Odysseus Abroad Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Rabindranath Tagore and our BookBrowse Review of Odysseus Abroad.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Discuss the concept of "exile" in Odysseus Abroad as related to Homer's The Odyssey and James Joyce's Ulysses. What parallels can you draw among the works? Are there any similarities among the protagonists and their attitudes towards isolation?
2. Discuss the Jorge Luis Borges epigraph that opens the novel. How does this quote relate to the content of Odysseus Abroad? How does the "right to…tradition" factor into Ananda's experiences as an outsider in London
3. At several points in the novel, Ananda discusses his family's trip to London in 1973. How did his experiences during this trip shape his understanding of the city? What, if anything, about the city has changed since his earlier excursions?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Vintage. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.