Phil Cousineau ~ The Wisdom of the Odyssey

Mythologist, storyteller, and cultural historian Phil Cousineau explores the enduring wisdom of Homer’s Odyssey and its relevance for modern life. Help support these programs to be free for all. Donate to Banyen Books here: https://www.banyen.com/events/donate The Wisdom of the Odyssey is available for purchase here: https://www.banyen.com/item/VrxZjwZsI... Drawing from his new book The Wisdom of the Odyssey: Twenty-Four Life Lessons from Homer’s Epic, Cousineau reflects on the deeper meanings woven through Odysseus’ long journey home, including resilience and healing to devotion, identity, and the search for meaning in times of upheaval. Arriving just weeks before Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film adaptation of The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Zendaya, Cousineau’s new book offers readers a rich and accessible companion to one of the foundational stories of Western literature. A longtime collaborator and protégé of the late mythologist Joseph Campbell, Cousineau distills Homer’s nearly three-thousand-year-old masterpiece into twenty-four concise life lessons inspired by the original structure of the poem. He presents Odysseus not simply as a cunning hero, but as a traumatized warrior seeking healing and reintegration after war, while also highlighting Penelope as an equal partner in wisdom, patience, and strategy. Blending mythology, psychology, storytelling, and lived experience, Cousineau invites readers to rediscover the epic’s enduring guidance for navigating uncertainty, cultivating resilience, and finding beauty and meaning in everyday life. “If there is such a thing as a world soul — an anima mundi — it would address our time in something like Cousineau's voice.” — Houston Smith Phil Cousineau is the author of more than forty books, including the bestselling The Art of Pilgrimage and The Hero’s Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work. A writer, filmmaker, teacher, and storyteller, he has consulted on mythology and story for major studios including Warner Bros., Pixar, and Lucasfilm, and has led mythology travel programs to Greece for more than three decades. Cousineau has been featured on NPR, CNN International, the BBC, the Smithsonian and Discovery Channels, and hosted the PBS and LINK-TV series Global Spirit. He lives in San Francisco. Banyen Books is Canada's most comprehensive bookstore specializing in spirituality and healing. Located in Vancouver, Canada, since 1970, Banyen is open for in-person browsing as well as web & mail orders. Visit for books, products, and upcoming events. https://banyen.com Interview Host: Ross McKeachie Event and Podcast Producer: Jacob Steele