Summary of Bart D. Ehrman's Journeys to Heaven and Hell

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The Odyssey is an epic about the return home, nostos, of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca. It is narrated in the first person by Odysseus, and it describes his various traumas and narrow escapes from characters such as the Lotus-Eaters, the Cyclops, and Circe. #2 The nekuia is the name given to Odyssey 11, which describes Odysseus’s journey to Hades. It is not a necromancy-like act, but a trip to the land of the dead. #3 The term nekuia is traditionally used to describe the journey that Odysseus takes to the underworld in Odyssey 11. However, the broader phenomenon of katabasis, or going down, is what we should be referring to. #4 The nekuia is the central and turning point of the Odyssey. It is a place of complete darkness, where Odysseus travels to meet with the dead and receive a prophecy about what will happen once he returns home.