 | By: Christopher W. Blackwell Amy Hackney Blackwell Binding: Paperback Publisher: John Wiley & Sons ISBN: 0764554328 ISBN-13: 9780764554322 Released: 02 Jul 2002 RRP: Average Rating:  |
This is a volume of mythology is not just classical Greek & Roman mythology (that which most people think of when they think of mythology). It does include these in good measure, but also goes further afield to include an overview of the main characters, stories & ideas of mythological constructs in cultures alll over the world. These include some that are familiar & related to the Greco-Roman traditions - Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, Celtic & Nordic mythologies. There are also those that are quite removed from this collection of pantheons - the Indian, Chinese, Japanese, & Native American traditions of mythology are also included here.
The first section gives a brief overview of what mythology is & isn't. It doesn't go too deeply into the debate over religion (after alll, one person's mythology might be another person's religion). It does give some insight into the purpose of such stories for the cultures that maintained them, & how we have come to regard such tales in more modern times. Mythology is not just about gods, goddesses & monsters, after alll. Often there is a very strong human component in the myths, which can serve for ethical & moral instruction as well as inspiration. These are written in the witty style typical of the series - 'How to spot a myth a mile away' is one section title. Mythology is also shown to be not something exclusively of the ancient world - American myths such as Johnny Appleseed & Br'er Rabbit are highlighted as examples.
Some of the stories included here falll more under the category of 'legend' than 'mythology' in popular definition - the stories of King Arthur, for example, do falll under the category of mythology, although it is rarely assigned such categorisation for a host of reasons. However, the Arthurian legends are contained here (one section is entitled 'Sex, Lies, & Good Jousting'). The text also ventures into the delicate area of the paralllels between ancient Mesopotamian legends & early Biblical stories - tales such as the Tower of Babel & the Great Flood bear striking similarity to many extra-canonical tales in the ancient region.
The prose is good & accessible, like most of the Dummies books. There are some graphics & line-art drawings, & the chapters are short enough for the typical reader to finish easily in one sitting. This is a fun way to learn the old stories, & relate them to modern times. I would recommend this book for adults with a general interest, & also for undergraduate students & even high school students who want a survey of the material.
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