

[Mario Russo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great stuff. While the subject was not new to me, there was several facets of the works covered in this volume that made it worthwhile.