Christophe Ono-dit-Biot's Subjective Retelling of Homer's Odyssey

Journalist and writer Christophe Ono-dit-Biot has published a new book titled "L'Odyssée par l'Odyssée" (Grasset), offering a personal and modern interpretation of Homer's epic poem. The author, who is deputy editor-in-chief of Le Point, aims to make the 12,000-verse text accessible by recounting it as a novel, with short chapters that explain key episodes. Ono-dit-Biot traces his fascination with the Odyssey to the 1980s animated series "Ulysse 31" and his studies of ancient Greek. He emphasizes the poem's oral origins, comparing the ancient aoidoi (singers) to modern stand-up comedians. The book highlights the enduring relevance of the Odyssey, touching on themes such as death, love, the unknown, transhumanism, and artificial intelligence. Ono-dit-Biot also explores the Greek roots of everyday words like "nostalgia" (from nostoi) and "xenophobia" (from xenos and phobos). The book was published on June 2, 2026.