New York Times Bestseller - Crossing the Wine-dark Sea
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Christian Science Monitor (September 30, 2026) by David Conrads
“An absorbing investigation into the art of translation and the pleasures of reading the classics."
Harvard Review (September 24, 2026) by Alisyn Amant
“The experience of reading Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea feels akin to the experience of sitting down for coffee with a friend one deeply admires—a friend whose wholehearted passion for and knowledge of a single topic charges the people around her with surplus excitement over something that, prior to that very moment, they’d probably never even thought about before."
Time (September 21, 2026) by Hamilton Cain
"[Wilson] distills her erudition into a breezy, book-length tutorial on Greek and Latin literature . . . [Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea] resurrects antiquity while pondering the intricacies of the translator’s craft."
Foreign Policy (September 18, 2026) by Donna Zuckerberg
“… a wide-ranging and compulsively readable book … You’ll learn a great deal about ancient literature from this book, and even more about the complexity of translation.”
The American Scholar (September 8, 2026) by Rachel Hadas
“The sunlight of Wilson’s wit sparkles on the surface of her capacious learning. Brilliant, an overused word, applies here: Her scholarly authority is perfectly at home with vivid, lively prose.”
New York Times (August 26, 2026) by Jennifer Szalai
“You don’t even have to be particularly interested in ancient literature to enjoy this book, though by the time you finish it you probably will be. Wilson’s excitement for her subject is irrepressibly moving.”
Publishers Weekly starred review (June 17, 2026)
"In this dazzling exploration, Wilson, translator of recent editions of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, serves as an intrepid guide to the storm-tossed seas of literary translation . . . Through buoyant, accessible analyses and dynamic examples, Wilson artfully connects the ancient world to the present day. This is essential reading."
Observer (UK) (June 12, 2026) by Chris Power
"Having embarked on an Odyssey of her own, Wilson considers the perils and prejudices of translating the classics . . . [an] engaging investigation into the translator’s art."
The Guardian (May 26, 2026) by Blake Morrison
"A masterclass in translation . . . fascinating."
Kirkus (May 18, 2026)
“Wilson writes with the sparkling charisma of a favorite college professor and presents each deep dive with a finely tempered fusion of erudition and accessibility.”