Arcadian Days

by John Spurling

The Greek myths, refined by the great poets and playwrights of Ancient Greece, distil the essence of human life: its brief span; its pride, courage and insecurity, its anxious relationship with the natural world - earth, see and sky, represented by powerful gods and monsters.

Taking inspiration from the incomparably beautiful and intense poetry of Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, John Spurling - a lifelong classicist and an award-winning playwright and historical novelist - spins five foundational myths for contemporary readers. These captivating tales centre on male-female pairs - Prometheus and Pandora with her box, handsome Jason and the sorceress Medea, Oedipus and his daughter Antigone, Achilles and his mother Thetis, wandering Odyssesus and steadfast Penelope - that destroyed dynasties, raised and felled heroes, and sealed the fates of men.

Genres: Mythology, Greek Mythology, Fantasy, Short Stories, Retellings, Historical Fiction, Adult

324 pages, Paperback

Published April 22, 2022

About the author

Born in Kisumu in 1936, and brought up in Nairobi, John came to England aged 10. Two years later he wrote and produced his first play - a schoolboy farce about Julius Caesar's fictitious third landing in Britain.

After National Service in the Royal Artillery, and studying Law at St. John's College, Oxford, in 1960 John helped organise a United Nations plebiscite in the then Southern Cameroons, now part of the Cameroun Republic.

In 1963 he joined the BBC as a radio announcer, where he stayed until he received a two-year grant from a group of West End theatre managers to write plays. This resulted in MacRune's Guevara, performed by the National Theatre in 1969 and recently revived off-Broadway.

John has been a freelance writer since 1966, reviewing, broadcasting and writing two books of criticism – on Beckett's plays and Greene's novels – as well as some 30 plays and, more recently, four novels. In 1973 John became Henfield Writing Fellow at the University of East Anglia and was The New Statesman's art critic from 1976-88.

John's latest books are The Ten Thousand Things, to be published by Overlook (New York) and Duckworth (London) in 2014, and A Book of Liszts, published by Seagull Books in 2011. Arcadian Nights, stories from the Greek myths, will be published by Overlook (New York) on February 2, 2016, and was already released by Duckworth (London) on September 24.

John is married to the biographer Hilary Spurling. They have three children, and live in London and Arcadia, Greece.

John's grandfather was the classical scholar, J.C.Stobart, the BBC's first Director of Education and author of "The Glory That Was Greece" and "The Grandeur That Was Rome"

Reviews

[roibean · Rating 4 out of 5]

only major L was that he said achilles was in love with briseis

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

a really lovely book of myths! it was really evocative and rooted in the original texts, which I loved. it was good how he only did five central myths, with others branching out from them when there were connections.

one thing I will say is that he doesn't take a very sympathetic view on some female characters. he maintained that Helen ran away with Paris, without looking at the other interpretations, and the serving girls that Odysseus killed were called 'sluts' even when he wrote that they were forced by the suitors.
it's possibly because I've read most of my Greek myths from the likes of Emily Wilson, Natalie Haynes and Madeleine Miller, but Spurling's did seem a bit lacking in this regard.

[Jane Fudger · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in Greek Myths you will enjoy this book. The author has done something different in this book by combining two "heroes" in each of the five parts for the book, an example being Prometheus and Pandora or Oedipus and Antigone. and describes how their stories are interlinked
I must admit I knew some parts of the stories but not necessarily the linkage between some of the characters.A well written and absorbing book.
As a footnote the author has written another book called Arcadian Nights which I have just ordered

[Louis Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same as the last one but this time he remembered to include women

[Dan Bassett · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the award-winning historical novelist and playwright John Spurling, comes a collection classical stories which cast new light on familiar characters with zest, wit and charm.
Prometheus and Pandora:
A tale of gifts, thefts, retribution, all stemming from Zeus not content enough with chaining Prometheus to a rock as punishment for giving mortals too much power, commands Pandora be sent to mingle among them all in the aim to torment those below his mighty kingdom.
Jason and Medea:
When most-handsome Jason and his Argonauts arrive on the shores of Colchis to obtain a certain fleece, the wily Medea, granddaughter of Apollo, comes to his aid. But it is far from a selfless act of charity…
Oedipus and Atigone:
Though fated to do such a heinous and twisted act as to kill his father and marry his mother, when Oedipus is named king of Thebes he would be forgiven for thinking the gods support such an endeavour. However, upon looking into just how his predecessor died all fingers point squarely back at his own reflection, and perhaps fate shall repeat itself in the form of Antigone.
Achilles and Thetis:
Thetis, mother of the mighty Achilles, dotes on him to the extent where placing him within embers of flame in the hope to secure his immortality, later realises it is a better idea to hide him with the women of Skyros yet knows that ultimately all she can do to prolong his life is to craft the finest armour she can.
Odysseus and Penelope:
Penelope waits patiently for her husbands return from Troy, fending off many a suitor who all want to claim both her and the lands of their kingdom. Yet after twenty years Penelope devises a ploy to win her hand. But what if Odysseus should return in disguise?
A fabulous collection of stories which showcases a wide variety of characters, stories and life lessons which any lover of classical literature shall surely enjoy!

[Mathilde Paulsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to Spurling, Achilles and Briseis were in love. According to me, they were not.

Nevertheless, this was a really nice book! Definitely a good place to start if you want to learn more about the Greek myths, it was very informative and although all but the Odyssey/Penelope-chapters were written in a somewhat straight-forward, impersonal way, it was very entertaining. I initially bought this, instead of buying the volume called Arcadian Nights, because this one claimed to be about the "Gods, women and men from Greek myth", as opposed to "Gods, heroes and monsters from Greek myth", but it didn't have much to offer when it came to the characterization of the women, in my opinion. They weren't given voices in the same way I had hoped for. Still, I enjoyed reading this, and I'll probably end up buying the other one as well, if only to learn more about the myths and explore them from the inside of Spurling's mind.

[Alix Morland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I <3 Greek mythology and how gay it was

[Shannon Wing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first dip into Greek Mythology really. I’ve always been super interested in it and know a bit about the big ones like Medusa, Aphrodite, Zeus etc, but not much about the lesser known gods!

For a beginner like me, this book was perfect to give a little introduction to a few different myths, told brilliantly through the relationships of 5 sets of men and women. I found some bits a little difficult to follow as I’m still very new to all the mythology terminology, but there was a really helpful index of names at the back too which I referred back to a lot!

I absolutely loved Odysseus’ story told in first person, and there were so many other elements of Greek mythology in there that I hadn’t even realised were part of these myths. The tales were so exciting and interesting and I really enjoyed reading them! I also loved Achilles’ story and it’s actually made me want to try The Song of Achilles maybe soon 👀 there were little bits about Circe too and I had no idea what her story involved, so that’s got me really excited to read Circe in future!!

Oedipus’ story was a bit bonkers, as I knew it would be 😅 I studied psychology at uni and obviously the icon that is Freud brought the Oedipus complex into our lives and made everyone question everything 😂

I had to look up whether ‘poop’ had multiple meanings because when one character was ‘equally unhappy huddled in her cloak under the poop’ I thought that can’t be right.. 🙈 turns out it means the highest deck of a ship, so that made a lot more sense!

Definitely recommend this book to anyone that’s interested in reading Greek Mythology but is a bit intimidated going straight into a full novel! This has made me so intrigued to read more about all of these characters in other books and I think I will be reading a lot more in this genre going forward!!

Thank you to @duck_books & @instabooktours for this STUNNING book!! 😍

[ClaireJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arcadian Days is a collection of great male and female pairings of Greek myth. As a big fan of mythology this book ticked all the boxes for me.

All of these myths are quite well known but it was refreshing to have it retold in a modern way that is clear and flows well. I have previously read books in this genre that have felt heavy and too detailed at times but this didn’t feel that way.

The narration is witty and I really liked how the author fills in stories with likely outcomes and some of his own literary criticism.

The stories that I enjoyed the most were Thetis and Achilles and Odysseus and Penelope. The tales are filled with passion, love, bravery and adventure and kept me gripped to the pages.

The tales all came across more male focused but this is to be expected with these well known Greek myths. They have always been more centred on men.

If you love Greek mythology this book is for you. It is richly told and you can tell how much research and love the author has for this genre. A thrilling piece of mythological storytelling.

[Shody Baraka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meant for "Arcadian" by Elijahtheshagger on wattpad. THEY'RE SO CUTE OMG. I LOVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP, but I feel like the book was a but fast-paced, (Just my opinion, it can be many others ABSOLUTE FAVORITE) LOVED IT THO

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

a not particularly inspired retelling of some Greek myths. I finally gave up when Spurling said Briseis, the slave, loved Achilles.

[travelsalongmybookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arcadian Days - John Spurling

‘The be-all and end-all of this war was pride, as perhaps it is of most wars.’

These are tales of the Gods, women and men of Greek myth retold and centred on pairs of men and women; Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and Medea, Oedipus and Antigone, Achilles and Thetis and Odysseus and Penelope.

‘There is no creature that breathes and crawls on the earth more miserable than man.’

Greek mythology is one of my favourite genres and this is a great addition. The stories are well known and here are well told. They do feel more male focussed than I thought they might be, but that tends to be Greek mythology all over. I liked how the author added his own opinions in his telling of the stories, it felt different to the Greek retellings I have read before and not entirely fiction.

‘What you are, you discover too late, is only food for vultures.’

The story that really lit my fire for this book is that of Achilles and Thetis, it’s powerful and written as a mixture of fact and fiction and interposed with sections from Homer, this was the strongest story for me. It is about friendship, a mothers love and courage. It has made me now want to read the original Homer, timid as I am of this epic!

‘When Achilles comes for you, you too will be good for vultures.’

✩✩✩✰

Thanks so much Vic @instabooktours ,John Spurling and Duckworth Books for another epic book tour and for my copy of this book!

[historic_chronicles · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When Achilles comes for you, you too will be good for vultures."

John Spurling has created a collection of classical stories which centre around famous pairs of men and women in Greek mythology: Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and Medea, Oedipus and Antigone, Achilles and Thetis, and of course, Odysseus and Penelope.

Refreshed with a modern narrative, these rich tales highlight moral and just lessons, philosophy, and the art of humour. Simplistic and accessible, Spurling has chosen some of the most popular stories and characters that would be an ideal start for one who is looking for a clear and no-nonsense introduction to the world of Greek mythology.

While a little more focused on the men over women than I would prefer, it is clear that Spurling is a skilled storyteller, weaving action, bravado and passion effortlessly throughout his narrative.

My personal favourite of the tales in this book was that of Achilles and Thetis. The bond between mother and son is depicted powerfully and leaves a lasting impression long after the chapter has ended. A mother who would do anything to protect her son and a man destined for glory, this will surely inspire others to read further into the texts that were of inspiration.

A gripping and interesting read, I am looking forward to reading more of Spurling's work in "Arcadian Nights".

Thank you to @duck_books for so kindly sending me a copy to review.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Duck Books and Instabooktours for sending a copy of the book 😊

I love Greek mythology and I really enjoyed this book. I felt as though the writing was more accessible than older versions of the stories, the chapters were broken down well which meant that it didn’t feel like a chore to read.

As I’ve read The Song of Achilles and Circe, it was really interesting to read about these characters from a different perspective, especially with TSOA as you know the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus so this let you know what outsiders to that relationship saw.

I definitely recommend it, and I can’t wait to read Arcadian Nights by Spurling too.

Arcadian Days is due to be published on May 26th so save the date!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can try to tell the stories of the Greek mythology with modern sensitivity and language but there's a moment you miss the myth, the giant that were written by Homer, Sophocles, Euripides.
If you fell in love with the Greek classic the retelling not always work.
This is not a retelling as the characters are not very far from the original but at the same time they are told by someone else in a different age.
Fascinating and intriguing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

[Manuel Gómez-Ortigoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good reading of selected Greek Myths

I did like it. Criticize that the myths selected were somewhat random and it diminished the accomplishment of such a writing challenge.
There are a few inaccuracies in respect to the kidnapping of the wooden image of Athena.
The myths refer the statue being in Pergamum while the author places the statue in Troy and does not mention the other requisites that had been foretold to be requirements before Troy fell.
Regardless, it is a good retelling of the chosen myths.

[Aurelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great small collection of some of the more popular Greek myths, made very accessible. My only gripe was that he definitely painted some of the heroes in a better light than perhaps they should be. I highly doubt Briseis loved Achilles, for example, and some of the men did absolutely awful things that are sort of glossed over. But, a good fun read!

[David Usharauli · Rating 4 out of 5]

so many details in such a short book. I did not know that Prometheus was eventually released from chains and that Medea's actions were so horrific, that Achilles lived in his youth pretending to be a woman.

[Josephine (Taylor’s Version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arcadian by Elijahtheshagger on Wattpad

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable follow up to Arcadian Nights.