But Nolan, the man who gave us Oppenheimer, Dunkirk, Interstellar and The Dark Knight, is no ordinary filmmaker. In our wild excitement – the most eager we've been to flock to cinemas for an ancient epic since Ridley Scott's first Gladiator movie – we are diving deep, if not quite underworld deep – into the spirit of the story of Homer's most complex character. Let this, then, be a wily summer full of tricks and ingenuity. Or, y'know, just spend it in Greece.
Re-read The Odyssey
First things first. Whether you're madly re-reading before watching the movie or afterwards, The Odyssey is a tale that rewards the effort a million-fold. There is adventure, there are jokes, there's heart-rending emotion, there's the frustration of a ten-year homecoming thwarted by an angry god, there's romance, there's filial reunion and there is, somewhat spectacularly, much retribution. It's not classified as an epic for nothing – there's no quickly skipping through its pages – so it pays to have a good copy. We like this one, £28.40, courtesy of Emily Wilson, the first translation by a woman – and about time too. See how your perception of the wily hero changes through her eyes.
Holiday In Ithaca
Odysseus spent ten long years after the fall of Troy trying to make it home to Ithaca. Happily, you can make the journey in a matter of hours thanks to the wonder of modern air travel. And what a reward awaits. Rather than engaging in mortal combat with suitors, we recommend taverna hopping around the fjord-like harbour of Vathy, swimming in crystalline coves and wandering the charming village of Kioni. Afterwards, bed down at the eco-friendly Levendis Estate – four rustic cottages nestled among ancient olive groves on the island's rugged north coast. Book it.
