Helen of Troy

Renowned as the face that launched a thousand ships, Helen of Troy was a crucial figure in the epic Trojan war, that most important event in Greek mythology. Though the cause of the war rested with Eris, the goddess of discord, Helen's bewitching beauty, considered as she was to be the most beautiful woman in the mortal realm, is often held responsible for her elopement or abduction by Paris, inciting her husband's fury and instigating a conflict that was to rage for ten long years. Delving deeper into the character and backstory of Helen, modern short stories reimagine and shine light on this enchanting figure, exploring beyond her most immediate link to the Trojan war. Created through open submissions and supported by an extensive introduction examining classic sources and the mythology surrounding Helen, this is a wonderful new book in the best tradition of Flame Tree's collectable hardcover editions.

Introductory essay by Bella Vivante, and foreword by Emily Hauser. The modern authors whose stories feature in this book are: Benjamin Cyril Arthur, Conda V. Douglas, Brooksie C. Fontaine, Lixin Foo, Kay Hanifen, Geoff Holder, Georgina Kamsika, Erin Keating, Daphne Marie Love, Ali McLafferty, Merry Monteleone, Ren Nutter, Rebecca Peng, Karin J. Robinson, M.D. Smith IV, Rose Strickman, and Nemma Wollenfang.

About the series: Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a legendary, mythological or folkloric figure, with new stories alongside a comprehensive introduction which tells the original tales and emphasizes ancient and modern connections, tracing history and stories across continents, cultures and peoples. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well known stories, complementing the specially commissioned story of the origins and the cultural background from the era. The first titles are Medusa, Odin, Anansi and Circe.

Bella Vivante ('Introducing Helen of Troy'), Classics Professor Emerita, University of Arizona, USA, has lifelong fascination with ancient Greek Helen. Her scholarship examines Helen in Greek drama, ritual, concepts of womanhood, and modern cinema. She has given countless presentations to general audiences. She has performed Helen in Euripides’ Trojan Women in ancient Greek and numerous poetry recitations. See her Daughters of Gaia: Women in the Ancient Mediterranean World and translation of Euripides’ Helen in Women on the Edge: Four Plays by Euripides. 

Emily Hauser (Foreword) is an award-winning ancient historian and Times bestselling author; she has a PhD in Classics from Yale and was Junior Fellow at the Society of Fellows at Harvard. Her books have been published and translated across the world, and shortlisted for the Seminary Co-Op’s Best Books of 2023. Her latest book is Mythica: A New History of Homer’s World, through the Women Written Out Of It, and was an instant Times bestseller.