A great read, 22 Sep 2008
Enjoyed this book from start to end. The type of book to have by your bedside at night. Will pass to my children when slightly older....The author introduced me in to the wonderful world of nursery rhymes.
When I purchased this book, Amazon recomended buying "Now Then Lad"!! This also is a fantastic read.

A great read, 22 Sep 2008
Enjoyed this book from start to end. The type of book to have by your bedside at night. Will pass to my children when slightly older....The author introduced me in to the wonderful world of nursery rhymes.
When I purchased this book, Amazon recomended buying "Now Then Lad"!! This also is a fantastic read.

If your job is to create narratives then this is vital, 01 Sep 2008
It's early days for me with this book, and I'm going to have to read it several times to wring every drop of usefulness from it. But it seems to me that this is possibly one of the most important books ever written about the art of story telling. It's tied into unfashionable Freudian and Jungian analysis (the book was published in 1948), and it's best read if you already know the outline of the monomyth/heroic myth and why it's useful to writers (Google it---there are many sites offering on outline). It's also, essentially, an academic work, although I had no problems reading it, and it's definitely not an academic text of the "rigorous" type (ie an overload of citations and dry explanations). Campbell is a compelling writer, and the text reads well.

If you create narratives for a living, whether as a script writer or novelist, then this book should be considered essential reading. Unless you're supremely and destructively arrogant, I really can't see how your work won't be enhanced in some way by the analysis contained within. Not only will it help you structure your work but it will also help you connect with your readers or audience, because you will understand what it is that they want out of stories. It's interesting to see how many movies and novels that I've seen and read that explicitly contravene the advice in this book, and fail as a result. It really is that clear-cut.

Most Insightful Book, 05 Nov 2007
I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. It is a very intriguing and easy to read book, and I would strongly recommend this book to the general readers.

In this book, Campbell brought forth in a very insightful way about the journey of the 'archetypal hero' who can be found in almost all the mythologies and religions of every country. This is interesting for I never seen it before. The author has done so with a careful study of these mythologies, legends, and religions.

There was a mention of "Dark Night of the Soul" in this book, which I think is important for me personally. The fact that I have a journey and this book speak of great volume for me. Each of us has a road of trials, challenges and obstacles to face. But, not everyone has a destiny. There are many in our world who refuses to know one's own "dark night of the soul," who refuses to heed one's calling, and who desires to be 'safe' and 'asleep.' These people are ignorant of the fact that they are slaves to their own temptations and to the will of the psychopaths in power.

This book is one of the most important books. And, if you are a truth seeker, this is a book for you.

The One., 29 Sep 2007
This was one of the most infuential works in modern day, presenting the answer to many questions of myth. It has also inspired many to construct better modern day stories; from books to films.

Over hyped, 21 Mar 2007
In many ways the reviews are more interesting than the book. I read this many years ago before it was either fashionable or tied to Stars Wars or how to structure novels. It's good however I don't think this is Prof Campbell's finest work. I much prefer and have reread more often his four volume set The Masks of God. The book is interesting however don't believe reviews that tell you there would be no Stars Wars, no Sandman, no Watership Down without Campbell's book. He only interpreted The Hero -he didn't invent him. Enkidu was a Hero several millennia before Campbell was born.

A work of pure genius!, 09 Aug 2006
The key to understanding this classic book, and getting the most from it, is to realise that it's actually all about YOU. Campbell wrote it for YOU. Just think about the title for a start. YOU are the hero and your hero's journey is all about finding your inner life, your divine spark, and being engulfed and re-born out of it. This is what all the world's great hero myths were really talking about, symbolically, and Campbell brilliantly draws together the universal themes and parallels running through all the world's mystical and religious traditions, all of which were concerned (when understood metaphorically instead of literally) with this marvellous "death and resurrection" of the human psyche - from human animal to divine incarnation. It's a heroic deed which we all have the potential to achieve, and this book vibrantly and beautifully recollects many anicent stories that have drawn Mankind's imagination toward this very real transformation, through the use of the oldest and best means at our disposal - symbolic storytelling. This book is not just for the student or teacher of mythology or comparative religion, it's for everyone on the spiritual path. In fact, this book speaks directly to you wherever you are right now in life, whether on that path or not. Simply brilliant, and possibly the most important book of the 20th century. Even the full five star rating is not enough!

A great read, 22 Sep 2008
Enjoyed this book from start to end. The type of book to have by your bedside at night. Will pass to my children when slightly older....The author introduced me in to the wonderful world of nursery rhymes.
When I purchased this book, Amazon recomended buying "Now Then Lad"!! This also is a fantastic read.

If your job is to create narratives then this is vital, 01 Sep 2008
It's early days for me with this book, and I'm going to have to read it several times to wring every drop of usefulness from it. But it seems to me that this is possibly one of the most important books ever written about the art of story telling. It's tied into unfashionable Freudian and Jungian analysis (the book was published in 1948), and it's best read if you already know the outline of the monomyth/heroic myth and why it's useful to writers (Google it---there are many sites offering on outline). It's also, essentially, an academic work, although I had no problems reading it, and it's definitely not an academic text of the "rigorous" type (ie an overload of citations and dry explanations). Campbell is a compelling writer, and the text reads well.

If you create narratives for a living, whether as a script writer or novelist, then this book should be considered essential reading. Unless you're supremely and destructively arrogant, I really can't see how your work won't be enhanced in some way by the analysis contained within. Not only will it help you structure your work but it will also help you connect with your readers or audience, because you will understand what it is that they want out of stories. It's interesting to see how many movies and novels that I've seen and read that explicitly contravene the advice in this book, and fail as a result. It really is that clear-cut.

Most Insightful Book, 05 Nov 2007
I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. It is a very intriguing and easy to read book, and I would strongly recommend this book to the general readers.

In this book, Campbell brought forth in a very insightful way about the journey of the 'archetypal hero' who can be found in almost all the mythologies and religions of every country. This is interesting for I never seen it before. The author has done so with a careful study of these mythologies, legends, and religions.

There was a mention of "Dark Night of the Soul" in this book, which I think is important for me personally. The fact that I have a journey and this book speak of great volume for me. Each of us has a road of trials, challenges and obstacles to face. But, not everyone has a destiny. There are many in our world who refuses to know one's own "dark night of the soul," who refuses to heed one's calling, and who desires to be 'safe' and 'asleep.' These people are ignorant of the fact that they are slaves to their own temptations and to the will of the psychopaths in power.

This book is one of the most important books. And, if you are a truth seeker, this is a book for you.

The One., 29 Sep 2007
This was one of the most infuential works in modern day, presenting the answer to many questions of myth. It has also inspired many to construct better modern day stories; from books to films.

Over hyped, 21 Mar 2007
In many ways the reviews are more interesting than the book. I read this many years ago before it was either fashionable or tied to Stars Wars or how to structure novels. It's good however I don't think this is Prof Campbell's finest work. I much prefer and have reread more often his four volume set The Masks of God. The book is interesting however don't believe reviews that tell you there would be no Stars Wars, no Sandman, no Watership Down without Campbell's book. He only interpreted The Hero -he didn't invent him. Enkidu was a Hero several millennia before Campbell was born.

A work of pure genius!, 09 Aug 2006
The key to understanding this classic book, and getting the most from it, is to realise that it's actually all about YOU. Campbell wrote it for YOU. Just think about the title for a start. YOU are the hero and your hero's journey is all about finding your inner life, your divine spark, and being engulfed and re-born out of it. This is what all the world's great hero myths were really talking about, symbolically, and Campbell brilliantly draws together the universal themes and parallels running through all the world's mystical and religious traditions, all of which were concerned (when understood metaphorically instead of literally) with this marvellous "death and resurrection" of the human psyche - from human animal to divine incarnation. It's a heroic deed which we all have the potential to achieve, and this book vibrantly and beautifully recollects many anicent stories that have drawn Mankind's imagination toward this very real transformation, through the use of the oldest and best means at our disposal - symbolic storytelling. This book is not just for the student or teacher of mythology or comparative religion, it's for everyone on the spiritual path. In fact, this book speaks directly to you wherever you are right now in life, whether on that path or not. Simply brilliant, and possibly the most important book of the 20th century. Even the full five star rating is not enough!

Proverbs & idioms, 17 Jan 2006
I bought this book just before moving to France 7 years ago. It's amusing and the ilustrations are great!

A very useful and interesting book - you can't put it down!, 10 May 2004
You are drawn to this book initially because of its appealing cover illustration. On delving deeper inside the pages you'll find some fantastic proverbs used by the French and their English equivalent. Not only is it essential reading for any French language student, but for the non-French speaker it also gives an insight into the way that a different language develops. Fun pictures accompany each proverb and also an contextual example of how each phrase is used.
Above all it's a fun book to browse through, which will be really useful for anyone studying the language.

This excellent collection of 16 favourite Greek myths catches all the magic of the stories for today's readers with its lively retellings and appealing illustrations. Included in this collection are the adventures of Jason, Theseus and Odysseus, the story of Icarus who flew too close to the sun, and King Midas whose touch turns everything to gold. In addition, there are also lesser-known stories such as Atalanta-- the goddess who can run faster than any man--and Arachne the spinner who boasts too much and is turned into a spider.

These stories have been wonderfully adapted by talented storyteller Geraldine McCaughrean who has captured all the thrills and drama of the original tales. Gloriously illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark this is a super collection of stories and a superb gift to give, read and enjoy.

A great read, 22 Sep 2008
Enjoyed this book from start to end. The type of book to have by your bedside at night. Will pass to my children when slightly older....The author introduced me in to the wonderful world of nursery rhymes.
When I purchased this book, Amazon recomended buying "Now Then Lad"!! This also is a fantastic read.

If your job is to create narratives then this is vital, 01 Sep 2008
It's early days for me with this book, and I'm going to have to read it several times to wring every drop of usefulness from it. But it seems to me that this is possibly one of the most important books ever written about the art of story telling. It's tied into unfashionable Freudian and Jungian analysis (the book was published in 1948), and it's best read if you already know the outline of the monomyth/heroic myth and why it's useful to writers (Google it---there are many sites offering on outline). It's also, essentially, an academic work, although I had no problems reading it, and it's definitely not an academic text of the "rigorous" type (ie an overload of citations and dry explanations). Campbell is a compelling writer, and the text reads well.

If you create narratives for a living, whether as a script writer or novelist, then this book should be considered essential reading. Unless you're supremely and destructively arrogant, I really can't see how your work won't be enhanced in some way by the analysis contained within. Not only will it help you structure your work but it will also help you connect with your readers or audience, because you will understand what it is that they want out of stories. It's interesting to see how many movies and novels that I've seen and read that explicitly contravene the advice in this book, and fail as a result. It really is that clear-cut.

Most Insightful Book, 05 Nov 2007
I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. It is a very intriguing and easy to read book, and I would strongly recommend this book to the general readers.

In this book, Campbell brought forth in a very insightful way about the journey of the 'archetypal hero' who can be found in almost all the mythologies and religions of every country. This is interesting for I never seen it before. The author has done so with a careful study of these mythologies, legends, and religions.

There was a mention of "Dark Night of the Soul" in this book, which I think is important for me personally. The fact that I have a journey and this book speak of great volume for me. Each of us has a road of trials, challenges and obstacles to face. But, not everyone has a destiny. There are many in our world who refuses to know one's own "dark night of the soul," who refuses to heed one's calling, and who desires to be 'safe' and 'asleep.' These people are ignorant of the fact that they are slaves to their own temptations and to the will of the psychopaths in power.

This book is one of the most important books. And, if you are a truth seeker, this is a book for you.

The One., 29 Sep 2007
This was one of the most infuential works in modern day, presenting the answer to many questions of myth. It has also inspired many to construct better modern day stories; from books to films.

Over hyped, 21 Mar 2007
In many ways the reviews are more interesting than the book. I read this many years ago before it was either fashionable or tied to Stars Wars or how to structure novels. It's good however I don't think this is Prof Campbell's finest work. I much prefer and have reread more often his four volume set The Masks of God. The book is interesting however don't believe reviews that tell you there would be no Stars Wars, no Sandman, no Watership Down without Campbell's book. He only interpreted The Hero -he didn't invent him. Enkidu was a Hero several millennia before Campbell was born.

A work of pure genius!, 09 Aug 2006
The key to understanding this classic book, and getting the most from it, is to realise that it's actually all about YOU. Campbell wrote it for YOU. Just think about the title for a start. YOU are the hero and your hero's journey is all about finding your inner life, your divine spark, and being engulfed and re-born out of it. This is what all the world's great hero myths were really talking about, symbolically, and Campbell brilliantly draws together the universal themes and parallels running through all the world's mystical and religious traditions, all of which were concerned (when understood metaphorically instead of literally) with this marvellous "death and resurrection" of the human psyche - from human animal to divine incarnation. It's a heroic deed which we all have the potential to achieve, and this book vibrantly and beautifully recollects many anicent stories that have drawn Mankind's imagination toward this very real transformation, through the use of the oldest and best means at our disposal - symbolic storytelling. This book is not just for the student or teacher of mythology or comparative religion, it's for everyone on the spiritual path. In fact, this book speaks directly to you wherever you are right now in life, whether on that path or not. Simply brilliant, and possibly the most important book of the 20th century. Even the full five star rating is not enough!

Proverbs & idioms, 17 Jan 2006
I bought this book just before moving to France 7 years ago. It's amusing and the ilustrations are great!

A very useful and interesting book - you can't put it down!, 10 May 2004
You are drawn to this book initially because of its appealing cover illustration. On delving deeper inside the pages you'll find some fantastic proverbs used by the French and their English equivalent. Not only is it essential reading for any French language student, but for the non-French speaker it also gives an insight into the way that a different language develops. Fun pictures accompany each proverb and also an contextual example of how each phrase is used.
Above all it's a fun book to browse through, which will be really useful for anyone studying the language.

Brilliant Way to Learn, and Retain, Mythical Knowledge!, 15 Jul 2004
This book is one of the best we have seen to cover the subject of Greek Myths. 16 myths catch all the magic of the stories for today's readers. It includes all the well-known favourites but some less well-known, too. When an eight year old is able to recall the contents of 'Pandora's Box', with ease, you know that an author has captured her readers! 'Hope' prevails!
Charming full colour illustrations make this a book hard to put down. A definite must for the book-shelf, and if the budget can stretch to it, the audio-book really enforces the facts!
Both are on at a great price, at Amazon.
Highly recommended!

Suberb retelling of Greek myths with beautiful illustrations, 28 Mar 2002
This book is the best collection of Greek myths for children I have ever read. The stories are told in a clear and simple way, yet also fully manage to convey their depth. I am a teacher of eleven year olds and on Friday mornings I read these tales for the children: they love them. McCaughrean does not shirk form occasionally shocking her readers with something challenging. The pictures are excellent and manage to convey just the right sense of magic and adventure. My own favourite among the stories is the epic tale of Perseus. It is told and illustrated with great verve and style. Anyone who wishes to share their love of mythology with children or who wishes to learn about them themselves should buy this book.

A great read, 22 Sep 2008
Enjoyed this book from start to end. The type of book to have by your bedside at night. Will pass to my children when slightly older....The author introduced me in to the wonderful world of nursery rhymes.
When I purchased this book, Amazon recomended buying "Now Then Lad"!! This also is a fantastic read.

If your job is to create narratives then this is vital, 01 Sep 2008
It's early days for me with this book, and I'm going to have to read it several times to wring every drop of usefulness from it. But it seems to me that this is possibly one of the most important books ever written about the art of story telling. It's tied into unfashionable Freudian and Jungian analysis (the book was published in 1948), and it's best read if you already know the outline of the monomyth/heroic myth and why it's useful to writers (Google it---there are many sites offering on outline). It's also, essentially, an academic work, although I had no problems reading it, and it's definitely not an academic text of the "rigorous" type (ie an overload of citations and dry explanations). Campbell is a compelling writer, and the text reads well.

If you create narratives for a living, whether as a script writer or novelist, then this book should be considered essential reading. Unless you're supremely and destructively arrogant, I really can't see how your work won't be enhanced in some way by the analysis contained within. Not only will it help you structure your work but it will also help you connect with your readers or audience, because you will understand what it is that they want out of stories. It's interesting to see how many movies and novels that I've seen and read that explicitly contravene the advice in this book, and fail as a result. It really is that clear-cut.

Most Insightful Book, 05 Nov 2007
I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. It is a very intriguing and easy to read book, and I would strongly recommend this book to the general readers.

In this book, Campbell brought forth in a very insightful way about the journey of the 'archetypal hero' who can be found in almost all the mythologies and religions of every country. This is interesting for I never seen it before. The author has done so with a careful study of these mythologies, legends, and religions.

There was a mention of "Dark Night of the Soul" in this book, which I think is important for me personally. The fact that I have a journey and this book speak of great volume for me. Each of us has a road of trials, challenges and obstacles to face. But, not everyone has a destiny. There are many in our world who refuses to know one's own "dark night of the soul," who refuses to heed one's calling, and who desires to be 'safe' and 'asleep.' These people are ignorant of the fact that they are slaves to their own temptations and to the will of the psychopaths in power.

This book is one of the most important books. And, if you are a truth seeker, this is a book for you.

The One., 29 Sep 2007
This was one of the most infuential works in modern day, presenting the answer to many questions of myth. It has also inspired many to construct better modern day stories; from books to films.

Over hyped, 21 Mar 2007
In many ways the reviews are more interesting than the book. I read this many years ago before it was either fashionable or tied to Stars Wars or how to structure novels. It's good however I don't think this is Prof Campbell's finest work. I much prefer and have reread more often his four volume set The Masks of God. The book is interesting however don't believe reviews that tell you there would be no Stars Wars, no Sandman, no Watership Down without Campbell's book. He only interpreted The Hero -he didn't invent him. Enkidu was a Hero several millennia before Campbell was born.

A work of pure genius!, 09 Aug 2006
The key to understanding this classic book, and getting the most from it, is to realise that it's actually all about YOU. Campbell wrote it for YOU. Just think about the title for a start. YOU are the hero and your hero's journey is all about finding your inner life, your divine spark, and being engulfed and re-born out of it. This is what all the world's great hero myths were really talking about, symbolically, and Campbell brilliantly draws together the universal themes and parallels running through all the world's mystical and religious traditions, all of which were concerned (when understood metaphorically instead of literally) with this marvellous "death and resurrection" of the human psyche - from human animal to divine incarnation. It's a heroic deed which we all have the potential to achieve, and this book vibrantly and beautifully recollects many anicent stories that have drawn Mankind's imagination toward this very real transformation, through the use of the oldest and best means at our disposal - symbolic storytelling. This book is not just for the student or teacher of mythology or comparative religion, it's for everyone on the spiritual path. In fact, this book speaks directly to you wherever you are right now in life, whether on that path or not. Simply brilliant, and possibly the most important book of the 20th century. Even the full five star rating is not enough!

Proverbs & idioms, 17 Jan 2006
I bought this book just before moving to France 7 years ago. It's amusing and the ilustrations are great!

A very useful and interesting book - you can't put it down!, 10 May 2004
You are drawn to this book initially because of its appealing cover illustration. On delving deeper inside the pages you'll find some fantastic proverbs used by the French and their English equivalent. Not only is it essential reading for any French language student, but for the non-French speaker it also gives an insight into the way that a different language develops. Fun pictures accompany each proverb and also an contextual example of how each phrase is used.
Above all it's a fun book to browse through, which will be really useful for anyone studying the language.

Brilliant Way to Learn, and Retain, Mythical Knowledge!, 15 Jul 2004
This book is one of the best we have seen to cover the subject of Greek Myths. 16 myths catch all the magic of the stories for today's readers. It includes all the well-known favourites but some less well-known, too. When an eight year old is able to recall the contents of 'Pandora's Box', with ease, you know that an author has captured her readers! 'Hope' prevails!
Charming full colour illustrations make this a book hard to put down. A definite must for the book-shelf, and if the budget can stretch to it, the audio-book really enforces the facts!
Both are on at a great price, at Amazon.
Highly recommended!

Suberb retelling of Greek myths with beautiful illustrations, 28 Mar 2002
This book is the best collection of Greek myths for children I have ever read. The stories are told in a clear and simple way, yet also fully manage to convey their depth. I am a teacher of eleven year olds and on Friday mornings I read these tales for the children: they love them. McCaughrean does not shirk form occasionally shocking her readers with something challenging. The pictures are excellent and manage to convey just the right sense of magic and adventure. My own favourite among the stories is the epic tale of Perseus. It is told and illustrated with great verve and style. Anyone who wishes to share their love of mythology with children or who wishes to learn about them themselves should buy this book.

amazing a must have, 21 Mar 2006
very clear and easy to understand and read. full of interesting and factual information but presented in an exciting way. Absolutly fascinating! a must have for all historians or anyone hus interested in ancient civilisations.
covers a huge variety of different stories, myths, legends etc.
All in all an excellent book definatly 5 stars and definatly worth reading.

Really captures the heart of Greek Myth, 20 May 1998
This book is among the best myhology books I have ever read. It is expanded to the best and most popular of Greek Myths. For example, The Labors of Hercules, The Quest for the Golden Fleece and more.

A great read, 22 Sep 2008
Enjoyed this book from start to end. The type of book to have by your bedside at night. Will pass to my children when slightly older....The author introduced me in to the wonderful world of nursery rhymes.
When I purchased this book, Amazon recomended buying "Now Then Lad"!! This also is a fantastic read.

If your job is to create narratives then this is vital, 01 Sep 2008
It's early days for me with this book, and I'm going to have to read it several times to wring every drop of usefulness from it. But it seems to me that this is possibly one of the most important books ever written about the art of story telling. It's tied into unfashionable Freudian and Jungian analysis (the book was published in 1948), and it's best read if you already know the outline of the monomyth/heroic myth and why it's useful to writers (Google it---there are many sites offering on outline). It's also, essentially, an academic work, although I had no problems reading it, and it's definitely not an academic text of the "rigorous" type (ie an overload of citations and dry explanations). Campbell is a compelling writer, and the text reads well.

If you create narratives for a living, whether as a script writer or novelist, then this book should be considered essential reading. Unless you're supremely and destructively arrogant, I really can't see how your work won't be enhanced in some way by the analysis contained within. Not only will it help you structure your work but it will also help you connect with your readers or audience, because you will understand what it is that they want out of stories. It's interesting to see how many movies and novels that I've seen and read that explicitly contravene the advice in this book, and fail as a result. It really is that clear-cut.

Most Insightful Book, 05 Nov 2007
I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. It is a very intriguing and easy to read book, and I would strongly recommend this book to the general readers.

In this book, Campbell brought forth in a very insightful way about the journey of the 'archetypal hero' who can be found in almost all the mythologies and religions of every country. This is interesting for I never seen it before. The author has done so with a careful study of these mythologies, legends, and religions.

There was a mention of "Dark Night of the Soul" in this book, which I think is important for me personally. The fact that I have a journey and this book speak of great volume for me. Each of us has a road of trials, challenges and obstacles to face. But, not everyone has a destiny. There are many in our world who refuses to know one's own "dark night of the soul," who refuses to heed one's calling, and who desires to be 'safe' and 'asleep.' These people are ignorant of the fact that they are slaves to their own temptations and to the will of the psychopaths in power.

This book is one of the most important books. And, if you are a truth seeker, this is a book for you.

The One., 29 Sep 2007
This was one of the most infuential works in modern day, presenting the answer to many questions of myth. It has also inspired many to construct better modern day stories; from books to films.

Over hyped, 21 Mar 2007
In many ways the reviews are more interesting than the book. I read this many years ago before it was either fashionable or tied to Stars Wars or how to structure novels. It's good however I don't think this is Prof Campbell's finest work. I much prefer and have reread more often his four volume set The Masks of God. The book is interesting however don't believe reviews that tell you there would be no Stars Wars, no Sandman, no Watership Down without Campbell's book. He only interpreted The Hero -he didn't invent him. Enkidu was a Hero several millennia before Campbell was born.

A work of pure genius!, 09 Aug 2006
The key to understanding this classic book, and getting the most from it, is to realise that it's actually all about YOU. Campbell wrote it for YOU. Just think about the title for a start. YOU are the hero and your hero's journey is all about finding your inner life, your divine spark, and being engulfed and re-born out of it. This is what all the world's great hero myths were really talking about, symbolically, and Campbell brilliantly draws together the universal themes and parallels running through all the world's mystical and religious traditions, all of which were concerned (when understood metaphorically instead of literally) with this marvellous "death and resurrection" of the human psyche - from human animal to divine incarnation. It's a heroic deed which we all have the potential to achieve, and this book vibrantly and beautifully recollects many anicent stories that have drawn Mankind's imagination toward this very real transformation, through the use of the oldest and best means at our disposal - symbolic storytelling. This book is not just for the student or teacher of mythology or comparative religion, it's for everyone on the spiritual path. In fact, this book speaks directly to you wherever you are right now in life, whether on that path or not. Simply brilliant, and possibly the most important book of the 20th century. Even the full five star rating is not enough!

Proverbs & idioms, 17 Jan 2006
I bought this book just before moving to France 7 years ago. It's amusing and the ilustrations are great!

A very useful and interesting book - you can't put it down!, 10 May 2004
You are drawn to this book initially because of its appealing cover illustration. On delving deeper inside the pages you'll find some fantastic proverbs used by the French and their English equivalent. Not only is it essential reading for any French language student, but for the non-French speaker it also gives an insight into the way that a different language develops. Fun pictures accompany each proverb and also an contextual example of how each phrase is used.
Above all it's a fun book to browse through, which will be really useful for anyone studying the language.

Brilliant Way to Learn, and Retain, Mythical Knowledge!, 15 Jul 2004
This book is one of the best we have seen to cover the subject of Greek Myths. 16 myths catch all the magic of the stories for today's readers. It includes all the well-known favourites but some less well-known, too. When an eight year old is able to recall the contents of 'Pandora's Box', with ease, you know that an author has captured her readers! 'Hope' prevails!
Charming full colour illustrations make this a book hard to put down. A definite must for the book-shelf, and if the budget can stretch to it, the audio-book really enforces the facts!
Both are on at a great price, at Amazon.
Highly recommended!

Suberb retelling of Greek myths with beautiful illustrations, 28 Mar 2002
This book is the best collection of Greek myths for children I have ever read. The stories are told in a clear and simple way, yet also fully manage to convey their depth. I am a teacher of eleven year olds and on Friday mornings I read these tales for the children: they love them. McCaughrean does not shirk form occasionally shocking her readers with something challenging. The pictures are excellent and manage to convey just the right sense of magic and adventure. My own favourite among the stories is the epic tale of Perseus. It is told and illustrated with great verve and style. Anyone who wishes to share their love of mythology with children or who wishes to learn about them themselves should buy this book.

amazing a must have, 21 Mar 2006
very clear and easy to understand and read. full of interesting and factual information but presented in an exciting way. Absolutly fascinating! a must have for all historians or anyone hus interested in ancient civilisations.
covers a huge variety of different stories, myths, legends etc.
All in all an excellent book definatly 5 stars and definatly worth reading.

Really captures the heart of Greek Myth, 20 May 1998
This book is among the best myhology books I have ever read. It is expanded to the best and most popular of Greek Myths. For example, The Labors of Hercules, The Quest for the Golden Fleece and more.

BEST TALKING BOOK EVER, 31 Jan 2008
At once i loved this Talkingbook It was a brilliant find and i really loved it

Disappointing, 09 Nov 2006
I was so disappointed by this audio CD. The actor has a voice similar to Julian Clary and mispronounces some of the characters names! It could have been done a lot better.
Graphically gruesome in places, my rising 6 year old had nightmares. The Greek Myths are much loved in our house. We have books and audio books and this is the first disappointment.

Keeps the kids happy on long car journeys, 02 Aug 2006
We purchased this CD on the basis of another Amazon review and weren't disappointed. Ths kids (aged 8 & 6) love the stories (Heracles, Theseus, Perseus, Jason and the Argonauts among others) and the CD is requested on every car journey! It's a painless way of getting a bit of knowledge/history into us all. The stories are re-told in modern language with some music thrown in for effect at key points, which all adds to the effect. The narrator has a pleasant voice (important when these CDs are played repeatedly!) and even though we all know the stories backward now, enjoy them still.

A great read, 22 Sep 2008
Enjoyed this book from start to end. The type of book to have by your bedside at night. Will pass to my children when slightly older....The author introduced me in to the wonderful world of nursery rhymes.
When I purchased this book, Amazon recomended buying "Now Then Lad"!! This also is a fantastic read.

If your job is to create narratives then this is vital, 01 Sep 2008
It's early days for me with this book, and I'm going to have to read it several times to wring every drop of usefulness from it. But it seems to me that this is possibly one of the most important books ever written about the art of story telling. It's tied into unfashionable Freudian and Jungian analysis (the book was published in 1948), and it's best read if you already know the outline of the monomyth/heroic myth and why it's useful to writers (Google it---there are many sites offering on outline). It's also, essentially, an academic work, although I had no problems reading it, and it's definitely not an academic text of the "rigorous" type (ie an overload of citations and dry explanations). Campbell is a compelling writer, and the text reads well.

If you create narratives for a living, whether as a script writer or novelist, then this book should be considered essential reading. Unless you're supremely and destructively arrogant, I really can't see how your work won't be enhanced in some way by the analysis contained within. Not only will it help you structure your work but it will also help you connect with your readers or audience, because you will understand what it is that they want out of stories. It's interesting to see how many movies and novels that I've seen and read that explicitly contravene the advice in this book, and fail as a result. It really is that clear-cut.

Most Insightful Book, 05 Nov 2007
I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. It is a very intriguing and easy to read book, and I would strongly recommend this book to the general readers.

In this book, Campbell brought forth in a very insightful way about the journey of the 'archetypal hero' who can be found in almost all the mythologies and religions of every country. This is interesting for I never seen it before. The author has done so with a careful study of these mythologies, legends, and religions.

There was a mention of "Dark Night of the Soul" in this book, which I think is important for me personally. The fact that I have a journey and this book speak of great volume for me. Each of us has a road of trials, challenges and obstacles to face. But, not everyone has a destiny. There are many in our world who refuses to know one's own "dark night of the soul," who refuses to heed one's calling, and who desires to be 'safe' and 'asleep.' These people are ignorant of the fact that they are slaves to their own temptations and to the will of the psychopaths in power.

This book is one of the most important books. And, if you are a truth seeker, this is a book for you.

The One., 29 Sep 2007
This was one of the most infuential works in modern day, presenting the answer to many questions of myth. It has also inspired many to construct better modern day stories; from books to films.

Over hyped, 21 Mar 2007
In many ways the reviews are more interesting than the book. I read this many years ago before it was either fashionable or tied to Stars Wars or how to structure novels. It's good however I don't think this is Prof Campbell's finest work. I much prefer and have reread more often his four volume set The Masks of God. The book is interesting however don't believe reviews that tell you there would be no Stars Wars, no Sandman, no Watership Down without Campbell's book. He only interpreted The Hero -he didn't invent him. Enkidu was a Hero several millennia before Campbell was born.

A work of pure genius!, 09 Aug 2006
The key to understanding this classic book, and getting the most from it, is to realise that it's actually all about YOU. Campbell wrote it for YOU. Just think about the title for a start. YOU are the hero and your hero's journey is all about finding your inner life, your divine spark, and being engulfed and re-born out of it. This is what all the world's great hero myths were really talking about, symbolically, and Campbell brilliantly draws together the universal themes and parallels running through all the world's mystical and religious traditions, all of which were concerned (when understood metaphorically instead of literally) with this marvellous "death and resurrection" of the human psyche - from human animal to divine incarnation. It's a heroic deed which we all have the potential to achieve, and this book vibrantly and beautifully recollects many anicent stories that have drawn Mankind's imagination toward this very real transformation, through the use of the oldest and best means at our disposal - symbolic storytelling. This book is not just for the student or teacher of mythology or comparative religion, it's for everyone on the spiritual path. In fact, this book speaks directly to you wherever you are right now in life, whether on that path or not. Simply brilliant, and possibly the most important book of the 20th century. Even the full five star rating is not enough!

Proverbs & idioms, 17 Jan 2006
I bought this book just before moving to France 7 years ago. It's amusing and the ilustrations are great!

A very useful and interesting book - you can't put it down!, 10 May 2004
You are drawn to this book initially because of its appealing cover illustration. On delving deeper inside the pages you'll find some fantastic proverbs used by the French and their English equivalent. Not only is it essential reading for any French language student, but for the non-French speaker it also gives an insight into the way that a different language develops. Fun pictures accompany each proverb and also an contextual example of how each phrase is used.
Above all it's a fun book to browse through, which will be really useful for anyone studying the language.

Brilliant Way to Learn, and Retain, Mythical Knowledge!, 15 Jul 2004
This book is one of the best we have seen to cover the subject of Greek Myths. 16 myths catch all the magic of the stories for today's readers. It includes all the well-known favourites but some less well-known, too. When an eight year old is able to recall the contents of 'Pandora's Box', with ease, you know that an author has captured her readers! 'Hope' prevails!
Charming full colour illustrations make this a book hard to put down. A definite must for the book-shelf, and if the budget can stretch to it, the audio-book really enforces the facts!
Both are on at a great price, at Amazon.
Highly recommended!

Suberb retelling of Greek myths with beautiful illustrations, 28 Mar 2002
This book is the best collection of Greek myths for children I have ever read. The stories are told in a clear and simple way, yet also fully manage to convey their depth. I am a teacher of eleven year olds and on Friday mornings I read these tales for the children: they love them. McCaughrean does not shirk form occasionally shocking her readers with something challenging. The pictures are excellent and manage to convey just the right sense of magic and adventure. My own favourite among the stories is the epic tale of Perseus. It is told and illustrated with great verve and style. Anyone who wishes to share their love of mythology with children or who wishes to learn about them themselves should buy this book.

amazing a must have, 21 Mar 2006
very clear and easy to understand and read. full of interesting and factual information but presented in an exciting way. Absolutly fascinating! a must have for all historians or anyone hus interested in ancient civilisations.
covers a huge variety of different stories, myths, legends etc.
All in all an excellent book definatly 5 stars and definatly worth reading.

Really captures the heart of Greek Myth, 20 May 1998
This book is among the best myhology books I have ever read. It is expanded to the best and most popular of Greek Myths. For example, The Labors of Hercules, The Quest for the Golden Fleece and more.

BEST TALKING BOOK EVER, 31 Jan 2008
At once i loved this Talkingbook It was a brilliant find and i really loved it

Disappointing, 09 Nov 2006
I was so disappointed by this audio CD. The actor has a voice similar to Julian Clary and mispronounces some of the characters names! It could have been done a lot better.
Graphically gruesome in places, my rising 6 year old had nightmares. The Greek Myths are much loved in our house. We have books and audio books and this is the first disappointment.

Keeps the kids happy on long car journeys, 02 Aug 2006
We purchased this CD on the basis of another Amazon review and weren't disappointed. Ths kids (aged 8 & 6) love the stories (Heracles, Theseus, Perseus, Jason and the Argonauts among others) and the CD is requested on every car journey! It's a painless way of getting a bit of knowledge/history into us all. The stories are re-told in modern language with some music thrown in for effect at key points, which all adds to the effect. The narrator has a pleasant voice (important when these CDs are played repeatedly!) and even though we all know the stories backward now, enjoy them still.

Fantastic, 16 Jun 2007
I read this book in two sittings. The first while waiting in a hotel reception for my friend Darren. He was fairly late but I had plenty of time to kill. One of the bots at reception, a tall greek from Corfu, saw me waiting and handed me the book, "I have committed it all to memory", "you can keep it" he vocoded. I sat down and read a few chapters before I started to think I'd told Darren the wrong moon. He must have gone to Europa. I couldn't wait another hour for contact with Europa, and had been told by Darren not to use the telecom relay networks around Jupiter. I stopped reading and caught the Ganymede/Europa bus from outside the hotel. After about ten minutes of listening entertained to the bus' weird babble of tongues, I got a call from Darren, he said he'd contracted Liver Flees while sightseeing on Jupiter's rocky core and was currently resting at the health centre on Europa. His voice was strangely restrained, I wasn't sure whether he was joking, though I remembered from a Jessop Attenborough programme, that Liver Flees need hydrogen to survive, and since the last of Jupiter's hydrogen had been tapped 130 years ago, i figured he was just protecting his cover, maybe the space masons were with him.

Sat next to me on the bus, was a mother and child of a familiar Mandarin-speaking alien race - The Squit. These clothe-less people are descendants of what on earth we call `birds', The mother had what looked like bird feathers for hair and the child was young enough to still have the fingers of one arm attached the wing, the other arm was free and flailing. The mother was very attractive but the child was annoying. It was telling me story after story, all of which ending in "and I didn't even cry". I tried to think of something to say to end the onslaught yet still maintain my chances with the mother. In desperation I asked the mother "what's your favourite seed". I really wish I hadn't. She seized the opportunity to recite a litany of edible seeds from far and wide. Stumbling to think of a top top favourite seed, she looked up at the ceiling in thought. This gave me time to catch sight of her flange and busters, the joyous vision of overpowering my torment. Before I could completed SWOT analysis, she looked at me and carried on with her jabbering fusillade of seed talk. In total awe I looked back up at her beautiful beak, clasped it shut and kissed her on her beady black eye.

A remarkable reference book, 22 Sep 2004
This book is remarkable for many reasons. It covers the entire cannon of greek myths and legends in a refreshing and illuminating way. Graves cross-indexes the entire book with a kind of "internet-link hypertext" (this book was written WAY before the WWW) that can lead to surprising connections. And yes, he does present his ingenious "key" to understanding the "true" meanings "hidden" behind these stories, but he had the decency to separate these from the more generally accepted "University course" interpretations. And, as even critical reviewers have pointed out, even if you disagree with what he has to say, he was an extremely well read and scholarly man with an astonishing knack for rendering the past vivid and meaningful. His opinions are always thought provoking and worth reading...

The myths are great but the commentary is horrible, 30 Dec 2003
This is a fine scholarly work collecting together all the Greek myths from various sources (Hesiod, Homer, Apollodorus, Pindar, etc.) and retelling them in a highly accessible manner. However, for every page of Greek myth there are two pages of Graves's commentary and here is where the problem lies. It's all sacred queen and sacrificial king nonsense, the sort of prehistoric fantasy that he went on about at tedious length in the 'White Goddess'. Lacking documentary evidence, he feels free to impose whatever fantasy he likes on prehistoric European society and, at heart, Graves was nothing more than a new-age mystic. Nonetheless, buried among the dross there is real scholarship which makes you feel that you should read the commentary in case you miss something genuinely illuminating. It does make it damned hard going, though.

An Exhaustive Text for Advanced Students of Greek Mythology, 13 Apr 2003
Robert Graves' THE GREEK MYTHS falls between the Victorian bombast of Bulfinch and the popular style of Edith Hamilton, less stylistically intimidating than the former and more scholarly than the latter. Originally published as a two volume set in 1955 with author revisions in 1957 and 1960, this single volume text does not abridge the original text but merely confines it to a single binding.

One's reaction to THE GREEK MYTHS will depend to some extent on one's purpose in acquiring it. This is an exhaustive collection of Greek mythology that far outstrips any other modern anthology that I have encountered, including myths both better known and extremely obscure. Each myth is presented in concise, graceful prose, and where possible Graves includes genealogies of the characters and major variations of each myth; an interpretive essay also follows each myth.

While Graves' retelling of the myths themselves have been widely praised, his interpretations of the myths have been somewhat criticized--and justly so. Graves tends to see incarnations of the "White Goddess" and the "Sacrificial King" in every third story; more dangerously, he tends to tie the myths to historical events in a highly speculative way. While this does not undercut the interest of his interpretations, it does hold a number of traps for the casual reader, who may assume that Graves' essays offer standard, scholastically unbiased interpretations based on proven historical events.

For myself, I use Graves' THE GREEK MYTHS as both reference and pleasure-reading, and I enjoy it a great deal; it is an indispensable purchase for any one with a serious interest in Greek mythology or for any one who must frequently reference the same for scholarly purposes, and I strongly recommend it to them. At the same time, however, I would hesitate to recommend it to readers who have not previously been exposed to Greek mythology or who wish only a general knowledge of the major Greek myths; in such cases I would instead recommend Edith Hamilton's MYTHOLOGY: TIMELESS TALES OF GODS AND HEROES.

Mindblowing, 12 Sep 2001
It takes a while to get through it but believe me, its worth it. Robert Graves gives an insight to the lives and the beliefs of the greeks all those years ago and puts all the confusing stories into perspective and Summarises the symbolisum of the stories.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the long-awaited, heavily hyped fourth instalment of a phenomenally successful series that has captured the imagination of millions of readers, young and old, across the globe. For J K Rowling the pressure is certainly on to continue to come up with thrilling, pacey storylines that allow her hero to mature into a young man without detracting from the magical secret that has made Harry into a superstar. In this book, the teenage Harry has a certain gawky charm that fits well with his advancing adolescence. As the story moves on, Harry too moves on to a new level of maturity that leaves the reader wondering how he will learn from his experiences, and liking him all the more as a character.

Once returned to Hogwarts after his summer holiday with the dreadful Dursleys and an extraordinary outing to the Quidditch World Cup, the 14-year-old Harry and his fellow pupils are enraptured by the promise of the Triwizard Tournament: an ancient, ritualistic tournament that brings Hogwarts together with two other schools of wizardry--Durmstrang and Beauxbatons--in heated competition. But when Harry's name is pulled from the Goblet of Fire, and he is chosen to champion Hogwarts in the tournament, the trouble really begins. Still reeling from the effects of a terrifying nightmare that has left him shaken, and with the lightning-shaped scar on his head throbbing with pain (a sure sign that the evil Voldemort, Harry's sworn enemy, is close), Harry becomes at once the most popular boy in school. Yet, despite his fame, he is totally unprepared for the furore that follows.

This is a hefty volume: 636 pages, of which probably at least 200 could have been cut without detracting from the story. The weight and complexity of the book is perhaps a hint that Rowling now has her eye sharply focused on her adult audience, and the average child-reader (particularly one who is coming to Harry Potter for the first time) may well find its girth daunting. Rowling's ironic and pointed observations on tabloid journalism and the nature of media hype is just one of the references littered through the book that will tickle the grown-ups but may well fly over the heads of her young fans.

However, after a slow start, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire really starts to sparkle halfway through with Rowling's familiar magic (and yes, there is a death--sudden and tragic--and yes, Harry does start to notice girls). The crux of this story, however, is Harry's gradual coming-of-age and his handling of the increasingly determined threats to his own life.

This book is pivotal, not just for the author for whom the heat is well and truly on, but for Harry and his readers who, by the last chapter, are left in little doubt that there is much more to come. (Ages 10 to adult) --Susan Harrison

A great read, 22 Sep 2008
Enjoyed this book from start to end. The type of book to have by your bedside at night. Will pass to my children when slightly older....The author introduced me in to the wonderful world of nursery rhymes.
When I purchased this book, Amazon recomended buying "Now Then Lad"!! This also is a fantastic read.

If your job is to create narratives then this is vital, 01 Sep 2008
It's early days for me with this book, and I'm going to have to read it several times to wring every drop of usefulness from it. But it seems to me that this is possibly one of the most important books ever written about the art of story telling. It's tied into unfashionable Freudian and Jungian analysis (the book was published in 1948), and it's best read if you already know the outline of the monomyth/heroic myth and why it's useful to writers (Google it---there are many sites offering on outline). It's also, essentially, an academic work, although I had no problems reading it, and it's definitely not an academic text of the "rigorous" type (ie an overload of citations and dry explanations). Campbell is a compelling writer, and the text reads well.

If you create narratives for a living, whether as a script writer or novelist, then this book should be considered essential reading. Unless you're supremely and destructively arrogant, I really can't see how your work won't be enhanced in some way by the analysis contained within. Not only will it help you structure your work but it will also help you connect with your readers or audience, because you will understand what it is that they want out of stories. It's interesting to see how many movies and novels that I've seen and read that explicitly contravene the advice in this book, and fail as a result. It really is that clear-cut.

Most Insightful Book, 05 Nov 2007
I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. It is a very intriguing and easy to read book, and I would strongly recommend this book to the general readers.

In this book, Campbell brought forth in a very insightful way about the journey of the 'archetypal hero' who can be found in almost all the mythologies and religions of every country. This is interesting for I never seen it before. The author has done so with a careful study of these mythologies, legends, and religions.

There was a mention of "Dark Night of the Soul" in this book, which I think is important for me personally. The fact that I have a journey and this book speak of great volume for me. Each of us has a road of trials, challenges and obstacles to face. But, not everyone has a destiny. There are many in our world who refuses to know one's own "dark night of the soul," who refuses to heed one's calling, and who desires to be 'safe' and 'asleep.' These people are ignorant of the fact that they are slaves to their own temptations and to the will of the psychopaths in power.

This book is one of the most important books. And, if you are a truth seeker, this is a book for you.

The One., 29 Sep 2007
This was one of the most infuential works in modern day, presenting the answer to many questions of myth. It has also inspired many to construct better modern day stories; from books to films.

Over hyped, 21 Mar 2007
In many ways the reviews are more interesting than the book. I read this many years ago before it was either fashionable or tied to Stars Wars or how to structure novels. It's good however I don't think this is Prof Campbell's finest work. I much prefer and have reread more often his four volume set The Masks of God. The book is interesting however don't believe reviews that tell you there would be no Stars Wars, no Sandman, no Watership Down without Campbell's book. He only interpreted The Hero -he didn't invent him. Enkidu was a Hero several millennia before Campbell was born.

A work of pure genius!, 09 Aug 2006
The key to understanding this classic book, and getting the most from it, is to realise that it's actually all about YOU. Campbell wrote it for YOU. Just think about the title for a start. YOU are the hero and your hero's journey is all about finding your inner life, your divine spark, and being engulfed and re-born out of it. This is what all the world's great hero myths were really talking about, symbolically, and Campbell brilliantly draws together the universal themes and parallels running through all the world's mystical and religious traditions, all of which were concerned (when understood metaphorically instead of literally) with this marvellous "death and resurrection" of the human psyche - from human animal to divine incarnation. It's a heroic deed which we all have the potential to achieve, and this book vibrantly and beautifully recollects many anicent stories that have drawn Mankind's imagination toward this very real transformation, through the use of the oldest and best means at our disposal - symbolic storytelling. This book is not just for the student or teacher of mythology or comparative religion, it's for everyone on the spiritual path. In fact, this book speaks directly to you wherever you are right now in life, whether on that path or not. Simply brilliant, and possibly the most important book of the 20th century. Even the full five star rating is not enough!

Proverbs & idioms, 17 Jan 2006
I bought this book just before moving to France 7 years ago. It's amusing and the ilustrations are great!

A very useful and interesting book - you can't put it down!, 10 May 2004
You are drawn to this book initially because of its appealing cover illustration. On delving deeper inside the pages you'll find some fantastic proverbs used by the French and their English equivalent. Not only is it essential reading for any French language student, but for the non-French speaker it also gives an insight into the way that a different language develops. Fun pictures accompany each proverb and also an contextual example of how each phrase is used.
Above all it's a fun book to browse through, which will be really useful for anyone studying the language.

Brilliant Way to Learn, and Retain, Mythical Knowledge!, 15 Jul 2004
This book is one of the best we have seen to cover the subject of Greek Myths. 16 myths catch all the magic of the stories for today's readers. It includes all the well-known favourites but some less well-known, too. When an eight year old is able to recall the contents of 'Pandora's Box', with ease, you know that an author has captured her readers! 'Hope' prevails!
Charming full colour illustrations make this a book hard to put down. A definite must for the book-shelf, and if the budget can stretch to it, the audio-book really enforces the facts!
Both are on at a great price, at Amazon.
Highly recommended!

Suberb retelling of Greek myths with beautiful illustrations, 28 Mar 2002
This book is the best collection of Greek myths for children I have ever read. The stories are told in a clear and simple way, yet also fully manage to convey their depth. I am a teacher of eleven year olds and on Friday mornings I read these tales for the children: they love them. McCaughrean does not shirk form occasionally shocking her readers with something challenging. The pictures are excellent and manage to convey just the right sense of magic and adventure. My own favourite among the stories is the epic tale of Perseus. It is told and illustrated with great verve and style. Anyone who wishes to share their love of mythology with children or who wishes to learn about them themselves should buy this book.

amazing a must have, 21 Mar 2006
very clear and easy to understand and read. full of interesting and factual information but presented in an exciting way. Absolutly fascinating! a must have for all historians or anyone hus interested in ancient civilisations.
covers a huge variety of different stories, myths, legends etc.
All in all an excellent book definatly 5 stars and definatly worth reading.

Really captures the heart of Greek Myth, 20 May 1998
This book is among the best myhology books I have ever read. It is expanded to the best and most popular of Greek Myths. For example, The Labors of Hercules, The Quest for the Golden Fleece and more.

BEST TALKING BOOK EVER, 31 Jan 2008
At once i loved this Talkingbook It was a brilliant find and i really loved it

Disappointing, 09 Nov 2006
I was so disappointed by this audio CD. The actor has a voice similar to Julian Clary and mispronounces some of the characters names! It could have been done a lot better.
Graphically gruesome in places, my rising 6 year old had nightmares. The Greek Myths are much loved in our house. We have books and audio books and this is the first disappointment.

Keeps the kids happy on long car journeys, 02 Aug 2006
We purchased this CD on the basis of another Amazon review and weren't disappointed. Ths kids (aged 8 & 6) love the stories (Heracles, Theseus, Perseus, Jason and the Argonauts among others) and the CD is requested on every car journey! It's a painless way of getting a bit of knowledge/history into us all. The stories are re-told in modern language with some music thrown in for effect at key points, which all adds to the effect. The narrator has a pleasant voice (important when these CDs are played repeatedly!) and even though we all know the stories backward now, enjoy them still.

Fantastic, 16 Jun 2007
I read this book in two sittings. The first while waiting in a hotel reception for my friend Darren. He was fairly late but I had plenty of time to kill. One of the bots at reception, a tall greek from Corfu, saw me waiting and handed me the book, "I have committed it all to memory", "you can keep it" he vocoded. I sat down and read a few chapters before I started to think I'd told Darren the wrong moon. He must have gone to Europa. I couldn't wait another hour for contact with Europa, and had been told by Darren not to use the telecom relay networks around Jupiter. I stopped reading and caught the Ganymede/Europa bus from outside the hotel. After about ten minutes of listening entertained to the bus' weird babble of tongues, I got a call from Darren, he said he'd contracted Liver Flees while sightseeing on Jupiter's rocky core and was currently resting at the health centre on Europa. His voice was strangely restrained, I wasn't sure whether he was joking, though I remembered from a Jessop Attenborough programme, that Liver Flees need hydrogen to survive, and since the last of Jupiter's hydrogen had been tapped 130 years ago, i figured he was just protecting his cover, maybe the space masons were with him.

Sat next to me on the bus, was a mother and child of a familiar Mandarin-speaking alien race - The Squit. These clothe-less people are descendants of what on earth we call `birds', The mother had what looked like bird feathers for hair and the child was young enough to still have the fingers of one arm attached the wing, the other arm was free and flailing. The mother was very attractive but the child was annoying. It was telling me story after story, all of which ending in "and I didn't even cry". I tried to think of something to say to end the onslaught yet still maintain my chances with the mother. In desperation I asked the mother "what's your favourite seed". I really wish I hadn't. She seized the opportunity to recite a litany of edible seeds from far and wide. Stumbling to think of a top top favourite seed, she looked up at the ceiling in thought. This gave me time to catch sight of her flange and busters, the joyous vision of overpowering my torment. Before I could completed SWOT analysis, she looked at me and carried on with her jabbering fusillade of seed talk. In total awe I looked back up at her beautiful beak, clasped it shut and kissed her on her beady black eye.

A remarkable reference book, 22 Sep 2004
This book is remarkable for many reasons. It covers the entire cannon of greek myths and legends in a refreshing and illuminating way. Graves cross-indexes the entire book with a kind of "internet-link hypertext" (this book was written WAY before the WWW) that can lead to surprising connections. And yes, he does present his ingenious "key" to understanding the "true" meanings "hidden" behind these stories, but he had the decency to separate these from the more generally accepted "University course" interpretations. And, as even critical reviewers have pointed out, even if you disagree with what he has to say, he was an extremely well read and scholarly man with an astonishing knack for rendering the past vivid and meaningful. His opinions are always thought provoking and worth reading...

The myths are great but the commentary is horrible, 30 Dec 2003
This is a fine scholarly work collecting together all the Greek myths from various sources (Hesiod, Homer, Apollodorus, Pindar, etc.) and retelling them in a highly accessible manner. However, for every page of Greek myth there are two pages of Graves's commentary and here is where the problem lies. It's all sacred queen and sacrificial king nonsense, the sort of prehistoric fantasy that he went on about at tedious length in the 'White Goddess'. Lacking documentary evidence, he feels free to impose whatever fantasy he likes on prehistoric European society and, at heart, Graves was nothing more than a new-age mystic. Nonetheless, buried among the dross there is real scholarship which makes you feel that you should read the commentary in case you miss something genuinely illuminating. It does make it damned hard going, though.

An Exhaustive Text for Advanced Students of Greek Mythology, 13 Apr 2003
Robert Graves' THE GREEK MYTHS falls between the Victorian bombast of Bulfinch and the popular style of Edith Hamilton, less stylistically intimidating than the former and more scholarly than the latter. Originally published as a two volume set in 1955 with author revisions in 1957 and 1960, this single volume text does not abridge the original text but merely confines it to a single binding.

One's reaction to THE GREEK MYTHS will depend to some extent on one's purpose in acquiring it. This is an exhaustive collection of Greek mythology that far outstrips any other modern anthology that I have encountered, including myths both better known and extremely obscure. Each myth is presented in concise, graceful prose, and where possible Graves includes genealogies of the characters and major variations of each myth; an interpretive essay also follows each myth.

While Graves' retelling of the myths themselves have been widely praised, his interpretations of the myths have been somewhat criticized--and justly so. Graves tends to see incarnations of the "White Goddess" and the "Sacrificial King" in every third story; more dangerously, he tends to tie the myths to historical events in a highly speculative way. While this does not undercut the interest of his interpretations, it does hold a number of traps for the casual reader, who may assume that Graves' essays offer standard, scholastically unbiased interpretations based on proven historical events.

For myself, I use Graves' THE GREEK MYTHS as both reference and pleasure-reading, and I enjoy it a great deal; it is an indispensable purchase for any one with a serious interest in Greek mythology or for any one who must frequently reference the same for scholarly purposes, and I strongly recommend it to them. At the same time, however, I would hesitate to recommend it to readers who have not previously been exposed to Greek mythology or who wish only a general knowledge of the major Greek myths; in such cases I would instead recommend Edith Hamilton's MYTHOLOGY: TIMELESS TALES OF GODS AND HEROES.

Mindblowing, 12 Sep 2001
It takes a while to get through it but believe me, its worth it. Robert Graves gives an insight to the lives and the beliefs of the greeks all those years ago and puts all the confusing stories into perspective and Summarises the symbolisum of the stories.

BRILLIANT !, 18 Jun 2008
Another brilliant installment from the Great JK Rowling !
Gets better with each book as we are led further into the wonderful world of magic ! Great to find out about the other Wizarding Schools of Beaubatons & Durmstrang and loved Viktor Krum !
a bit darker than the rest but it has to move on a bit now they are all getting older !
Brilliant !


Of epic proportion, of epic quality., 17 Jun 2008
'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' is no short read, taking the reader through over 600 pages of wit, humour, misery and excitement. For some, this book may indeed seem over-written, striding down corridors that are hundreds of yards from where the real plot is taking place. However, Rowling is to be commended for her ability to yet again shape the character of Harry Potter into a greater form, but at a pace relevant to mass market fiction. The growing animosity between Potter and Voldemort is considered in a real and engaging way, allowing the plot to play upon the reader's deepest fears.

Drink this goblet dry..., 07 Jun 2008
Rowling is on top form here. Ten pages in, I was hoping that it would never finish. The old caretaker, the 'One who cannot be named' and the eerie setting of an old house. It's great to see Harry maturing throughout the book, although I felt uneasy. But then I realised that was exactly what J K wanted. Great action, great character development, dark, and my favourite H Potter book yet.


Fantastic book magical, 15 Mar 2008
I have only been in to Harry Potter for about 10 months, 2months before the final book was released.I heard they were great but never bothered to read then.BUT am I glad I did they are BRILL I read them all in a few months and would recommend them to anyone of all ages.This book was one of my favourites.I was gripped from the start to the very end.

4th the best!, 13 Jan 2008
The book for the fourth year for Harry at Hogwarts is very different to the movie because Sirius Black was way more involved and Harry, Ron and Hermione visit him and brings him food while he lives in a cave in the mountains looking over Hogsmeade instead of him eating rats all the time. The book is about the Triwizard Tournament which is set in Hogwarts between Beauxbatons, Hogwarts and Durmstrang. Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour, and Viktor Krum, Harry Potter are selected to compete in the Tournament and they have to get through 3 tasks, each one harder than the previous and Cedric and Harry draw first place from the first and second so they have to go into the labyrinth first. Victor and Fleur are both out in the third task so it is between Harry and Cedric. At the end, Harry is in a hospital bed with everyone around him including Padfoot (Sirius as a dog). I would rate this book
10/ 10 and I think this is the best Harry Potter book.

A great read, 22 Sep 2008
Enjoyed this book from start to end. The type of book to have by your bedside at night. Will pass to my children when slightly older....The author introduced me in to the wonderful world of nursery rhymes.
When I purchased this book, Amazon recomended buying "Now Then Lad"!! This also is a fantastic read.

If your job is to create narratives then this is vital, 01 Sep 2008
It's early days for me with this book, and I'm going to have to read it several times to wring every drop of usefulness from it. But it seems to me that this is possibly one of the most important books ever written about the art of story telling. It's tied into unfashionable Freudian and Jungian analysis (the book was published in 1948), and it's best read if you already know the outline of the monomyth/heroic myth and why it's useful to writers (Google it---there are many sites offering on outline). It's also, essentially, an academic work, although I had no problems reading it, and it's definitely not an academic text of the "rigorous" type (ie an overload of citations and dry explanations). Campbell is a compelling writer, and the text reads well.

If you create narratives for a living, whether as a script writer or novelist, then this book should be considered essential reading. Unless you're supremely and destructively arrogant, I really can't see how your work won't be enhanced in some way by the analysis contained within. Not only will it help you structure your work but it will also help you connect with your readers or audience, because you will understand what it is that they want out of stories. It's interesting to see how many movies and novels that I've seen and read that explicitly contravene the advice in this book, and fail as a result. It really is that clear-cut.

Most Insightful Book, 05 Nov 2007
I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. It is a very intriguing and easy to read book, and I would strongly recommend this book to the general readers.

In this book, Campbell brought forth in a very insightful way about the journey of the 'archetypal hero' who can be found in almost all the mythologies and religions of every country. This is interesting for I never seen it before. The author has done so with a careful study of these mythologies, legends, and religions.

There was a mention of "Dark Night of the Soul" in this book, which I think is important for me personally. The fact that I have a journey and this book speak of great volume for me. Each of us has a road of trials, challenges and obstacles to face. But, not everyone has a destiny. There are many in our world who refuses to know one's own "dark night of the soul," who refuses to heed one's calling, and who desires to be 'safe' and 'asleep.' These people are ignorant of the fact that they are slaves to their own temptations and to the will of the psychopaths in power.

This book is one of the most important books. And, if you are a truth seeker, this is a book for you.

The One., 29 Sep 2007
This was one of the most infuential works in modern day, presenting the answer to many questions of myth. It has also inspired many to construct better modern day stories; from books to films.

Over hyped, 21 Mar 2007
In many ways the reviews are more interesting than the book. I read this many years ago before it was either fashionable or tied to Stars Wars or how to structure novels. It's good however I don't think this is Prof Campbell's finest work. I much prefer and have reread more often his four volume set The Masks of God. The book is interesting however don't believe reviews that tell you there would be no Stars Wars, no Sandman, no Watership Down without Campbell's book. He only interpreted The Hero -he didn't invent him. Enkidu was a Hero several millennia before Campbell was born.

A work of pure genius!, 09 Aug 2006
The key to understanding this classic book, and getting the most from it, is to realise that it's actually all about YOU. Campbell wrote it for YOU. Just think about the title for a start. YOU are the hero and your hero's journey is all about finding your inner life, your divine spark, and being engulfed and re-born out of it. This is what all the world's great hero myths were really talking about, symbolically, and Campbell brilliantly draws together the universal themes and parallels running through all the world's mystical and religious traditions, all of which were concerned (when understood metaphorically instead of literally) with this marvellous "death and resurrection" of the human psyche - from human animal to divine incarnation. It's a heroic deed which we all have the potential to achieve, and this book vibrantly and beautifully recollects many anicent stories that have drawn Mankind's imagination toward this very real transformation, through the use of the oldest and best means at our disposal - symbolic storytelling. This book is not just for the student or teacher of mythology or comparative religion, it's for everyone on the spiritual path. In fact, this book speaks directly to you wherever you are right now in life, whether on that path or not. Simply brilliant, and possibly the most important book of the 20th century. Even the full five star rating is not enough!

Proverbs & idioms, 17 Jan 2006
I bought this book just before moving to France 7 years ago. It's amusing and the ilustrations are great!

A very useful and interesting book - you can't put it down!, 10 May 2004
You are drawn to this book initially because of its appealing cover illustration. On delving deeper inside the pages you'll find some fantastic proverbs used by the French and their English equivalent. Not only is it essential reading for any French language student, but for the non-French speaker it also gives an insight into the way that a different language develops. Fun pictures accompany each proverb and also an contextual example of how each phrase is used.
Above all it's a fun book to browse through, which will be really useful for anyone studying the language.

Brilliant Way to Learn, and Retain, Mythical Knowledge!, 15 Jul 2004
This book is one of the best we have seen to cover the subject of Greek Myths. 16 myths catch all the magic of the stories for today's readers. It includes all the well-known favourites but some less well-known, too. When an eight year old is able to recall the contents of 'Pandora's Box', with ease, you know that an author has captured her readers! 'Hope' prevails!
Charming full colour illustrations make this a book hard to put down. A definite must for the book-shelf, and if the budget can stretch to it, the audio-book really enforces the facts!
Both are on at a great price, at Amazon.
Highly recommended!

Suberb retelling of Greek myths with beautiful illustrations, 28 Mar 2002
This book is the best collection of Greek myths for children I have ever read. The stories are told in a clear and simple way, yet also fully manage to convey their depth. I am a teacher of eleven year olds and on Friday mornings I read these tales for the children: they love them. McCaughrean does not shirk form occasionally shocking her readers with something challenging. The pictures are excellent and manage to convey just the right sense of magic and adventure. My own favourite among the stories is the epic tale of Perseus. It is told and illustrated with great verve and style. Anyone who wishes to share their love of mythology with children or who wishes to learn about them themselves should buy this book.

amazing a must have, 21 Mar 2006
very clear and easy to understand and read. full of interesting and factual information but presented in an exciting way. Absolutly fascinating! a must have for all historians or anyone hus interested in ancient civilisations.
covers a huge variety of different stories, myths, legends etc.
All in all an excellent book definatly 5 stars and definatly worth reading.

Really captures the heart of Greek Myth, 20 May 1998
This book is among the best myhology books I have ever read. It is expanded to the best and most popular of Greek Myths. For example, The Labors of Hercules, The Quest for the Golden Fleece and more.

BEST TALKING BOOK EVER, 31 Jan 2008
At once i loved this Talkingbook It was a brilliant find and i really loved it

Disappointing, 09 Nov 2006
I was so disappointed by this audio CD. The actor has a voice similar to Julian Clary and mispronounces some of the characters names! It could have been done a lot better.
Graphically gruesome in places, my rising 6 year old had nightmares. The Greek Myths are much loved in our house. We have books and audio books and this is the first disappointment.

Keeps the kids happy on long car journeys, 02 Aug 2006
We purchased this CD on the basis of another Amazon review and weren't disappointed. Ths kids (aged 8 & 6) love the stories (Heracles, Theseus, Perseus, Jason and the Argonauts among others) and the CD is requested on every car journey! It's a painless way of getting a bit of knowledge/history into us all. The stories are re-told in modern language with some music thrown in for effect at key points, which all adds to the effect. The narrator has a pleasant voice (important when these CDs are played repeatedly!) and even though we all know the stories backward now, enjoy them still.

Fantastic, 16 Jun 2007
I read this book in two sittings. The first while waiting in a hotel reception for my friend Darren. He was fairly late but I had plenty of time to kill. One of the bots at reception, a tall greek from Corfu, saw me waiting and handed me the book, "I have committed it all to memory", "you can keep it" he vocoded. I sat down and read a few chapters before I started to think I'd told Darren the wrong moon. He must have gone to Europa. I couldn't wait another hour for contact with Europa, and had been told by Darren not to use the telecom relay networks around Jupiter. I stopped reading and caught the Ganymede/Europa bus from outside the hotel. After about ten minutes of listening entertained to the bus' weird babble of tongues, I got a call from Darren, he said he'd contracted Liver Flees while sightseeing on Jupiter's rocky core and was currently resting at the health centre on Europa. His voice was strangely restrained, I wasn't sure whether he was joking, though I remembered from a Jessop Attenborough programme, that Liver Flees need hydrogen to survive, and since the last of Jup