Climbing Mount Olympus: The Moral, Intellectual, and Spiritual Dimensions of the Heroic Dream

Throughout the centuries the heroic ideal has changed ? from the Greek Olympians to present day conceptions of the heroic life. My research focuses on the search for a new definition of heroism, based on living a meaningful life. By comparing heroic ideals from the Classics to contemporary literature and ideals, I plan to discover what inspires people to become heroes and how people make choices in their everyday lives to reflect their true moral, intellectual, and spiritual beliefs. Ultimately, my research will uncover my personal view of the meaningful, heroic life. My project will culminate with the release of my first novel, Climbing Mount Olympus, sometime in the Fall, 2003. Climbing Mount Olympus will integrate my heroic inferences from my summer research to my life experience of breaking my back while training for the Olympics in Switzerland