The Hero and the Goddess: The Odyssey as Pathway to Personal Transformation [Paperback]

Jean Houston (Author), Marianne Williamson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2009

All great stories can change our lives, and practically none is more transformational than Homer’s The Odyssey, which had a power so great that it launched Greek civilization and has influenced the West ever since. In this fresh approach to self-realization, human potentials leader Jean Houston provides empowering experiential exercises at every key stage of Homer’s epic to make The Odyssey our own journey. As we set sail with Odysseus, together we endure loss and suffering, the search for the divine Beloved, and the joy of finally arriving home. "Tapping the power of these archetypes," says Houston, "helps us effect healing in areas that have kept us immobilized and anguished. By raising our own tragic dimension to a mythic level, we awaken to a larger, nobler life."

Editorial Reviews

Review

In Praise of The Hero and the Goddess

Jean Houston, like an archaelogist of the human spirit probing the great myths and mysteries, continues to remind us why we are here on this earth.—Armand Assante, actor, star of The Odyssey

Jean Houston brings down fire from heaven to empower and inspire individual lives.—Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Healing Words and Be Careful What You Pray For...You Might Just Get It

In Praise of Jean Houston

Joseph Campbell:
I think that Houston has broken through to a new understanding of the sense and uses of the disciplines of inward turned contemplation.

Margaret Mead:
Jean is a great producer, a creator of significant events. . . as she orchestrates the myriad new voices expressing alternatives of consciousness.

Deepak Chopra:
Jean Houston reminds us that we need a new mythology for our age. Without myths, a society becomes sterile and is bereft of meaning and soul. I recommend her highly to those who want to restore the magical and the miraculous in their lives.

Product Details

• Paperback: 425 pages
• Publisher: Quest Books; Revised Edition edition (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0835608786
• ISBN-13: 978-0835608787
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #296,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Needs a New Publisher, June 17, 2009

By 

NY Book Reviewer (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hero and the Goddess: The Odyssey as Pathway to Personal Transformation (Paperback)

Don't waste your time or money on this edition. The 1992 Ballantine version is far superior and less expensive, obviously produced by a competent publisher. This current copy is badly edited, badly organized, and sadly outdated - all of which could have been repaired with thoughtful publishing skill. The cover art is truly atrocious and rather comical. If another edition of this work were to be rethought, I strongly urge the author to also rethink her choice of publisher.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Another Redoux, August 14, 2009

By 

Anna Tomlinson (Stanford, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hero and the Goddess: The Odyssey as Pathway to Personal Transformation (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book in 1992. At her best, Houston is a profoundly creative interpreter of the Campbell vision. However, in this case she really should have left well enough alone. This current version does not move the mythic experience forward. It continues to be a series of New Age exercises, a bit out of date, to draw and explain the psychological and spiritual essence of human existence through a mythic lens. During the course of this reading, I was again struck with Houston's forceful vision. However, this time I was also uncomfortably aware that the vision should grow through time. I did not find the growth factor in this edition and was disappointed that the publisher could not see the needed change. My rating does not reflect a judgment of Houston's philosophy but does reflect my disappointment with the shortcomings of this edition.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written about the hero's journey, July 29, 2009

By 

Janey Grover (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hero and the Goddess: The Odyssey as Pathway to Personal Transformation (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book that takes any willing participant on the "Hero's Journey". Jean Houston is a masterful story teller and evocateer of the possible human. If you are ready to journey down the path as did Odysseys in the Odyssey this is a great book for you and could just change your life. I would recommend this book to both individuals and groups who are interested in engaging in their full human potential.