Just Like Us

In a review for Commonweal, Charles McNamara examines different perspectives on the purpose of classic literature, specifically focusing on Patrick Deneen’s book, American Odyssey. While Leo Strauss argued that great books allow readers to listen to the wisdom of history's greatest minds, other critics suggest that certain classics may promote harmful values.

McNamara notes that some educators, such as Melinda Zook of Purdue University, use the term transformative texts to describe books that change their readers. In contrast, Deneen views Homer’s Odyssey as a mirror for modern Americans. Deneen suggests that, much like Odysseus, people in the United States are driven by a tension between the desire for new adventures and a longing for home.