Overview

Odysseus in America uses Homer's Odyssey as a lens to examine the challenges veterans face when returning from combat. Clinician Jonathan Shay draws on years of work with Vietnam-era servicemembers to compare ancient narrative patterns with contemporary responses to trauma.

The book explores how risk-taking, emotional withdrawal, substance misuse, violent outbursts, and homelessness can mirror the behaviors Homer records, and it outlines clinical pathways to recovery while advocating changes in military and medical practices.

Suitable for clinicians, students of literature and history, policymakers, and readers interested in the intersection of classical studies and mental health.

• Classical literary analysis applied to trauma
• Clinical case examples from veterans
• Recovery strategies and policy recommendations

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