Nicholas Jubber is an award-winning travel writer and in his book Epic Continent he examines the epic poems that have endured over the centuries and how they have shaped us and how we have been shaped by them. These epic writings were spurred on by major moments of change and have been used to stir passions and incite action since their creation. Follow him in his examination of these stories from around the world that are full of adventure.

Broken down into six major sections Jubber begins by examining The Odyssey, which focuses on the aftermath of the Trojan War. He then moves on to the Serbian work, The Kosovo Cycle which looks at the devastating conflict between Christians and Muslims told through a series of episodes loosely connected to a 14th Century battle. The next section moves us into France with The Song of Roland and also looks at conflicts between Christians and Muslims, but instead is set in the time surrounding The Crusades. He also devotes a section to Beowulf, the German Nielungenlied, and the Icelandic poem Njal’s Saga. These are not the only epic poems to exist, but they are impressive works that speak to tremendous shifts in power and society.

To establish his discussion Jubber begins by showing a map that showcases these stories and then shares details of how European epics are connected through a map of these works. The details present in this work show a tremendous dedication to understanding and sharing the power of these poems. I had to read The Odyssey and Beowulf when I was in high school, but the information Jubber provides far exceeded anything I had ever been taught. He took the time to visit areas connected to these works and put in the time to create a book that will have both literature and travel lovers hooked. You will be able to see the world from the comfort of  your own home and not just that, you will be able to delve back in time to what might have been. You can get your copy of Epic Continent today.

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