'The Odyssey,' 'Catcher in the Rye' at 75, and San Francisco's Firefighter Burrito

"The Odyssey" is an ancient Greek epic poem attributed to Homer. The story is a companion to "The Iliad," another epic attributed to Homer that recounts the Trojan War. Both "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" were written between 750 and 650 BCE, though the stories likely existed long before writing did. Ancient people often told stories as entertainment, and those stories were often poems, since elements like meter and rhyme made the tales easier to commit to memory.

> Homer's identity remains a mystery, with some scholars arguing he never existed. (Read)
> If he existed, there's evidence suggesting he was blind. (Read)

The poem centers on Odysseus, a hero of the Trojan War, and his attempts to return home to Ithaca. During this 10-year journey, Odysseus encounters several obstacles and characters that have become oft-repeated tropes and archetypes in literature and popular culture.

> Explore a detailed map of Odysseus' fictional journey from "The Odyssey." (Read)

> The siren archetype popularized by Homer inspired a 2020s social media trend. (Read)
> Elephant bones likely inspired the Cyclops character that appears in the poem. (Watch)

The epic has been widely adapted and reinterpreted by the likes of James Joyce, the Coen brothers, and others, and is considered one of the foundational works of Western literature.

> The Coen brothers imagined "O Brother Where Art Thou?" as a retelling of "The Odyssey," though neither had actually read Homer's epic. (Read)

> James Joyce's "Ulysses" is loosely based on "The Odyssey," which Joyce later admitted was mostly for marketing. (Read)

Discover more: 

> Christopher Nolan's adaptation is the first feature-length film shot entirely in IMAX. (Read)

> Translations of the poem can differ greatly, with translators often focusing on different aspects of its language. (Read)

> Explore an archive of scholarly writing about Homer and "The Odyssey." (Read)

Behind the News 

1440 brings you the knowledge behind the week's stories:

JD Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" celebrates its 75th anniversary. (More)

> Disney tried to adapt the book, reimagining it as an animated film about German shepherd dogs.

> Salinger stopped publishing in 1965, though he continued writing until his death, with some estimates saying he completed five additional books.

Dolly Parton's biographical musical will begin previews on Broadway in December. (More)

> Parton released her first recording at age 13, a rockabilly number she cowrote called "Puppy Love."

> Parton's "I Will Always Love You" has been a No. 1 hit multiple times.

Emmy nominees announced ahead of September awards ceremony. (More)

> "The Pitt" racked up 25 nominations, thanks in part to its throwback style.

> The late Rob Reiner, nominated for his work on "The Bear," famously met his wife on the set of "When Harry Met Sally."

Man lived in a national forest for eight years, amassing 1,000 pounds of trash. (More)

> National forests are distinct from national parks and are managed by separate federal agencies.

> Early American environmentalists shaped today's public lands.

Cultural Context

Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.

Is 'Moby-Dick' the Greatest American Novel?

Literary Hub | Michael Dirda. Herman Melville's masterpiece may be 175 years old, but it's still mesmerizing readers. Dirda argues that it's much stranger (and funnier) than most of the uninitiated assume. (Read)

> A young Melville was inspired by a whale that terrorized a ship from Nantucket, Massachusetts.
> ... as well as another by the name of Mocha Dick.

Jay-Z at Home

POW Mag | Donald Morrison. The hip-hop legend spent last weekend playing Yankee Stadium during a three-night residency that broke the massive venue's sales records. Morrison has an on-the-ground review of the second night, a celebration of the classic 2001 album "The Blueprint." (Read)

> Hip-hop legends the Notorious BIG, Busta Rhymes, DMX, and Jay-Z all attended the same New York high school.

> Jay-Z was inspired by the musical "Annie" as a kid, which eventually led to one of his biggest '90s hits.

The Glorious Spectacle of John Oliver on 'General Hospital'

The Contrarian | Meredith Blake. In March, the comedian professed his love of soap operas on his show "Last Week Tonight," inspiring a three-episode stint on the genre's most storied franchise. (Read)

> A 1981 wedding on "General Hospital" drew 30 million viewers.

 Etcetera 

> San Francisco's famous burrito style was supposedly invented to feed hungry firefighters.

> Stephen King's wife rescued his first hit, "Carrie," from the trash.

> An 1893 speech in Chicago introduced America to yoga, which exploded in popularity the following century.

> 1939's "The Wizard of Oz" turned Dorothy's slippers ruby, creating an iconic Hollywood image.

> Clue, the murder-mystery board game, was designed during World War II air raids.

> Toasting with an exclamation of "cheers!" comes from Anglo-French for "the face."
 

> Video game hero Mario first appeared in Donkey Kong as a carpenter rather than a plumber.

> Before "Saturday Night Live," Chevy Chase played in a band with the members of Steely Dan.
 

> Romance novels account for about 20% of the publishing industry's book sales.

> A medical reference book fascinated the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat as a child.

> More on "Lady Chatterley's Lover," the "I ❤️ NY" logo, and literary maps at 1440's Society & Culture hub.