Mythology

Since its original publication by Little, Brown & Company in 1942, this author's Mythology has sold millions of copies throughout the world & established itself as a perennial bestseller in its various available formats: hardcover, trade paperback, & mass market paperback. Mythology succeeds like no other book in bringing to life for the modern readeer the Greek, Roman & Norse myths & legends that are the keystone of Western culture - the stories of gods & heroes that have inspired human creativity from antiquity to the present. This new Back Bay trade paperback edition of Mythology replaces the Meridian edition formerly available from the Penguin Group. In August 1998 a new mass market paperback edition of Mythology published by Warner Books will replace the Mentor/Dutton Signet mass market edition formerly available from the Penguin Group.

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

• ISBN13: 9781576073544
• Condition: USED - Very Good
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Encounters with the West introduced Polynesian mythology to the world—and sealed its fate as a casualty of colonialism. But for centuries before the Europeans came, that mythology was as vast as the triangle of ocean in which it flourished, as diverse as the people it served, and as complex as the mythologies of Greece and Rome.

Students, researchers, and enthusiasts can follow vivid retellings of stories of creation, death, and great voyages, tracking variations from island to island. They can use the book's reference section for information on major deities, heroes, elves, fairies, and recurring themes, as well as the mythic implications of everything from dogs and volcanoes to the hula, Easter Island, and tattooing (invented in the South Pacific and popularized by returning sailors).

The first anthology of Jewish mythology in English, Tree of Souls reveals a mythical tradition as rich and as fascinating as any in the world. Drawing from the Bible, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud and Midrash, the kabbalistic literature, medieval folklore, Hasidic texts, and oral lore collected in the modern era, Schwartz has gathered together nearly 700 of the key Jewish myths. The myths themselves are marvelous. We read of Adams diamond and the Land of Eretz (where it is always dark), the fall of Lucifer and the quarrel of the sun and the moon, the Treasury of Souls and the Divine Chariot. We discover new tales about the great figures of the Hebrew Bible, from Adam to Moses; stories about God's Bride, the Shekhinah, and the evil temptress, Lilith; plus many tales about angels and demons, spirits and vampires, giant beasts and the Golem. Equally important, Schwartz provides a wealth of additional information. For each myth, he includes extensive commentary, revealing the source of the myth and explaining how it relates to other Jewish myths as well as to world literature (for instance, comparing Eves release of evil into the world with Pandoras). For ease of use, Schwartz divides the volume into ten books, Myths of God, Myths of Creation, Myths of Heaven, Myths of Hell, Myths of the Holy Word, Myths of the Holy Time, Myths of the Holy People, Myths of the Holy Land, Myths of Exile, and Myths of the Messiah.

3 wishes for a Magic Boy is a classic story of the mind-bogging disappearance of the Nok civilization of Ancient Nigeria. It tells of a witty Nok boy who encounters his 5000 year-old magical match. Who will outsmart who, we wonder? A classic story from Jos that teaches us to speak less and listen more. This special fun-packed edition includes a series of entertaining puzzles and mind teasers like; The orb of truth, Recoving the Lost Star of Pharaoh Seti II, Getting Webbed and Art thieves. It’s lots of fun! Enjoy!

Aphrodite, goddess of love, is offended that Hippolytos, son of King Theseus, has devoted his life not to her worship but to the worship of Artemis and to the hunt. In revenge, Aphrodite makes Queen Phaedra, stepmother of Hippolytos, fall in love with him. Realizing the hopelessness of the situation, Phaedra commits suicide, but not before leaving a note accusing Hippolytos of having encouraged Phaedra's affections. Enraged, Theseus calls on the god Poseidon to kill Hippolytos, which he does. But in his death throes, Hippolytos convinces his father of his innocence. Theseus is destroyed by all of this, and Aphrodite's revenge is complete.
Original illustrations silk-screened on handmade paper accompany the retelling of Euripides' gripping tale. This unique, handcrafted book will be a treasured addition to the libraries of those who love the arts of ancient Greece and the art of fine, contemporary bookmaking.

All around the world, myths address questions that humans have always posed about their origins, their environments, their ultimate destinies, and the meanings of their lives. This book examines 30 common motifs that thread their way through mythological tales across history and around the globe. The themes are presented in alphabetical order, moving from The Afterlife and Animals in Myth to The Underworld, World Tree, and Ymir Motif. Each thematic section defines and discusses a single recognizable motif, compares a number of different mythological traditions, and traces the repeated occurrences of one of these patterns through several different categories of narratives.

The discussion of The Afterlife, for example, examines the theme's earliest known occurrences in ancient Mesopotamia and compares them with those in Greek, Aztec, Norse, and other ancient cultures, as well as with contemporary views from Innuit and Polynesian cultures. A glossary provides concise definitions of recurring terms. A list of suggested readings on these topics will further aid students who desire to deepen their knowledge of world mythology.