to show how certain images of Homer conditioned the interpretation of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and how ancient and modern readers approached Homer considering him as a living poet, constantly present in the Western collective conscience. This declaration of intent indicates that Homer represents the natural end point of a research path that, in her previous works, has led Barbara Graziosi to investigate the invention of Homer as an author and the ancient reception of the Homeric poems; the resonance of epic in the more general context of a unified history of the cosmos; and the reception of Homer in the twentieth century. 'Homer' is divided into three parts, dealing with the poet, the 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey' respectively. (...) Compared to other books by Barbara Graziosi, especially Homer: The Resonance of Epic, 'Homer' is less ambitious but more thorough and more balanced. The author has perfectly mastered the material under investigation and, even when speaking of allusions in the Homeric text to other myths, she does not generally force the interpretation in an attempt to establish improbable chronologies. (...) The book constitutes not only an accurate critical evaluation of Homeric studies for the benefit of scholars, but also a valuable and accessible introduction to the subject for non-specialist readers.' (CARMINE PISANO in Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2017.12.16).