Folklore & Mythology Books

Mythology

Edith Hamilton

Amazon Price: $11.19 List Price: $13.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Back Bay Books Amazon Marketplace: 105 new & used starting at $4.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> History -> World -> General
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Social Sciences -> Folklore & Mythology
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 79 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

the gold standard 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Hamilton is definitely the gold standard for retelling these glorious, ancient myths. Her style is engaging and the structure of the book makes it very easy to keep track of such ridiculously branched family trees. This is much more than just a reference book...it's more like a giant Greek fairytale book.

Editorial Review:

Edith Hamilton loved the ancient Western myths with a passion--and this classic compendium is her tribute. "The tales of Greek mythology do not throw any clear light upon what early mankind was like," Hamilton explains in her introduction. "They do throw an abundance of light upon what early Greeks were like--a matter, it would seem, of more importance to us, who are their descendents intellectually, artistically, and politically. Nothing we learn about them is alien to ourselves." Fans of Greek mythology will find all the great stories and characters here--Perseus, Hercules, and Odysseus--each discussed in generous detail by the voice of an impressively knowledgeable and engaging (with occasional lapses) narrator. This is also an excellent primer for middle- and high-school students who are studying ancient Greek and Roman culture and literature. --Gail Hudson

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

Edith Hamilton

Amazon Price: $7.99 List Price: $7.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Grand Central Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 161 new & used starting at $2.48

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> World Literature -> United States -> History & Criticism -> Literary Theory
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> World Literature -> Mythology -> General
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> General -> Classics

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 51 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

not my type 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I thought this book was so boring. I had to force myself to read it. I had to read it for school, i had to end up finding the summary so i wouldn't have to read the rest.I know that its considered a classic, i guess this was seriously not my type of book. I give it 2 stars because it could have been worst.

MYTHOLOGY by Edith Hamilton 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Mythology is classicist Edith Hamilton's book on Greek, Roman and Norse mythology, illustrated by Steele Savage (no kidding). The bulk of the work is devoted to the Greek, and the Norse is mentioned only in passing. Myths are arranged thematically, not chronologically (except for the initial creation), which is disruptive to the flow of the work.

Hamilton does several things well. First, she gives history on the authors from whom these stories have descended, and differentiates between their styles. Second, she gives good insight into the character of the people of the time as well as into the character of the mythological figures. She obviously knows the material and cares about it.

Mythology reads like a history book. Many stories get wrapped up too quickly, and quite a few are told too simplistically. Many details are left out. The writing is juvenile at times, and paragraph flow is occasionally an issue. This is almost a Cliff's Notes on mythology. Ultimately, Hamilton makes most of these myths boring. Others, with too many details cut out, the reader will find hard to get into.

Mythology has some good things to offer, but on the whole, this is an inferior way to enjoy the myths. This book may be useful to some as a quick-reference guide, but that's about it.

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Bollingen Series)

Joseph Campbell

Amazon Price: $14.93 List Price: $21.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: New World Library Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $13.15

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Psychology & Counseling -> Psychoanalysis
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Social Sciences -> Folklore & Mythology
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Social Sciences -> Sociology -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 101 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

This book changed the way I view the World 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ok, this is the big one! Joseph Campbell's "The Hero With A Thousand Faces" is a revolution in the field of Anthropology of Religion. His lucid study of Mythology has literally changed the way the world views ITSELF. Ok I'm sorry I don't want to overstate things, but I don't think I am. If you read this book and actually understand what he is saying you wont be the same.

Campbell has found the creative archtypes found throughout history in the mythologies of all cultures. There is an excellent blend of classical psychology as well as Occidental and Oriental Mythology references.

If you have never read Joseph Campbell and you love Mythology BUY THIS BOOK! Buy the POWER OF MYTH and watch the video with Bill Moyers.

Joseph Campbell is the best.

Editorial Review:

Originally written by Campbell in the '40s-- in his pre-Bill Moyers days -- and famous as George Lucas' inspiration for "Star Wars," this book will likewise inspire any writer or reader in its well considered assertion that while all stories have already been told, this is *not* a bad thing, since the *retelling* is still necessary. And while our own life's journey must always be ended alone, the travel is undertaken in the company not only of immediate loved ones and primal passion, but of the heroes and heroines -- and myth-cycles -- that have preceded us.

The Power of Myth

Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Anchor Amazon Marketplace: 147 new & used starting at $3.25

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> General
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Religious
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Social Sciences -> Anthropology -> Cultural

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 129 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Among his many gifts, Joseph Campbell's most impressive was the unique ability to take a contemporary situation, such as the murder and funeral of President John F. Kennedy, and help us understand its impact in the context of ancient mythology. Herein lies the power of The Power of Myth, showing how humans are apt to create and live out the themes of mythology. Based on a six-part PBS television series hosted by Bill Moyers, this classic is especially compelling because of its engaging question-and-answer format, creating an easy, conversational approach to complicated and esoteric topics. For example, when discussing the mythology of heroes, Campbell and Moyers smoothly segue from the Sumerian sky goddess Inanna to Star Wars' mercenary-turned-hero, Han Solo. Most impressive is Campbell's encyclopedic knowledge of myths, demonstrated in his ability to recall the details and archetypes of almost any story, from any point and history, and translate it into a lesson for spiritual living in the here and now. --Gail Hudson

The Classic Fairy Tales (Norton Critical Editions)

Amazon Price: $12.34 List Price: $18.15 Usually ships in 24 hours By: W. W. Norton Amazon Marketplace: 58 new & used starting at $12.00

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> General
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> Literary
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> Genre Fiction -> Anthologies

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The cultural resilience of fairy tales is incontestable. Surviving over the centuries and thriving in a variety of media, fairy tales continue to enrich our imaginations and shape our lives. This Norton Critical Edition of The Classic Fairy Tales examines the genre, its cultural implications--and its critical history. The editor has gathered fairy tales from around the world to reveal the range and play of these stories over time. The Classic Fairy Tales focuses on six different tale types: "Little Red Riding Hood,' "Beauty and the Beast," "Snow White," "Cinderella," "Bluebeard," and "Hansel and Gretel." It includes multicultural variants of these tales, along with sophisticated literary rescriptings. Each tale type is preceded by an introduction, and annotations are provided throughout. Also included in this collection of over forty stories are tales by Hans Christian Andersen and Oscar Wilde. "Criticism" collects twelve essays that interrogate different aspects of fairy tales by exploring their social origins, historical evolution, psychological dynamics, and engagement with issues of gender and national identity. Bruno Bettelheim, Robert Darnton, Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar, Karen E. Rowe, Marina Warner, Zohar Shavit, Jack Zipes, Donald Haase, Maria Tatar, Antti Aarne, and Vladimir Propp provide critical overviews. A Selected Bibliography is included.

About the Series--Each Norton Critical Edition includes an authoritative text, contextual and source materials, and a wide range of interpretation--from contemporary perspectives to the most current critical theory--as well as a bibliography and a chronology of the author's life and work.

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (Includes Author's Book of Shadows)

Scott Cunningham

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Llewellyn Publications Amazon Marketplace: 166 new & used starting at $4.59

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Self-Help -> Personal Transformation
Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Psychology & Counseling
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Social Sciences -> Folklore & Mythology

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 462 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

This is the Beginning... 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A great beginners guide to those starting out in Wicca or Paganism and serves as a very good refreshers course for those who have been practicing already. It's very informative and easy to understand; the author doesn't talk down to you and is very easy to get along with. The first section deals with the God and Goddess, the tools used, alter preparations, preparations of the circle, of the body, the uses of music, dance and gesture during a ritual. The second part goes though magical exercises and rituals, a self dedication and a design for it. The third part of the book is the author's Book of Shadows (a magical journal). It is used as an example of what you can do with yours and includes a section on herbal magic, crystal magic, seasonal festivals, recipes and a section on magic done with runes.

This is one of the first books I got when I started getting back into Wicca. I asked around in an online group I'm in and quite a bit of the people recommended Scott Cunningham's work. I used to have several of his books before hand and I get the feeling that they would now make a lot more sense if I had gotten this one first and read it before them.

Editorial Review:

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner is the essential primer from one of the best known authors on Wicca. Focusing on the importance of individualism in your spiritual path, Cunningham explains the very basics of Sabbats (holy days), ceremonies, altars, and other nuts and bolts of Wicca that a solitary practitioner may have trouble finding elsewhere. While Wicca shouldn't be your sole point of reference when considering Wicca as your way of life, it is one of the best starting points. --Brian Patterson

Women Who Run with the Wolves

Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Amazon Price: $7.99 List Price: $7.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Ballantine Books Amazon Marketplace: 132 new & used starting at $0.56

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> General
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> World Literature -> Mythology -> Folklore
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> World Literature -> Mythology -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 107 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

UPDATED, WITH NEW MATERIAL BY THE AUTHOR"WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES isn't just another book. It is a gift of profound insight, wisdom, and love. An oracle from one who knows."--Alice WalkerWithin every woman there lives a powerful force, filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing. She is the Wild Woman, who represents the instinctual nature of women. But she is an endangered species. In WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES, Dr. Estés unfolds rich intercultural myths, fairy tales, and stories, many from her own family, in order to help women reconnect with the fierce, healthy, visionary attributes of this instinctual nature. Through the stories and commentaries in this remarkable book, we retrieve, examine, love, and understand the Wild Woman and hold her against our deep psyches as one who is both magic and medicine. Dr. Estés has created a new lexicon for describing the female psyche. Fertile and life-giving, it is a psychology of women in the truest sense, a knowing of the soul."This volume reminds us that we are nature for all our sophistication, that we are still wild, and the recovery of that vitality will itself set us right in the world."--Thomas Moore Author of Care of the Soul"I am grateful to WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES and to Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés. The work shows the reader how glorious it is to be daring, to be caring, and to be women. Everyone who can read should read this book."--Maya Angelou"An inspiring book, the 'vitamins for the soul' [for] women who are cut off from their intuitive nature."--San Francisco Chronicle"Stands out from the pack . . . A joy and sparkle in [the] prose . . . This book will become a bible for women interested in doing deep work. . . . It is a road map of all the pitfalls, those familiar and those horrifically unexpected, that a woman encounters on the way back to her instinctual self. Wolves . . . is a gift."--Los Angeles Times"A mesmerizing voice . . . Dramatic storytelling she learned at the knees of her [immigrant] aunts."--Newsweek

Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others (Oxford World's Classics)

Amazon Price: $11.16 List Price: $13.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Oxford University Press, USA Amazon Marketplace: 75 new & used starting at $7.82

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> History -> Ancient -> Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> General -> Classics
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> Classics

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Collection Of Early Mesopotamian Literature 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This is an excellent collection of several ancient Mesopotamian mythical stories. The original sources used for these translations were all written in Akkadian (which includes Semitic Babylonian and Assyrian dialects). Included in this collection are "Atrahasis", "The Epic of Gilgamesh" (standard and Old Babylonian versions), "The Descent of Ishtar to the Underworld", "Nergal and Ereshkigal" (standard and Amarna versions), "Adapa", "Etana", "Anzu" (standard and Old Babylonian versions), "The Epic of Creation", "Theogony of Dunnu", and "Erra and Ishum".

This large collection of stories, along with the well written introductions and notes provided, enables the reader to put these epic stories into context, and recognize the parallels within the different stories. I prefer this book to those that concentrate only on the Gilgamesh epic.

Editorial Review:

The ancient civilization of Mesopotamia thrived between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates over 4,000 years ago. The myths collected here, originally written in cuneiform on clay tablets, include parallels with the biblical stories of the Creation and the Flood, and the famous Epic of Gilgamesh, the tale of a man of great strength, whose heroic quest for immortality is dashed through one moment of weakness.
Recent developments in Akkadian grammar and lexicography mean that this new translation--complete with notes, a glossary of deities, place-names, and key terms, and illustrations of the mythical monsters featured in the text--will replace all other versions.

Classical Myth (5th Edition)

Barry B. Powell

Amazon Price: $75.42 List Price: $83.80 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Prentice Hall Amazon Marketplace: 46 new & used starting at $54.49

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> Books & Reading -> Reference
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> General
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> History & Criticism -> Criticism & Theory -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

No longer useful 2 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

I have taught mythology at the university level at various insitutions for the more than a decade now. Indeed, when I first began was when the first edition of Powell came out. At that time it was quite useful as his prose is modestly engaging, and the large swathes of original material and the occasional illustrations he includes is quite useful.

However, as he has progressed through four editions and doubled his price (!), he has become less useful. To his credit, the online materials are good for the novice, and, as I previously mentioned, there is a fair amount of translated primary text. However, his deficits now outweigh his benefits. When Powell summarizes plots of texts in the middle of a longer excerpt, often his interpretation of events occludes what actually happens. As he has progressed through various editions, his own ideas are now more confident in his eyes and some of his more controvertial claims which in the first edition were presented as "some scholars believe [historical situation] may have contributed to [textual effect]" are now presented as "[historical situation] caused [textual effect]." As another reader notes, some of his historical contextualizations are either suspect or absent. Lastly, the cost is prohibitive.

Now that I have learned a fifth edition is soon to be out and my students will no longer be able to purchase used copies, I have declined to order his book for this fall and don't foresee returning to him in the future.

Editorial Review:

Comprehensive and scholarly, this well-designed book presents Greek and Roman myths in a lively and easy-to-read manner. It features fresh translations, numerous illustrations (ancient and modern) of classical myths and legends, and commentary that emphasizes the anthropological, historical, religious, sociological, and economic contexts in which the myths were told. This book covers myths of creation, myths of fertility, myths of the Olympians, Heracles, Oedipus, Trojan War, Roman Myth, Odysseus, and more. It also introduces students to classic literary works by Homer, Hesiod, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Ovid. For anyone interested in learning more about the creation and modern interpretation of classical myths.

The Way to Rainy Mountain

N. Scott Momaday

Amazon Price: $13.45 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: University of New Mexico Press Amazon Marketplace: 167 new & used starting at $4.64

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> Ethnic & National -> General
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> World Literature -> United States -> History & Criticism -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

First published in paperback by UNM Press in 1976, The Way to Rainy Mountain has sold over 200,000 copies.

"The paperback edition of The Way to Rainy Mountain was first published twenty-five years ago. One should not be surprised, I suppose, that it has remained vital, and immediate, for that is the nature of story. And this is particularly true of the oral tradition, which exists in a dimension of timelessness. I was first told these stories by my father when I was a child. I do not know how long they had existed before I heard them. They seem to proceed from a place of origin as old as the earth.

"The stories in The Way to Rainy Mountain are told in three voices. The first voice is the voice of my father, the ancestral voice, and the voice of the Kiowa oral tradition. The second is the voice of historical commentary. And the third is that of personal reminiscence, my own voice. There is a turning and returning of myth, history, and memoir throughout, a narrative wheel that is as sacred as language itself."--from the new Preface