Claim OwnershipWINNOW: A Couple’s Close Reading of the Iliad and Odyssey
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Welcome to WINNOW, a podcast where Owen and Isabella Gemmer read, recap, and discuss Homer’s two epic poems. New episodes every Friday will each cover one chapter. Whether you’re a first time Homer reader or are already a fan, we hope there will be something for you along the way.
54 Episodes
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In Book 11 of the Odyssey Odysseus ventures into the Underworld to get some advice from Tiresias. He also meets some old buddies down there like Agamemnon and Achilles. Join us as we discuss what Odysseus learns from the dead.
Listen to Book 12 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
Odysseus and his men encounter Circe in Book 10 of the Odyssey. How does Odysseus not get turned into a pig? Plus we discuss the bag of winds and the Laestrygonians.
Listen to Book 11 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
You might think you know this part of the Odyssey, the part where Odysseus encounters the cyclops, but most people have barely scratched the surface. There's so much going on in Book 9, and we're going to discuss it all! Who is the cyclops, Polyphemus? Why is Odysseus telling this story? It takes keen eyes to read between the lines, or should I say eye.
Listen to Book 10 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
Bring out the Bard! It's time for some songs and games. Odysseus is weeping again, and we are left questioning whether it is genuine or fake. Join us as we breakdown the meaning behind the story of Ares, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus in real time.
Correction: There are triphthongs in English!
Listen to Book 9 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
Odysseus enters the palace of King Alcinous and Queen Arete and goes straight for the knees! He tells them how he came to their island...kinda. Spoiler alert: Odysseus kinda lies. Join us as we discuss why this might be.
Listen to Book 8 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
Odysseus is in a tight spot. Join us as we discuss how he navigates this tricky situation in Book 6 of the Odyssey. Plus, who is Nausicaa and why is she significant to the story?
Listen to Book 7 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
It's time to meet the man, the myth, the legend...Odysseus! But what do we find? Not exactly what we expected. Our Greek hero has some major character flaws. Join us as we discuss this first look at the man of many ways. Is his crying genuine or an act? Why has he been on Calypso's island so long when he says he misses Penelope so much?
Listen to Book 6 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
Welcome to a special bonus episode of WINNOW where we're covering Wuthering Heights. We read the book. We saw the movie. And both were...alright.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
This Friday we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming with an episode on the Odyssey Book 5.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
Enjoy Book 5 of Homer's Odyssey. These audiobooks are also available on YouTube with text on-screen.
Thank you to Project Gutenberg for the full text of the Samuel Butler (1900) translation.
Narrated by Owen Gemmer.
Telemachus journeys onward to Sparta where he finds Menelaus and Helen in Book 4 of the Odyssey. Menelaus and Helen are not exactly living in domestic bliss. Helen slips something into the wine to ease everyone's nerves. And Menelaus tells the story of how he returned home. A strange tale indeed! What does Telemachus learn from Menelaus that he didn't learn from Nestor? How does war effect even the best of warriors?
Listen to Book 5 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
Enjoy Book 4 of Homer's Odyssey. These audiobooks are also available on YouTube with text on-screen.
Thank you to Project Gutenberg for the full text of the Samuel Butler (1900) translation.
Narrated by Owen Gemmer.
Time for Nestor to pass his old man wisdom to Telemachus. In this episode we talk about what Telemachus actually learns from meeting Nestor in Book 3 of the Odyssey. Does he know where Odysseus is? Or if he's even alive? And we drop some Nolan News. Travis Scott being cast in the Odyssey movie was not on our 2026 bingo card.
Listen to Book 4 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books.
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
Enjoy Book 3 of Homer's Odyssey. These audiobooks are also available on YouTube with text on-screen.
Thank you to Project Gutenberg for the full text of the Samuel Butler (1900) translation.
Narrated by Owen Gemmer.
We might've gotten a little ahead of ourselves last episode. Let's take a closer look at the power struggle in Ithaca in Book 2 of the Odyssey. Telemachus calls the elders and suitors to gather in the square. Penelope's scheme is revealed to the public! And why is Athena helping Telemachus succeed so much?
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Listen to Book 3 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books.
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
We have decided to post Owen's Odyssey audiobooks of the Butler translation here to our podcast feed. These audiobooks are also available on YouTube with text on-screen. We hope that this makes the Odyssey journey easier to follow for our audio-only listeners. Enjoy!
Thank you to Project Gutenberg for the full text of the Samuel Butler (1900) translation.
Narrated by Owen Gemmer.
Join us on our journey through Homer's Odyssey! This is the first official Odyssey episode covering Book 1 of the epic poem. We've been so excited to talk about Odysseus, but he's not even in this one! The Odyssey starts by showing us what's going on in Ithaca with Telemachus, Penelope and the many suitors. Why start the story here? Let's get into it!
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Listen to Book 2 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books.
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
We have decided to post Owen's Odyssey audiobooks of the Butler translation here to our podcast feed. These audiobooks are also available on YouTube with text on-screen. We hope that this makes the Odyssey journey easier to follow for our audio-only listeners. Enjoy!
Thank you to Project Gutenberg for the full text of the Samuel Butler (1900) translation.
Narrated by Owen Gemmer.
Our journey into the Odyssey begins! Join us as we discuss the opening lines of the Odyssey with our special guest Kyle Prue. We talk about the meaning of "polytropos", concerns about Nolan's adaptation, and give advice to first time readers of the Odyssey.
Listen to Book 1 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out Kyle's show RABBIT on YouTube.
Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books.
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
If you're planning on joining us for our slow read of the Odyssey, you might be wondering what translation you should choose. No fear! We are here to give you some solid options and strong guidance.
If you're wondering what we read when we're not reading the Iliad or the Odyssey, check out our bonus podcast on Patreon.
Stay tuned for the Odyssey Book 1 audiobook coming soon!
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
Join us as we discuss the final book of the Iliad. Fun fact: Achilles doesn't die in this one! Why does the story end like this? And how are Achilles and Priam able to come to a sort of understanding? We reflect back on the Iliad as a whole, and Bella makes the case that anyone can read the Iliad.
If you're wondering what we read when we're not reading the Iliad or the Odyssey, check out our new bonus podcast on Patreon.
Stay tuned for the Odyssey Book 1 audiobook coming soon!
Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.
Edited by Isabella Gemmer
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