Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind [Paperback]

Stephen Larsen Ph.D. (Author), Robin Larsen (Author), Stephen Larsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002

The fascinating biography that illuminates the man whose work changed modern culture

• Gives a complete biographical view of Campbell's life and a personal perspective of who he was through the voices of his friends and colleagues

• Written by two of Campbell's preeminent students with exclusive access to his notes and journals

Joseph Campbell forged an approach to the study of myth and legend that made ancient traditions and beliefs immediate, relevant, and universal. His teachings and literary works, including The Masks of God, have shown that beneath the apparent themes of world mythology lie patterns that reveal the ways in which we all may encounter the great mysteries of existence: birth, growth, soul development, and death. Biographers Stephen and Robin Larsen, students and friends of Campbell for more than 20 years, weave a rich tapestry of stories and insights that catalogue both his personal and public triumphs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Joseph Campbell was an amazing, abundant, humane man. This book, by incorporating his journals, letters, and a massive offering of his intellectual sources, helps us understand how, in this half-dead world, such a character comes to be."
(Robert Bly, poet and mythologist )

"A marvelous account of the life of a man who fell in love with stories and became our greatest teller of timeless myths. A feast for the mind, the imagination, and the heart."
(Sam Keen, author of Fire in the Belly )

"Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind ignites the soul of the reader with immortal longings. To read it is to swim in a river of old with Joseph Campbell, whose capacity for knowledge was as vast as his passion for living. This potent telling of the quest of one who brought life to myth and myth to life is the book of the year."
(Jean Houston, author of The Search for the Beloved )

About the Author

Stephen Larsen, Ph.D., is the author of The Shaman's Doorway and The Mythic Imagination. He is a practicing psychotherapist and a professor at Ulster County Community College. Robin Larsen, Ph.D., is an exhibiting artist and art historian. She is editor-in-chief of the tricentennial biography and anthology Emanuel Swedenborg: A Continuing Vision. The Larsens co-direct the Center for Symbolic Studies in New Paltz, New York.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 688 pages
• Publisher: Inner Traditions (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892818735
• ISBN-13: 978-0892818730
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #369,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Transparent to Transcendence, July 9, 2003

By 

Valerie Christensen "Maha" (Conway, AR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind (Paperback)

The fire in Joseph Campbell's mind burned through the dross of a mundane existence and forged a character who was ultimately "transparent to transcendence" (his own remarkable phrase).

The book is dense at times because of the Larsens' careful documentation and because Campbell's very life was so dense with accomplishment and discovery. I found the Larsens' scholarship to be impeccable and the coverage of a remarkable life thorough. Because they were friends of the Campbells, an air of authenticiy is added to their work. My only disappointment was their lack of reporting of his deeper response to his illness and impending death. I feel more information in this delicate area would have been appropriate because of the biographical nature of the work and because of Campbell's own personal spiritual belief system.

I highly recommend this volume to anyone who wishes to learn more about one of the most formidable intellectuals of the 20th century. Because the book is so well-written, entertaining, and well-documented, it will enliven the days of your reading...and well beyond!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an original thinker, July 26, 2002

By 

Mary Welch (Pointe Claire, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind (Paperback)

After viewing his lectures on video and watching the interviews with Bill Moyers I became increasing curious about Joseph Campbell, the man, not just the scholar and how one could devote his life to his work.

This authorized biography does not disappoint. It is a wealth of information from personal journals, letters, interviews with friends and family, most generously provided by his widow, Jean Erdman Campbell.

Yes, it is a lengthy tome since it is chronicaling the life and works of one of this centuries most prolific writers and original thinkers, well worth the time it's taken to read it.

Joseph Campbell, the eldest of three, had progressive parents who recognized their childrens natural talents and provided the best education to ameliorate their gifts. As I read, I was impressed how from a young age, Joseph Campbell viewed his world and continued to pursue answers to questions, and in turn, enlighten others through his lectures and writings.

His relationship with friends, colleagues, mentors and his wife is tightly woven into this biography, he was grateful for all the support he received from his "fans." I was constantly surprised with whom he met along his life's path, John Steinbeck, Carl G. Jung to name a few.

I am now embarking on reading Jung, influenced by Joseph Campbells admiration of his works and contributions to the study of the psyche. Hoping to open a new way of thinking myself.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind, May 6, 2003

By 

Angela Jenkins (Los Angeles, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind (Paperback)

Since Joseph Campell was such a prolific writer of journals, letters, essays and books, this book was able to capture, in such detail, not only his life events but also the evolution of his studies and thoughts about myth, art, religion and the world. I originally checked this book out at the library but I am buying it as a reference guide because it touches on so many fascinating points about religion and the most prominent spiritual leaders in the last century.