As Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of the “Odyssey” approaches its July 16 release in Greece, booksellers are reporting a noticeable rise in demand for Homer’s epic and related titles.
Advance ticket sales have been strong, with some screenings already sold out and about 12,000 tickets sold by last week. At the Athens bookstore Pleiades, Alkis Teboneras said demand was unusually brisk: “Within two or three days, 10 to 15 books were gone,” he said, calling that striking for an ancient text during a typically slower period.
Several bookstores reported heightened interest over the past two weeks, particularly in Dimitris Maronitis’ translation, while readers have also sought other editions, including bilingual Greek-English versions. Books inspired by the epic, including works by Daniel Mendelsohn and Stephen Fry, have also benefited.
According to the Institute for Modern Greek Studies, sales of Maronitis’ translation rose 15% in the past two weeks. Booksellers expect demand to continue as the film remains in theaters nationwide.
