160,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ 

Happy Sunday! Auckland Store open until 5pm today πŸ“š

Tales from Ovid

4.26 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 2,946 ratings, 220 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Tales from Ovid by Ted Hughes is a masterful adaptation of Ovid's ancient myths, blending classical inspiration with vigorous modernity. Hughes brings a distinctively northern voice to these passionate, violent, and erotic Mediterranean stories, reimagining them with elegance and folksy charm. This work stands as a significant poetic achievement of the twentieth century.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Tales from Ovid. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book will appeal to readers interested in classical mythology, poetry enthusiasts, and those who appreciate modern reinterpretations of ancient literature.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The late Poet Laureate presents recreations of 24 passages from Ovid's "Metamorphoses", including the stories of Phaeton, Actaon, Echo and Narcissus, Procne, Midas, and Pyramus and Thisbe.

Tales from Ovid, Ted Hughes's masterful translations from the Latin of Ovid's Metamorphoses, include the stories of Phaeton, Actaeon, Echo and Narcissus, Procne, Midas and Pyramus and Thisbe, as well as many others.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Hughes is as broad as Ovid and as subtle, as violent and as erotic, as elegant and as folksy - and often all at the same time. It is simply a beautiful match. Tales from Ovid is the greatest poem of Classical inspiration probably since the Cantos. It will live as one of the great works of our century.

Michael Hofmann, The Times

We can feel fortunate to have at our disposal these pungent, dynamic, distinctively northern versions of the Mediterranean epic, which should entice new readers to the ancient stories.

Sean O'Brien, Times Literary Supplement

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

James Shapiro of The New York Times Book Review praises it for brilliantly reviving Ovid's passionate and disturbing tales. Donald Lyons from The Wall Street Journal calls it a rare success in modern poetic adaptation. Michael Hofmann of The Times highlights Hughes' broad and subtle mastery, noting the elegant and often simultaneous violence and eroticism, deeming it a beautiful match to Ovid.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571191031

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 18 February 2002

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Audience: Primary and secondary education

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 325g

Pages: 280

About the Author

Ted Hughes was born on 17 August 1930 in Mytholmroyd, a small mill town in West Yorkshire. His father made portable wooden buildings. The family moved to Mexborough, a coal-mining town in South Yorkshire, when Hughes was seven. His parents took over a newsagent and tobacconist shop, and eventually he went to the local grammar school.In 1948 Hughes won an Open Exhibition to Pembroke College, Cambridge. Before going there, he served two years National Service in the Royal Air Force. Between leaving Cambridge and becoming a teacher, he worked at various jobs, finally as a script-reader for Rank at their Pinewood Studios.In 1956 Hughes married the American poet Sylvia Plath, who died in 1963, and they had two children. He remarried in 1970. He was awarded the OBE in 1977, created Poet Laureate in December 1984 and appointed to the Order of Merit in 1998. He died in October 1998.Ted Hughes's first book, The Hawk in the Rain, was published by Fabe

Also by Ted Hughes

View all
  • A March Calf
    Right from the start he is dressed in his best - his blacks and his whites. Little Fauntleroy - quiffed and glossy, A Sunday suit, a wedding natty get-up, Standing in dunged straw For older readers than the first two volumes of Collected Animal Poems, animal life is seen afresh through the diversity and imaginative energy of this collected volume....
    Hardback
    $2499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Iron Man
    Celebrating 50 years of The Iron Man. Part modern fairy tale, part science-fiction myth, The Iron Man describes the unexpected arrival in England of a mysterious giant metal man who wreaks havoc on the countryside by attacking the neighbouring farms and eating all their machinery. A young boy called Hogarth befriends him, and Hogarth and the extraordinary being end up...
    Paperback
    $1699
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    16% off
    The Coming of the Iron Man
    The Iron Man isn't scaryβ€”he's just very, very hungry... It's not until he starts chomping on fence posts and tractors that he comes to the attention of the angry farmers, who trap him in a hole with the help of a little boy called Hogarth. He resurfaces again, upturning picnickers. So Hogarth comes up with a planβ€”it turns out that...
    Paperback
    $1600
    Usually:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Iron Man
    Mankind must put a stop to the dreadful destruction by the Iron Man and set a trap for him, but he cannot be kept down. Then, when a terrible monster from outer space threatens to lay waste to the planet, it is the Iron Man who finds a way to save the world.
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Iron Man
    The award-winning illustrated edition of Ted Hughes' classic tale in paperback. Part modern fairy tale, part science fiction myth, The Iron Man describes the unexpected arrival in England of a mysterious giant "metal man" who wreaks havoc on the countryside by attacking the neighbouring farms and eating all their machinery. A young boy called Hogarth befriends him, and together, Hogarth...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Birthday Letters
    With just two exceptions, these 88 poems, in the form of a narrative, are addressed to Sylvia Plath, the American poet to whom Ted Hughes was married. They were written over a period of more than 25 years, the first a few years after her suicide in 1963. Intimate and candid, they cover the whole period of their relationship, from...
    Paperback
    $3000
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Crow
    Crow was Ted Hughes's fourth book of poems for adults and marked a pivotal moment in his writing career. In this collection, Hughes discovered both a structure and a persona that elevated his vision to new heights of power and coherence. A. Alvarez wrote in the Observer, 'Each fresh encounter with despair becomes the occasion for a separate, almost funny,...
    Paperback
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Iron Woman
    'A superb modern myth, a fable for children to grow up on' Independent 'A fiercely imagined, hugely challenging fantasy.' Guardian The Iron Woman has come to take revenge on mankind. Full of the power and fantastic imagination of his famous book The Iron Man, this sequel from the late Poet Laureate is a passionate and brilliant cry against the relentless...
    Paperback
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    18% off
    The Iron Man
    The Iron Man came to the top of the cliff. Where had he come from? Nobody knows. How was he made? Nobody knows. Mankind must put a stop to the dreadful destruction by the Iron Man and set a trap for him, but he cannot be kept down. Then, when a terrible monster from outer space threatens to lay waste...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Usually:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Iron Man
    'Reckoned one of the greatest of modern fairy tales' Observer'Hughes has never written more compellingly.' Robert Nye, The TimesMankind must put a stop to the dreadful destruction caused by the Iron Man. A trap is set for him, but he cannot be kept down. Then, when a terrible monster from outer space threatens to lay waste to the planet, it...
    Paperback
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Lupercal
    Lupercal was Ted Hughes's second collection, containing some of his most brilliant animal poetry. It confirmed his reputation as a major talent in British poetry. "Hughes has found his own voice, created his own artistic world and has emerged as a poet of the first importance. What Ted Hughes has done is to take a limited, personal theme and, by...
    Hardback
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Iron Man
    The Iron Man came to the top of the cliff.Where had he come from? Nobody knows.How was he made? Nobody knows. Mankind must put a stop to the dreadful destruction by the Iron Man and set a trap for him, but he cannot be kept down. Then, when a terrible monster from outer space threatens to lay waste to the...
    Hardback
    $4500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Arts & Culture

View all
  • Dylan's Pick
    Bold Types
    A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    I’ll Believe in Anything
    From Jacob Tierney, the creator ofΒ Heated Rivalry, in partnership with Brendan Brady and AccentΒ Aigu, comesΒ I’llΒ Believe in Anything, an official and complete collection of annotated scripts for the biggest cultural sensation of the year, with all new exclusive behind-the-scenes content.Based on Rachel Reid’s blockbuster Game Changers book series,Β Heated RivalryΒ premiered on Crave and HBO in late 2025 andΒ immediatelyΒ took the world by storm.Β I’ll...
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    16% off
    New Release
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoirΒ Home Again.This is more than a rock story.Β Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it.Β From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    20% off
    The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3599
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    21% off
    The Iliad
    When Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017β€”revealing the ancient poem in a contemporary idiom that was "fresh, unpretentious and lean" (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)β€”critics lauded it as "a revelation" (Susan Chira, New York Times) and "a cultural landmark" (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now Wilson has returned with an...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Birdlands Birdlands
    New Release
    Birdlands
    A rare, intimate journey into the wild islands where Aotearoa's birds live beyond the reach of most human lives. In the most remote outposts of Aotearoa, our islands are populated not with people, but with birds. From the storm-lashed Subantarctic Islands in the deep south to the scattered volcanic islands of Tikapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf in the north, Birdlands offers a...
    Hardback
    $4199
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    21% off
    This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    Hardback
    $5800
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Artist's Way
    The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is a transformative guidebook that has captivated millions, including luminaries such as Elizabeth Gilbert and Tim Ferriss. With its profound ability to inspire and elevate, this book invites readers to embark on an enriching creative journey, fostering a deeper connection to one's artistic process and sense of purpose. The heart of Cameron's groundbreaking programme...
    Paperback
    $3700
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Beautiful Chaos
    New Release
    Beautiful Chaos
    Featuring five exclusive new poems, this stunning foil-embossed hardback edition is a collector's item and a gorgeous gift. The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller. Selected poems on motherhood from bestselling author and Instagram poet, Jessica Urlichs. 'Reading Jess's poems makes me feel like she's somehow reached into my own personal reflections and articulated them in a way I never could.' –...
    Hardback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Mah Jong Player's Companion
    Since the arrival on the market of Patricia Thompson and Betty Maloney's two previous books, The Game of Mah Jong Illustrated and Improve Your Mah Jong, a wide range of hands from many parts of the world has been sent to them. In this player's companion, the authors have put together a cross-filled reference guide where over 120 hands, illustrated...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 160,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.