This path-breaking and eloquent analysis of The Odyssey, and the way it has been interpreted by political philosophers throughout the centuries, has dramatic implications for the current state of political thought. This important book offers readers original insights into The Odyssey and it provides a new understanding of the classic works of Plato, Rousseau, Vico, Horkheimer, and Adorno. Through his analysis Patrick J. Deneen requires readers to rethink the issues that are truly at the heart of our contemporary 'Culture Wars,' and he encourages us to reassess our assumptions about the Western canon's virtues or viciousness. Deneen's penetrating exploration of Odysseus's and our own enduring battles between the dual temptations of homecoming and exploration, patriotism and cosmopolitanism, and relativism and universality provides an original perspective on contentious debates at the center of modern political theory and philosophy.

"Deneen brings political philosophy to bear on academic controversy in a manner that elevates the discussion. A must for all interested in higher learning and its blessings as well as its pitfalls. Highly recommended for graduate students, scholars, and teachers." - CHOICE

"[Deneen's] imaginative work offers something for historians, classicists, and political theorists alike, and provides a compelling demonstration of the enduring 'relevance' of an ancient myth which he claims the more ignorant amongst post-modern theorists have tried to remove from American universities altogether." - Political Studies Review

"Deneen's book is exeptional both in its command of the scholarly literature and in its philosophical sensitivity. Anyone who doubts the greatness of Homer's Odyssey should read Deneen's book and report back. Unlike much political theory, it never hectors, badges, or insists. It is just elegantly persuasive and completely compelling." - Polis

"The great benefit of Deneen's book is the way in which it inspires a reader to return to the original texts." - The Review of Politics

"This is a brilliant essay, traversing a vast intellectual space with admirable ease and fairness." - Modern Age

"It is a well-crafted and rewarding study. . . . Deneen's book is an elegant study strongly recommended for anyone interested in the historical reception of Odysseus." - Political Theory