8 h 8 minAudiobook7 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
Before Odysseus becomes a hero, he is a boy on a rocky island, listening to stories that shape his world.
In James Baldwin’s A Story of the Golden Age, young Odysseus grows up on Ithaca. His father, King Laertes, guides him in the ways of a ruler, while his mother, Anticleia, watches over him. Curious and quick of mind, the prince listens eagerly to tales of gods, heroes and the beginning of the world.
These stories are more than separate adventures. Perseus, Heracles and the sailors of the Argo become models for a boy learning what heroism means. Behind their deeds lies the Greek myth of a lost golden age, a life without toil or fear. Ahead, the tales lead toward the Trojan War, giving this gentle introduction a clear direction.
What you’ll discover
- A hero still growing Meet Odysseus before his fame, as curiosity opens his world to the old tales.
- Life on rocky Ithaca Follow a young prince as he learns from his father on their small, hilly island.
- Heroes worth wondering about Encounter Perseus, Heracles and the Argo’s sailors through stories that shape the boy’s hopes.
- The lost golden age Explore an old Greek dream of simple lives untouched by quarrels, toil or fear.
- The road toward Troy Watch the myths gather into a connected story rather than a list of separate tales.
Who will love it
You will love this book if you enjoy Greek myths told as one flowing adventure, tales of heroes and clever kings, or want a friendly path toward Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A boy learns the world is larger
- The sea teaches through old stories
- Delphi stands at the center of the earth
- Autolycus, a boar, and the choice of Heracles
- Cheiron teaches and a golden apple falls
- Sea robbers, Nestor, and a mighty bow
- A wise plan wins a bride
- An island home welcomes the traveler
- A swineherd has a story too
Who’s who
- OdysseusThe clever young prince of Ithaca who longs to see the wide world and is shaped by his travels.
- PhemiusThe bard and tutor who guides Odysseus with songs, stories, and advice.
- AutolycusOdysseus's crafty grandfather, called the King of Cattle Thieves, who tells him the tale of the choice of Heracles.
- CheironThe wise last Centaur of Mount Pelion who trains heroes and tells the story of the golden apple.
- PenelopeThe quiet cousin of Helen whom Odysseus wins in a race and loves above all.
- HelenThe most beautiful woman in the world, whom many princes seek.
- AchillesThe swift young son of Peleus and Thetis, destined for a short and glorious life.
- NestorThe aged king of Pylos, wise in counsel, who helps Odysseus and urges the Greeks to war.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
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- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 8 h 8 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 7 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Read and hear Un récit de l’Âge d’or in 25 languages and switch at any time. Or read two side by side, paragraph by paragraph: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
Un récit de l’Âge d’or
by James Baldwin · 1887
On Mount Neritus, a map drawn in sand wakes a young prince's hunger to explore.
Medium level5–10 hours to read25 languages
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In short
What would a boy do if he learned that his island is not the center of the world? In A Story of the Golden Age, James Baldwin follows Odysseus from his island boyhood into the story of the Trojan War.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A boy learns the world is larger
On his twelfth birthday, Odysseus stands atop Mount Neritus with his tutor, the bard Phemius. He believes that Ithaca sits at the center of the world. Phemius draws a map in the sand and shows him Parnassus, Olympus, Crete, and the distant lands beyond.
The lesson works at once, and not entirely kindly. Odysseus was cheerful a moment ago and is restless now. Phemius laughs and says that his eyes have been opened to the world as it is. The boy cannot bear the thought of being shut up forever in little Ithaca.
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What is A Story of the Golden Age about?
It follows Odysseus from his twelfth birthday on Ithaca into the story of the Trojan War. Along the way, it retells many Greek myths, so it prepares you to read Homer.
Is A Story of the Golden Age a true story?
No. It draws on Greek myths and on Homer's poems, with some changes by Baldwin. The legends it retells come from ancient Greece.
Do I need to know Greek myths before reading it?
No. Phemius, Autolycus, Cheiron, and others introduce each god and hero as the tale goes along. The clear storytelling makes the book a friendly first step into Greek myth.
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