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News · 15 August 2026

Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' lifts UK poetry sales by 13.3%

Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' lifts UK poetry sales by 13.3%

Christopher Nolan's film has inspired many to read Homer's epics, with UK poetry sales up 13.3% in the first 30 weeks of 2026. Readers like Robert Zoellner, 70, who previously feared poetry translations, are now enjoying Emily Wilson's versions of The Iliad and The Odyssey. The film's popularity is mirrored in the US, with The Odyssey's print sales increasing by 76% this year.

Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs

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How do films boost book sales? What are poetry sales like? Who is Emily Wilson? Why are classics still popular?

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