Crack The Book: A Beginner's Guide to Reading the Great Books

What would you do if someone told you your future? Would you believe them? And would you try to make their predictions come true?

This week, we're reading Shakespeare's Macbeth, a tragedy of ambition, murder, and the dangerous temptation of knowing what comes next. On my second reading, I found myself less interested in whether Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were evil (HELLO have you met them?) and more fascinated by how they responded to the witches' prophecies.

We'll look at Macbeth's growing obsession with foreknowledge, Banquo's very different response, and the surprising connections to Homer, Greek tragedy, and the Bible. What happens when a little bit of truth leads us to believe a much bigger lie?

Plus, two very different film adaptations--I love them both!-- and a recommendation for Dame Judi Dench's recent book. As of October 2026 both movies are included in Amazon Prime Video.

And a note about a couple of mistakes I made: James was James the VI of Scotland, and BECAME James I of England, not the other way around. And it was Edward the Confessor who helped Macduff and Malcolm. I'm not sure who John the Confessor might be but I'm sure he's a nice guy.

We are back to The Odyssey next week!

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

Shakespeare, all the Folger Shakespeare Library editions: Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Coriolanus (next month's play!)

Sophocles: The Three Theban Plays (includes Oedipus Rex)

The Bible: The English Standard Version I travel with (except mine is pink), and my ESV Study Bible

Judi Dench and Brendan O'Hea: Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent

Note--I listened to this one. If you're interested in audiobooks, I use Audible and have loved it for many years.

Antony Sher: The Year of the Fat Knight

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

WATCH

Macbeth (2015) on Amazon Prime

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) on Amazon Prime (this is the one with Denzel Washington)

Did you know that Odysseus actually reaches home halfway through The Odyssey? I didn't realize it either!

This week I'm untangling the complicated timeline of Homer's epic, putting Odysseus's adventures in chronological order—from the Lotus Eaters and the Cyclops to Circe, the Underworld, and Calypso's island. It's a surprisingly different story when you put everything in order!

I'm also talking about the pleasures of rereading great books, why my habit of writing short chapter summaries has been so useful, and what I discovered on my second journey through The Odyssey.

Then we're comparing translations of the poem's famous first line. Is Odysseus cunning, resourceful, complicated, or a man of twists and turns? The answers reveal a lot about translation—and about Odysseus himself.

Finally, a culture update featuring Tanya Perticoulias's new book, What's the Hangup? The Art of Family Politics and Photos.

To hear more about The Iliad's backstory, check out the September 15, 2026, episode of Crack the Book.

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

The Odyssey: Fagles, Wilson, Rouse

The Iliad: Fagles, Wilson, Rouse

The Aeneid: Fagles, Ruden

Shakespeare: King Lear, Macbeth (Folger's Library Editions)

Greek Lyrics, Second Edition, Richmond Lattimore

Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

The Epic of Gilgamesh, version by Stephen Mitchell

What's the Hang-Up? The Art of Family Politics and Photos, Tanya Perdikoulias

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

What happens when you read The Odyssey after The Iliad? This week, I'm revisiting Homer's great adventure, and I'm surprised by how differently I'm seeing it the second time around.

After the relentless violence and pursuit of glory in The Iliad, The Odyssey feels like a very different story—one about homecoming, family, loss, and reunion. I'm also looking at one of my favorite things about the book: its wonderfully complicated narrative structure, full of parallel stories, flashbacks, and prophecies.

And if this is your first time reading The Odyssey, I've got an earlier episode to recommend before we go any further!

Crack the Book Week 2: Getting Started With The Odyssey

Ted Gioia's Immersive Humanities List (paywalled)

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

The Odyssey: Fagles, Wilson, Rouse

The Iliad: Fagles, Wilson, Rouse

The Aeneid: Fagles, Ruden

Henry IV, Part 1, Shakespeare (I love the Folger's Library editions)

Greek Lyric Poetry, Richmond Lattimore

CONNECT

To read more of my writing, including our discussion page, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

We’re finishing the Iliad—and I have some thoughts.

Books 17–24 bring us Patroclus’s death and funeral, Achilles’s return to battle, the death of Hector, and finally Priam’s heartbreaking journey into the Greek camp to ransom his son’s body. That final encounter between Priam and Achilles may be the scene that stays with me most.

But I’m also wrestling with the Iliad as a whole. Why has this war dragged on for nine years? Why does almost no one seem particularly eager to be there? Why exactly is Achilles considered such a great hero when his rage causes so much destruction? And can we please talk about Paris?

This was an exhausting, frustrating read for me—and I’m not quite ready to decide what I think of it. I’m going to let those questions sit while we move into the Odyssey and begin asking the question the Iliad leaves hanging: after all this, is there anything left to go home to?

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

The Iliad: Fagles, Wilson, Rouse.

The Odyssey: Fagles, Wilson, Rouse.

The Aeneid: Fagles, Ruden.

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

This week, we take a break from Greece for our monthly Shakespeare and turn to Much Ado About Nothing, a play I found completely charming.

After a quick trip through the plot, I compare Much Ado with last month’s As You Like It: the different ways Shakespeare moves the action along, the surprising darkness lurking inside his comedies, and the very different themes he manages to explore while still making us laugh. We’ll also look at one unexpectedly moving speech about grief that stopped me in my tracks.

Finally, I talk about Kenneth Branagh’s gorgeous 1993 film adaptation, featuring Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, a very young Kate Beckinsale—and, fresh off his iconic Point Break role, Keanu Reeves!

If Shakespeare makes you nervous, this funny, accessible play might be a very good place to start. And if you're tired of the comedy, come back next week for everyone's favorite Shakespeare for Halloween: Macbeth!

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

Folgers Library Editions of As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth.

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

We’re two-thirds of the way through The Iliad, and instead of marching book by book through the action, this week I’m following the characters.

Where have Achilles, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Paris, and Hector actually been—and what have they been doing—through Book 16? Some are fighting, some are leading, and some are doing remarkably little. Along the way, we’ll look at Hector as the story’s moral center, the very different stakes facing mortals and immortal gods, and the moment that finally changes everything for Achilles.

I also compare three translations of Book 16: Robert Fagles, Emily Wilson, and the wonderfully readable 1938 prose translation by W.H.D. Rouse. Wilson surprised me, Rouse continues to charm me, and Fagles remains my standard.

Make sure to stick around for Patroclus' amazing last words.

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

The Iliad: Fagles, Wilson, and Rouse.

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

It's great that we're reading the Iliad, but sometimes it feels like you've walked into a party that where everyone knows everyone--except you!

This week my son and Classics scholar Jack joins me to talk about the backstories in the Iliad. There are many, but the three we break down in particular are:

• The backstory of the Atrides family: Agamemnon and Menelaus come from a house that has been cursed from a child sacrifice several generations earlier. And Agamemnon in particular has perpetuated that curse himself. How does that affect his leadership and Menelaus' quest for his wife Helen?
• The backstory of the House of Priam: The king of Troy watched his city destroyed, and he returned to rebuild it from ashes. And how did Paris bring the entire Helen debacle onto his head? Will Troy burn to the ground again?
• The birth story of Achilles: from his mother Thetis' relationship with Zeus to his own relationship with the gods, especially Athena, there is a lot to open up here. When last we left Achilles, I thought he was acting a little bratty, to be honest. Can Jack change my mind?
• How exactly the Trojan War started: The Iliad starts nine years into war, and the Iliad itself never tells how Paris came to meet Helen at all! Jack fills in the blanks with this one.

Since we ran out of time on this episode, I cover Books 7 through 12 over on the Substack.

I hope you found this week's look at "what came before" helpful. Of course it's totally possible to enjoy the story without knowing backstories. But for me, knowing how everyone got to the battlefield in Troy makes the story much richer.

Join us next week as we pick up the narrative again!

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

The Iliad: Fagles, Rouse, and Wilson.

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

Today's the day we start The Iliad! In this episode, I summarize the action thus far, in Books 1-6. I also discuss a few key points that I've noticed in the reading:

1. The story opens in a way I really didn't expect: with the Greeks arguing amongst themselves after being at war with the Trojans for NINE years.
2. The names (something I mentioned last week) can really trip you up. But there's a reason for some of it, and it isn't what you might expect.
3. Homer, a Greek, is surprisingly evenhanded with good guys on both the Greek and Trojan side. In fact, Trojan Hector seems like he will be the moral center of the story.
4. Helen is, well, Helen is odd. Does she feel trapped? Does she even like Menelaus or Paris? I hope we hear from her more, but I don't have high hopes.

So, one-quarter of the way into the Iliad, it's been an interesting ride. It's very, very bloody, but it's a war book, so maybe that is just the way things are? We'll see--next week! We'll be taking a look at more of the Iliad, and we are also going to talk about what is missing. Next week: the Backstories of the Iliad.

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

The Iliad: Translated by Fagles, Rouse, and Wilson.

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

This fall, Crack the Book is heading into the ancient world with an epic reading project: Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, followed by Virgil’s Aeneid. We’ll move at a beginner-friendly pace, keeping our eyes on the forest rather than examining every leaf, while exploring the history, mythology, translations, movies, and enormous cultural influence of these stories.

I’ll be reading Robert Fagles as my primary translation, while dipping into versions by Emily Wilson, W.H.D. Rouse, and Sarah Ruden to see how translation changes the experience. Along the way, I’ll share practical strategies for handling the intimidating number of names, gods, heroes, and places—and bring in guests and experts for other perspectives.

Most importantly, you don’t need to know Greek mythology or be an expert to begin. These books have survived because they are great stories. Come find out why they still have the power to surprise us.

Next week: The Iliad, Books 1–5.

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Homer, The Iliad — Robert Fagles translation, Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition

Homer, The Odyssey — Robert Fagles translation, Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition

Virgil, The Aeneid — Robert Fagles translation, Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition

Homer, The Iliad — Emily Wilson translation

Homer, The Odyssey — Emily Wilson translation

Homer, The Iliad — W. H. D. Rouse translation (prose)

Homer, The Odyssey — W. H. D. Rouse translation (prose)

Virgil, The Aeneid — Sarah Ruden translation

Apuleius, The Golden Ass — Sarah Ruden translation

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

This month’s Shakespeare is As You Like It—and after my less-than-enthusiastic experience with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I’m relieved to discover that Shakespearean comedy really can be funny. The plot is completely ridiculous: banished dukes, feuding brothers, improbable disguises, love at first sight, a lion, a religious conversion, and four marriages. Somehow, it works.

But because this is Shakespeare, the comedy also sneaks in bigger ideas: primogeniture and sibling rivalry, country life versus court life, the costs of travel, and, most memorably, the famous “All the world’s a stage” speech. I also share why I don’t recommend Kenneth Branagh’s movie adaptation and give As You Like It a B+. Plus, a preview of our fall Shakespeare lineup and the upcoming Iliad/Odyssey/Aeneid reading project.

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

As You Like It

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

To read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.

Kenneth Branagh's As You Like It Trailer

St. Philip's Academy 2026 Convocation (Not available yet but I'll link when it is!)

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/

Like what you heard? Buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/crackthebook

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bd

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321

Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm