Customer Reviews

The Power of Myth

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Since this book is basically the transcripts from Bill Moyer's excellent televised interviews with Joseph Campbell, "The Power of Myth" frequently comes off as a "Reader's Digest" coffee table condensation of Campbell's life and work. Since the interview, by its very nature is limited in its scope and focus, "The Power of Myth" simply does not possess the depth of Campbell's other work.

This really is no matter as what is present provides the reader with a fine introduction to Campbell's passionate devotion to World Myth. Campbell's life thesis, that man posseses the innate desire and need to create myth, is a compelling idea the binds us all to ourselves and each other.

"The Power of Myth" is NOT to be taken as a religious tome. In that context, it certainly does come off as a cockeyed New Age concoction of non-commitment. It is meant, however, to be taken as a work of deconstructionist literary criticsm that seeks to celebrate the common threads running through all cultures and perspectives.

Campbell openly celebrates man's ability to imagine as well as his devotion to ideas. He does not seek to debunk or trivialize the devout (one must be careful to realize this as they read Campbell). His scholarly intent as I see it, is to encourage and nurture the seed of faith inherent in all and encourage everyone to embark on their own heroic adventures of discovery.

"The Power of Myth" serves as an excellent bibliography of sorts as it lists the many great folktales and religious texts which demand re-reading. Campbell urges his audience to read for themselves and search for their own discoveries.

If one is searching for a far more in depth study of myth, I cannot praise enough Campbell's excellent "The Hero With A Thousand Faces". As is, "The Power of Myth" is a fine starting point.

Of my two favorite memories of Campbell's talks with Bill Moyers of PBS, which is what this book transcribes and encapsulates, the one that comes to mind is an introduction between Campbell and a Catholic Priest, perhaps a Cardinal, that he retells. After they are introduced and the Priest is told who Dr. Campbell is and a little about his life, he asks him, "Are you still Catholic?" To which he replies "No, Father." He then asks- and Campbell was impressed by his specificity- "Do you believe in a *personal* God?" To which Campbell replies, "No, Father."

The Priest then replies, almost as if to engage in a debate and denigrate the atheist's worship of the rational mind uber alles simultaneously (and an atheist is what you are led to assume he thinks Campbell is), "Well, I guess there is no way to logically prove the existence of God." And Campbell answers, calmly, "If there were Father, what would be the value of faith?"

"It's been a pleasure meeting you Dr. Campbell, have a nice day."

Regardless of your faith, interest, background or education, you will find yourself in the same shoes of that Priest when you read this. Campbell's erudition and knowledge of the many ideas, subtexts and similarities inherent in the world's treasure trove of mythology is daunting to say the least, and his approach is designed to have it all make sense to the modern human's heart. THE POWER OF MYTH may be the best Campbell book to serve as the doorway to his world, his incredible mind, and the eternal wisdom of mythology, as it manifests itself in every culture- not to mention our personal lives.

To say it will make you think is almost denigrating it; it will make you ponder. It will lead you (after quite possibly confusing the hell out of you, as you try to absorb it into a preexisting way of thinking that may become obsolete via what he teaches) to wonder the way children wonder. And in the end, you will smile from the soul, not just the heart. I highly recommend this as a Joseph Campbell and Mythology primer- and recommend HERO OF A THOUSAND FACES after this has whet your appetite's soul.

I've looked at the other reveiws of this book and some on other works by Campbell, and I've noticed that those who don't like his books don't understand some of the primary messages they contain. These are things that cannot be explained in 1,000 words so I won't go into it here, but I would recomend reading Alan Watts, Abraham Maslow, Robert Anton Wilson, Hermann Hesse, Aldous Huxley, and Buckminster Fuller. If you still don't get it then you never will from reading a book so you might as well quit. As for the comments about it being New Age crap, I would say read it again...the stories and ideas he addresses are not New at all. They have been asked since the day humans became conscious and will probably be asked until the day we are wiped out. It seems to me that the phrase New Age is derogatory and is used by those who don't understand the ideas. Looking at a New Age section in the book store I see that most of it is Crap (BTW I found this book in the philosophy section) and is probably just a result of people trying to make money, but once in a while there is a book, put there because somebody doesn't understand it, that has a good message and can help people out. Also I want to point out that there is no claim made in this book that cannot be confirmed by science, unless your idea of science is screwed up (feel free to challenge me on this or anything else in the review and I will be happy to look into it).

This is the transcript of the Bill Moyers interview with Joseph Campbell done with him years and years ago-a stunning interview-a stunning book. Readers will enjoy the book format because let's face it-when Crazy Joe Campbell was talking-sometimes we needed more time than which was given to "absorb what was said." From talking about the Great Seal on the American dollar bill and it's mythological connections-to pouring over a letter from Chief Seattle to George Washington about the purchase of land, this book is never uninteresting.

And to give Bill Moyers due credit as well as an excellent journalist who always knows the right question to ask-and whom unlike a lot of journalists today-actually cares about what he is and was covering. In fact, sometimes Moyers says something quite insightful on his own-it is the coming together of two great minds in a question and answer format-that produces the end result of genius-pure genius. If you are unfamiliar with the Bill Moyers interview, I would recommend purchasing it on here, the 6 tapes, or waiting until PBS airs it again-they always do. Afterall, it's one of PBS's all time ratings grabber. The reason I say that is hearing the way Joe Campbell speaks, seeing in flesh just how engaging of a man he is-allows the reader to "imagine him speaking through the book." To me-that makes a huge difference.

This book is a winnner all the way-regardless of what religious background you hail from-what sort of philosophy if any you engage-this book will certainly impress you the reader. It could actually change someone's life in the context of stimulating someone's interest enough in mythology-to begin looking into it. Or, it can broaden your insight into your own spiritual life in of which you have already established. Any way you toss this book up-it's heads. So buy it.

It doesnt matter what type of religious or scientific following you believe in, this book gives you a history of our most fundatmentals struggles at the beginning of human thought. And during this journey you start to learn alot more about yourself and how you and how the universe connects. Amazing book!!! Must read!!!

In my college years a friend who was a philosophy major introduced me to this video series (the book is a transcript), and over a period of a couple weeks, we spent many coffee fueled nights watching all six videos, interrupted here and there by heated debates and passionate arguments. Afterwards, I felt transformed. This book only scratches the surface of mythology and Joseph Campbell's other works (of which I'm determined to read), but it was a catalyst for me.

"The Power of Myth" will have you exploring subject matter in anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, philosophy, world literature, history, psychology, religion, and wherever else "your bliss" takes you. I found this book and video series inspirational in the same way that a standard college course ought to be (JC was a professor at Sarah Lawrence College), except that it's much cheaper! Ten years later, I find myself returning to it and discovering new revelations each time.

Read, watch, listen, explore, and enjoy!

I am usually a men of many words, but I will be very concise here.READ THIS BOOK.JUST READ THIS BOOK.If you don't read anything else in your life, READ THIS BOOK.I believe that this book should be mandatory reading for any college philosophy,psychology, or religion course.I believe it is also an asset for artists, musicians and writers.Anyone who deals on a day to day basis with the world of the human mind.Life just made so much more sense to me after I read this book.But beware...if you have been braiwashed in any way by organized religion, you may have to learn to think rationally and clearly before you can get the message in this book.So free your mind, and open a great book.

THE POWER OF MYTH is a companion piece to the wonderful documentary, done in the mid-1980s, with journalist Bill Moyers and the late, great philosopher, Joseph Campbell. I was a small child when I first saw the documentary series, and when I was read the book as a bedtime story (!), yet many images still linger in my mind. For starters, from the very beginning, Joseph Campbell encourages and dares us all to dream bigger than ourselves, in this world. He presents world myth and imagery to us in a very original and vibrant way, and really makes storytelling and mythology an inclusive journey for all to experience. The subject matter includes love, valor, and compassion (and no, I am not making reference to that film by the same name). Even those who have never even really been formally introduced to mythology, previously, will find this book interesting and thought-provoking, because Joseph Campbell makes the whole process of philosophical discernment so provocative and intriguing. This is definitely a book I would reccomend to all philosophy scholars and scholars in training!

When I watched the original PBS series of Bill Moyers with Joseph Campbell, I was amazed at how much there was to ponder about almost every sentence. I was left in the dust for the most part. There were a few stories that hit home - such as the story of the boy in the restaurant and following your bliss - but much of it went past me.

Myth in our common language usually means falsehood or illusion. Here it has a much deeper and broader application. It does not apply to such things as legends or folk tales or fanciful stories, but goes to the very heart of experience: to stories that apply to all those travails of life, rites of passage, and what it means to be a human being.

I was spellbound by the scope of the material that is drawn by these dialogues. One person can take a selected set of myths as guides, or models, on how to deal with the soul trying ordeals of everyday life, but to make a inventory of myths from the beginning of civilization all over the world and to synthesize that wealth of material is certainly an enormous task. Bill Moyers is to be congratulated for bringing this material to light, for making Joseph Campbell's work this accessible.

I was struck by what appeared to be a conclusion in this study of mythology: that we cannot afford to take the myths of old as fact, that we have changed our world view since the first millennium BC, and that we have globalized ourselves so much that the primacy of the in-group just does not work these days. Those ancient peoples of Biblical times must have had some sense about how awesome and boundless the universe really is, even though they knew very little about astronomy. They combatted that sense of nothingness in the face of this awesome universe by seeing themselves as God's chosen people who had a special destiny different from all others. They laid down their laws, but applied them only within their own circle. It was all right if they committed murder as long as it was outside their group. That just doesn't work anymore.

I love this book. It is in question and answer form with Bill Moyers doing the questioning of the author. The author is obviously an expert in very ancient mythology and uses his own innate wisdom to link it to some of the happenings of today....We get to learn from the author the values of knowing the very old ways and the results of not bringing those values forward into modern times, what different symbols used to mean, for example (Solomon's Seal) and what current symbols mean to civilization today, concscienceness, dreams, sacrifice, are examined and other deep and enduring lessons are learned...It is so much more than follow your bliss... you'll enjoy this one