The Nature of Greek Myths (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Overlook Hardcover (August 15, 1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879510315
• ISBN-13: 978-0879510312
• Product Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 20 inches
• Shipping Weight: 20 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,297,303 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On the other hand . . ., September 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Nature of Greek Myths (Paperback)

Although I've not read this book, after reading the vituperative attack above I feel I must mention that no less a critic than classics scholar Bernard Knox (himself as enjoyable to read as he is informative) has compared Kirk's book to Dodds' "epic-making" _Greeks and the Irrational_, saying of Kirk's work in myth that it "presents the same stimulating combination of professional expertise and new perspectives." Coming from Knox, this is high praise indeed.

If you're looking for a quick "who did what to whom," you'd best go with Edith Hamilton. But if you want an insightful and informed adult journey into the character and substance of myth, perhaps this is the book you seek.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars G.S. Kirk provides analysis, not fun, June 23, 2007

By	D. Griffin (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nature of Greek Myths (Paperback)

As a doctoral student, I would not recommend anything written by Kirk to anybody but an academic. What Kirk does is to deconstruct, in the technical sense, theories of myth in the agora that is the Greek pantheon, explaining how no theory can completely map upon the confusing state of Greek religious thought and text. It is not perfect but nevertheless sufficient. The reader would do himself well to reread Derrida prior to attempting Kirk's formulation of Greek myth.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Considered "Essential Reading" for Study of Classical Mythology, January 23, 2008

By	Allen Anderson (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Nature of Greek Myths (Paperback)

I shopped for this book on Amazon because it is included in the "Essential Reading" part of the bibliography for "Classical Mythology", one of the Teaching Company's courses. The lecturer, Professor Elizabeth Vandiver, U. of Maryland, describes the work as follows: "A clear, concise introduction for the general reader. Contains chapters on definitions of myth, approaches to myth, the appearances of Greek myths in literature, and the nature of Greek heroes. An excellent place to begin any study of classical myth or of theories about myth in general." Professor Vandiver's course, by the way, is excellent.