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38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For those who want more than Greek and Roman mythology., May 2, 2004
This review is from: Mythology for Dummies (Paperback)
Mythology fans and scholars who want more than your usual Greek and Roman mythology will enjoy MYTHOLOGY FOR DUMMIES by Christopher Blackwell et al. This book also delves into the Arthurian legend, Norse myths, Beowulf, as well as world mythology in general (Chinese, Jewish, Hindu, etc). At over 300 pages, it does a good job of covering the various myths around the world. However, those who are interested mainly in classical mythology (e.g. Jupiter/Zeus, Juno/Hera, the Trojan War, Odysseus, Perseus, Hercules) will likely prefer THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY by Kevin Osborn. This book gets more into the history and backgrounds of the Greek and Roman gods/goddesses and heroes/heroines. For instance, an entire chapter is devoted to the Trojan War hero Achilles while the "Dummies" book only has a few paragraphs, at the most. We're not idiots or dummies, of course, and these books are excellent reference guides to the world of mythology. At over 350 pages, both books are meaty and informative, interesting and engrossing. Your choice as a reader solely depends on where your interests lie. I would recommend the "Dummies" book to those who are interested in world mythology and the "Idiot's Guide" to those who strictly want Greek and Roman mythology. I would also recommend Edith Hamilton's various mythology books. Her books actually give a "cliff's notes" version of the various stories and tales - ranging from the Arthurian legends, to the Trojan War, to the Aeneid and beyond.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great introduction to world mythology., June 30, 2004
This review is from: Mythology for Dummies (Paperback)
Written in the friendly Dummies style, illustrated with many pictures, drawings, maps, charts, humorous icon guides and even hilarious cartoons, this book presents the best collection of explained myths, legends, traditions and folktales available today in a single volume.
Through simple, yet detailed, and clear explanations, this reference covers in less than 350 pages the gods, divinities, heroes, monsters and places that are part of our world's vast collection of mythologies. Organized according to their provenance, the selection discussed includes the Greek, Roman, Northern European, Mesopotamian, Hebrew, Egyptian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Latin American and Northern American Indian mythologies. It also explores the everyday connection between them and the societies that created them, and their relevance in the religion, literature, art, politics and even the social organization of the civilizations from which they came. As a bonus, the book contains two sections, Ten Mythological Monsters and Ten Mythological Places, which give detailed and engrossing descriptions of the most fabulous monsters and fantastic places that are a direct product of mythology. Since this book is fully cross-referenced comparisons between mythologies are very easy to make, and its very thorough index is great for quick check-ups and specific consultations.
Although this book could have been edited better, since it has a more than just a few typographical errors and repeated paragraphs, it is a very well researched, informative and entertaining reference, even presented with a dash of humor, that makes learning about world mythologies fun.
The information and the literary and historical references in this book are well worth its price, and make it the most entertaining place to start your mythological studies and an extraordinary resource to launch you into a deeper study of mythology.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Stories and Information, November 29, 2002
This review is from: Mythology for Dummies (Paperback)
I like so many others studied classical and Norse mythology in junior high school. What I had forgotten of course besides the wonderful stories were the stories of the gods and goddesses themselves, along with the cultures that spawned these stories. And each culture reflects the mood of the stories. Greece and Rome had stories that at times could be harsh, but could also be fun and cheerful. Norse myths on the other hand definitely had a dark tone to most of them. The book also touches on other myths, including the epic battle of Beowulf versus Grendel, King Arthur and Camelot, and other cultures' myths (among them Egyptian, Indian, Chinese and Japanese, and also Latin America) What this book does besides describing various gods, goddesses and heroes of each culture, is to also discuss each culture's societies, be them Greek, Roman, Egyptian, etc. I liked refreshing my mind about Greek and Roman deities, but also learning about the deities of numerous other countries that I'd never had the chance to read about before. This book brought back memories of myths I studied long ago, as well as learning about other cultures and their myths that I never knew existed.
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