Greek Gods and Heroes (Laurel-leaf books) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Robert Graves (Author) "The twelve most important gods and goddesses of ancient Greece, called the Olympians, belonged to the same large, quarrelsome family..." (more)
Key Phrases: King Hades, Mother Earth, Black Sea (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Recounts the glorious days when gods and godesses who dwelt on Mount Olympus ruled over the world of mortals below, and fabled heroes performed mighty deeds of valor.

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf (October 15, 1965)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440932211
• ISBN-13: 978-0440932215
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #15,915 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great re-telling of the most memorable Greek myths., July 17, 1997

By A Customer

Venerable writer Robert Graves re-tells the most memorable Greek myths in a fun loving style that will entertain children and adults. Graves' narrator voice is sometimes amused, sometimes gently chiding as he describes the adventures of Hercules, the saga of Pandora and her unfortunate box, Midas' tragic touch and Narcissus' self obsession. He also examines the roles and relationships of the twelve Olympians themselves.

This is not a dry textbook style treatment of mythology, but a wonderfully absorbing bunch of yarns that can be read over and over to elementary school children; it will also be a useful reference down the road, when young children become older students. These are great stories, beautifully told.

22 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories told swiftly, for younger readers, February 10, 2002

By	K. Braithwaite (inkster, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My son (11) loves these stories.

The main Greek myths are here, told briefly and unsentimentally in crisp English. Most of the tales are 2-3 pages in length.

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Greek Myths!!!, July 24, 2002

By	rzaster - See all my reviews

I was looking for a book that had a collection on certain Greek myths one day and I happened to stumble upon this book. Robert Graves here put together a collection of Greek myths in his own retelling and this book makes for a fun read. In addition to the fun that this book brings there is also a lot of basic information on Greek mythology to be learned, such as the Olympian Gods and monsters of the ancient myths. Whether the book is enjoyed slowly by reading one story and reading another at a later time or gobbling it up all together you will still get a lot of fun and information out of it.

A lot of the basic stories that have come out of Greek mythology are retold here in a simple and easy to read format. Stories such as Heracles' (Hercules), the birth of the God Hermes, Perseus', and many more can be found here. This book combines the politics, mystery, and magic of the ancient Greek world. Of the twenty seven stories that are told in this short little book my favorite is definitely the story of Heracles. I enjoyed reading about how he was able to perform the feats that were given to him to gain his freedom as his story shows how in the end you can always manage to do something that you set out to do.

While reading this book you will notice how the huge cast of characters interact with one another. Many are against each other, many are involved in a love affair, and others team up with each other to defeat other characters. It is interesting how our world today mirrors the mythological world of the ancient Greeks. A lot of people today do the same things that were done by the characters in the stories of the book.

Robert Graves' knowledge of the Greek myths is absolutely astounding. It is obvious upon the reading of this book how much research, time and effort went not only into writing this book, but also into gaining the basic facts which make the stories. In the introduction Graves writes how many things that are in today's world were derived from the ancient Greeks, like astronomy, literature, and medicine. When you read the book keep an eye out for the things of the Greeks that we use today.

I will be reading many of the stories in this book that I have enjoyed again and again in the future. This is a great introduction to the basics of Greek mythology and are great stories for bedtime.

Happy Reading!