Customer Reviews

The Genealogy of Greek Mythology: An Illustrated Family Tree of Greek Myth from the First Gods to the Founders of Rome

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I second the five-star review by Katherine Krassan.

This is beautiful book. I taught Greek mythology for years and read extensively on subject and on the pre-Classical civilizations--Crete and Mycenea--that gave birth to the stories. Would that I had had this book.

"Mistakes" perceived by what I take to be a very young reviewer come from not reading author Vanessa James' Introduction--excerpted below:

"Ancient Greek and Latin authors often disagree about the ancestral histories of mythological characters. I have given preference to the Greek authors, except in cases were no Greek account exists or where common usage supports a Latin or Byzantine source. In some cases, where multiple genealogies exist for one person, my choices about their inclusion and placement in the chart could reasonably be debated...."

The "mistakes" referred to in the first review reveal the limited knowledge of the reviewer. Greek Mythology is ripe with contradictions and variations on popularly accepted myths depending on the source text utilized by the researcher. This author identifies her sources in this meticulously researched book and is clearly recognized as a specialist in this field. When a reader determines to delve into the specifics of this topic it is important to be prepared to recognize that many of the popular conceptions may be exposed in terms of "their" inaccuracy. I highly recommend this unique and beautifully presented book on Greek genealogy - it is a marvelous work on its own and an outstanding reference tool when reading (or re-reading) Homer, The Illiad,The Odyssey and other classics.

The author spent 18 years researching her subject, consulting with many other experts on mythology, compiling and laying out this book, and creating what the cover accurately calls "The Ultimate Resource for Greek Mythology." It's a gorgeous tome, a scroll as much as a book. My oldest son has spent many fascinating hours poring over it, examining its myriad illustrations, and gaining an understanding of the depth and complexity of classical civilization that could not be acquired in any other way. A bargain at this price and a must for every home library.

We really enjoyed the layout of the genealogy and also the details added to explain the various characters and their backgrounds.

As imprecise and different as many versions of Greek Mythology are, I would not recommend this book. When I bought it, eager to read and trace back the mythological families, I was rather disappointed. Of course, there are many different versions of each stories, but some of these "differences" are rather inaccurate. (ex: Here is a quote from the book "Hippolytus was appalled by her passion, he preffered to hunt at night with the virgin goddess Artemis) Now, I know the myths have many versions, but Hippolytus was a priest, according to Euripides, play, Hippolytus. Besides, Artemis' hunting companions were mainly nymphs, anyway. There were many "differences" such as this in the book. I would not recommend it.