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Greek Myths
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £7.03
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 Customer Reviews
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.
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Wonder of Unicorns
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £3.90
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Customer Reviews
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.
VERY INFORMATIVE, 19 Aug 2008
As I'm very new to the world of Pagan/Wicca, this seemed like a good place to start. I found the writing informative and very easy to understand, I haven't used any of the rituals, but used the book as as starters guide to the use of earth magic.
A Wicca Classic, 08 Jul 2008
Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner is a very well known book that everyone interested or partaking in Wicca has read at some stage in their spiritual development. It is recommended throughout every other book on Wicca or the occult you might read, which first led me to buy this book.
I found it beautifully written, but I would only recommend it to someone that is serious about learning Wicca as it puts everything into practise very quickly. Cunningham uses his own experiences as examples which give the book a personal touch, as if he is speaking directly to you. It includes some of Scott Cunningham's own Book Of Shadows, that makes up a nice bit of the book. It's a great example for anyone unsure what A Book Of Shadows is supposed to be or look like.
Altogether, this book is packed full of information in a small volume and will become the one of the most read books on Wicca you will own. But, again, I would only recommend it for SERIOUS people with a geniune interest in practicing the Craft.
A true Gem!!, 21 Aug 2007
I was directed to buy this book when I first decided to follow the wiccan path. It is a wonderful book, well written, it seems like Scott Cunningham is speaking right to the reader (may he find peace and happiness in the Summerland). He was such a gifted writer, I will be collecting many more of his books!! A Must buy for anyone New to the faith!! Blessed Be
a must buy for the new witch, 15 Jul 2007
If anyone were to ask me about wicca, whether for me to teach them, for them to simply need a few references on it, or simply for them just to learn about it, I would immediately recommend this book
This book covers so many topics, and for the beginner is absolutely indispencsable as an introductiobn to wicca. Scott's style is easy, informative and, due to his desire for perfection, absolutely full of useful information for a new witch.
Without this book I would not be on the path I am, and that thought does scare me; that I would never have found the Goddess and God and all the wonderful things that eneter your life once this discovery is made
I think that the world of wicca would not be where it is now if it wasn't for scott cunningham. I would highly recommend all of his encyclopedias, and the follow up to this book is just as relevant as this one.
a must buy for the new witch
My first book about Wicca, 02 Aug 2006
This is a very inspiring book and is just perfect for a beginner. This was my first reading and it was NOT DISAPOINTING at all, on the contrary, it inspired me so much. After reading this book i started growing on Wicca's path. Scott puts things in such a simple but efective way... It's all there and you understand it all, seems all so simple, and it actualy is if you take one step at a time. Be patient and enjoy the way you grow.
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Customer Reviews
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.
VERY INFORMATIVE, 19 Aug 2008
As I'm very new to the world of Pagan/Wicca, this seemed like a good place to start. I found the writing informative and very easy to understand, I haven't used any of the rituals, but used the book as as starters guide to the use of earth magic.
A Wicca Classic, 08 Jul 2008
Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner is a very well known book that everyone interested or partaking in Wicca has read at some stage in their spiritual development. It is recommended throughout every other book on Wicca or the occult you might read, which first led me to buy this book.
I found it beautifully written, but I would only recommend it to someone that is serious about learning Wicca as it puts everything into practise very quickly. Cunningham uses his own experiences as examples which give the book a personal touch, as if he is speaking directly to you. It includes some of Scott Cunningham's own Book Of Shadows, that makes up a nice bit of the book. It's a great example for anyone unsure what A Book Of Shadows is supposed to be or look like.
Altogether, this book is packed full of information in a small volume and will become the one of the most read books on Wicca you will own. But, again, I would only recommend it for SERIOUS people with a geniune interest in practicing the Craft.
A true Gem!!, 21 Aug 2007
I was directed to buy this book when I first decided to follow the wiccan path. It is a wonderful book, well written, it seems like Scott Cunningham is speaking right to the reader (may he find peace and happiness in the Summerland). He was such a gifted writer, I will be collecting many more of his books!! A Must buy for anyone New to the faith!! Blessed Be
a must buy for the new witch, 15 Jul 2007
If anyone were to ask me about wicca, whether for me to teach them, for them to simply need a few references on it, or simply for them just to learn about it, I would immediately recommend this book
This book covers so many topics, and for the beginner is absolutely indispencsable as an introductiobn to wicca. Scott's style is easy, informative and, due to his desire for perfection, absolutely full of useful information for a new witch.
Without this book I would not be on the path I am, and that thought does scare me; that I would never have found the Goddess and God and all the wonderful things that eneter your life once this discovery is made
I think that the world of wicca would not be where it is now if it wasn't for scott cunningham. I would highly recommend all of his encyclopedias, and the follow up to this book is just as relevant as this one.
a must buy for the new witch
My first book about Wicca, 02 Aug 2006
This is a very inspiring book and is just perfect for a beginner. This was my first reading and it was NOT DISAPOINTING at all, on the contrary, it inspired me so much. After reading this book i started growing on Wicca's path. Scott puts things in such a simple but efective way... It's all there and you understand it all, seems all so simple, and it actualy is if you take one step at a time. Be patient and enjoy the way you grow.
Be Advised, 10 Oct 2007
After reading other customer reviews about this book I couldnt wait to have it to hand for I was running out of ideas for the childrens' bedtime story.When you open it up you find hundreds of stories to choose from but unfortunately as I started to read it I was constantly being interupted with questions of "what does 'hast thou' mean daddy ?" and "whats 'ran thither to entreat him' mean ?" and "whats 'hark thee'?".For the book is full of oldy worldy sayings. I found it quite useful to read ahead before reading it at bedtime. It saves lots of questions and time.
Grimm fairy tales review, 27 Mar 2005
For the fan of fairy tales this book is a lovely addition to any collection. Although lengthy and perhaps not the best introduction to the works of the Grimm brothers, it is comprehensive. The stories are short enough to read aloud and the illustrations are simple and compliment the stories well.
I give this book four stars only because I would have liked more illustrations and would have liked the book to be more child friendly.
Everlasting, 06 Nov 2003
I knew some of Grimms fairy tales but had no idea they had written so many - and here they all are! If you are hoping for the sanitised Disney version you'll be disappointed - these are the real stories and there's a whole HEAP of them. Don't just buy it for your kids - buy it for yourself, its Fabulous!
Fantastic - for old & young alike, 08 Nov 2001
You don't have to be a child to enjoy this book - the stories are funny, interesting and relevent. The characters & situations they portray can be applied to everyday people & situations - thus the sign of great storytelling - these stories are timeless.
A great book to pick up for a quick read - some of the stories are only one page long.
Definitely a book to have your collection.
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Mythology for Dummies (For dummies)
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Christopher W. BlackwellAmy Hackney Blackwell;
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Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £7.52
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Customer Reviews
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.
VERY INFORMATIVE, 19 Aug 2008
As I'm very new to the world of Pagan/Wicca, this seemed like a good place to start. I found the writing informative and very easy to understand, I haven't used any of the rituals, but used the book as as starters guide to the use of earth magic.
A Wicca Classic, 08 Jul 2008
Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner is a very well known book that everyone interested or partaking in Wicca has read at some stage in their spiritual development. It is recommended throughout every other book on Wicca or the occult you might read, which first led me to buy this book.
I found it beautifully written, but I would only recommend it to someone that is serious about learning Wicca as it puts everything into practise very quickly. Cunningham uses his own experiences as examples which give the book a personal touch, as if he is speaking directly to you. It includes some of Scott Cunningham's own Book Of Shadows, that makes up a nice bit of the book. It's a great example for anyone unsure what A Book Of Shadows is supposed to be or look like.
Altogether, this book is packed full of information in a small volume and will become the one of the most read books on Wicca you will own. But, again, I would only recommend it for SERIOUS people with a geniune interest in practicing the Craft.
A true Gem!!, 21 Aug 2007
I was directed to buy this book when I first decided to follow the wiccan path. It is a wonderful book, well written, it seems like Scott Cunningham is speaking right to the reader (may he find peace and happiness in the Summerland). He was such a gifted writer, I will be collecting many more of his books!! A Must buy for anyone New to the faith!! Blessed Be
a must buy for the new witch, 15 Jul 2007
If anyone were to ask me about wicca, whether for me to teach them, for them to simply need a few references on it, or simply for them just to learn about it, I would immediately recommend this book
This book covers so many topics, and for the beginner is absolutely indispencsable as an introductiobn to wicca. Scott's style is easy, informative and, due to his desire for perfection, absolutely full of useful information for a new witch.
Without this book I would not be on the path I am, and that thought does scare me; that I would never have found the Goddess and God and all the wonderful things that eneter your life once this discovery is made
I think that the world of wicca would not be where it is now if it wasn't for scott cunningham. I would highly recommend all of his encyclopedias, and the follow up to this book is just as relevant as this one.
a must buy for the new witch
My first book about Wicca, 02 Aug 2006
This is a very inspiring book and is just perfect for a beginner. This was my first reading and it was NOT DISAPOINTING at all, on the contrary, it inspired me so much. After reading this book i started growing on Wicca's path. Scott puts things in such a simple but efective way... It's all there and you understand it all, seems all so simple, and it actualy is if you take one step at a time. Be patient and enjoy the way you grow.
Be Advised, 10 Oct 2007
After reading other customer reviews about this book I couldnt wait to have it to hand for I was running out of ideas for the childrens' bedtime story.When you open it up you find hundreds of stories to choose from but unfortunately as I started to read it I was constantly being interupted with questions of "what does 'hast thou' mean daddy ?" and "whats 'ran thither to entreat him' mean ?" and "whats 'hark thee'?".For the book is full of oldy worldy sayings. I found it quite useful to read ahead before reading it at bedtime. It saves lots of questions and time.
Grimm fairy tales review, 27 Mar 2005
For the fan of fairy tales this book is a lovely addition to any collection. Although lengthy and perhaps not the best introduction to the works of the Grimm brothers, it is comprehensive. The stories are short enough to read aloud and the illustrations are simple and compliment the stories well.
I give this book four stars only because I would have liked more illustrations and would have liked the book to be more child friendly.
Everlasting, 06 Nov 2003
I knew some of Grimms fairy tales but had no idea they had written so many - and here they all are! If you are hoping for the sanitised Disney version you'll be disappointed - these are the real stories and there's a whole HEAP of them. Don't just buy it for your kids - buy it for yourself, its Fabulous!
Fantastic - for old & young alike, 08 Nov 2001
You don't have to be a child to enjoy this book - the stories are funny, interesting and relevent. The characters & situations they portray can be applied to everyday people & situations - thus the sign of great storytelling - these stories are timeless.
A great book to pick up for a quick read - some of the stories are only one page long.
Definitely a book to have your collection.
Don't myth it..., 05 Jan 2006
'Mythology for Dummies' is part of the widely-read 'Dummies' series, and lives up to most of the expectations one might have of a volume in that series. It has the requisite cartoons, the various side-bar items throughout the text, and the the top-ten lists at the end - in this case, the Top Ten Places (which includes Vahalla, Elysium, Atlantis, even Brigadoon) and the Top Ten Monsters (Gorgons, Unicorns, the Sphinx, dragons, etc.). This is a volume of mythology is not just classical Greek and Roman mythology (that which most people think of when they think of mythology). It does include these in good measure, but also goes further afield to include an overview of the main characters, stories and ideas of mythological constructs in cultures all over the world. These include some that are familiar and related to the Greco-Roman traditions - Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, Celtic and Nordic mythologies. There are also those that are quite removed from this collection of pantheons - the Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Native American traditions of mythology are also included here. The first section gives a brief overview of what mythology is and isn't. It doesn't go too deeply into the debate over religion (after all, one person's mythology might be another person's religion). It does give some insight into the purpose of such stories for the cultures that maintained them, and how we have come to regard such tales in more modern times. Mythology is not just about gods, goddesses and monsters, after all. Often there is a very strong human component in the myths, which can serve for ethical and moral instruction as well as inspiration. These are written in the witty style typical of the series - 'How to spot a myth a mile away' is one section title. Mythology is also shown to be not something exclusively of the ancient world - American myths such as Johnny Appleseed and Br'er Rabbit are highlighted as examples. Some of the stories included here fall more under the category of 'legend' than 'mythology' in popular definition - the stories of King Arthur, for example, do fall under the category of mythology, although it is rarely assigned such categorisation for a host of reasons. However, the Arthurian legends are contained here (one section is entitled 'Sex, Lies, and Good Jousting'). The text also ventures into the delicate area of the parallels between ancient Mesopotamian legends and early Biblical stories - tales such as the Tower of Babel and the Great Flood bear striking similarity to many extra-canonical tales in the ancient region. The prose is good and accessible, like most of the Dummies books. There are some graphics and line-art drawings, and the chapters are short enough for the typical reader to finish easily in one sitting. This is a fun way to learn the old stories, and relate them to modern times. I would recommend this book for adults with a general interest, and also for undergraduate students and even high school students who want a survey of the material.
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Customer Reviews
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.
VERY INFORMATIVE, 19 Aug 2008
As I'm very new to the world of Pagan/Wicca, this seemed like a good place to start. I found the writing informative and very easy to understand, I haven't used any of the rituals, but used the book as as starters guide to the use of earth magic.
A Wicca Classic, 08 Jul 2008
Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner is a very well known book that everyone interested or partaking in Wicca has read at some stage in their spiritual development. It is recommended throughout every other book on Wicca or the occult you might read, which first led me to buy this book.
I found it beautifully written, but I would only recommend it to someone that is serious about learning Wicca as it puts everything into practise very quickly. Cunningham uses his own experiences as examples which give the book a personal touch, as if he is speaking directly to you. It includes some of Scott Cunningham's own Book Of Shadows, that makes up a nice bit of the book. It's a great example for anyone unsure what A Book Of Shadows is supposed to be or look like.
Altogether, this book is packed full of information in a small volume and will become the one of the most read books on Wicca you will own. But, again, I would only recommend it for SERIOUS people with a geniune interest in practicing the Craft.
A true Gem!!, 21 Aug 2007
I was directed to buy this book when I first decided to follow the wiccan path. It is a wonderful book, well written, it seems like Scott Cunningham is speaking right to the reader (may he find peace and happiness in the Summerland). He was such a gifted writer, I will be collecting many more of his books!! A Must buy for anyone New to the faith!! Blessed Be
a must buy for the new witch, 15 Jul 2007
If anyone were to ask me about wicca, whether for me to teach them, for them to simply need a few references on it, or simply for them just to learn about it, I would immediately recommend this book
This book covers so many topics, and for the beginner is absolutely indispencsable as an introductiobn to wicca. Scott's style is easy, informative and, due to his desire for perfection, absolutely full of useful information for a new witch.
Without this book I would not be on the path I am, and that thought does scare me; that I would never have found the Goddess and God and all the wonderful things that eneter your life once this discovery is made
I think that the world of wicca would not be where it is now if it wasn't for scott cunningham. I would highly recommend all of his encyclopedias, and the follow up to this book is just as relevant as this one.
a must buy for the new witch
My first book about Wicca, 02 Aug 2006
This is a very inspiring book and is just perfect for a beginner. This was my first reading and it was NOT DISAPOINTING at all, on the contrary, it inspired me so much. After reading this book i started growing on Wicca's path. Scott puts things in such a simple but efective way... It's all there and you understand it all, seems all so simple, and it actualy is if you take one step at a time. Be patient and enjoy the way you grow.
Be Advised, 10 Oct 2007
After reading other customer reviews about this book I couldnt wait to have it to hand for I was running out of ideas for the childrens' bedtime story.When you open it up you find hundreds of stories to choose from but unfortunately as I started to read it I was constantly being interupted with questions of "what does 'hast thou' mean daddy ?" and "whats 'ran thither to entreat him' mean ?" and "whats 'hark thee'?".For the book is full of oldy worldy sayings. I found it quite useful to read ahead before reading it at bedtime. It saves lots of questions and time.
Grimm fairy tales review, 27 Mar 2005
For the fan of fairy tales this book is a lovely addition to any collection. Although lengthy and perhaps not the best introduction to the works of the Grimm brothers, it is comprehensive. The stories are short enough to read aloud and the illustrations are simple and compliment the stories well.
I give this book four stars only because I would have liked more illustrations and would have liked the book to be more child friendly.
Everlasting, 06 Nov 2003
I knew some of Grimms fairy tales but had no idea they had written so many - and here they all are! If you are hoping for the sanitised Disney version you'll be disappointed - these are the real stories and there's a whole HEAP of them. Don't just buy it for your kids - buy it for yourself, its Fabulous!
Fantastic - for old & young alike, 08 Nov 2001
You don't have to be a child to enjoy this book - the stories are funny, interesting and relevent. The characters & situations they portray can be applied to everyday people & situations - thus the sign of great storytelling - these stories are timeless.
A great book to pick up for a quick read - some of the stories are only one page long.
Definitely a book to have your collection.
Don't myth it..., 05 Jan 2006
'Mythology for Dummies' is part of the widely-read 'Dummies' series, and lives up to most of the expectations one might have of a volume in that series. It has the requisite cartoons, the various side-bar items throughout the text, and the the top-ten lists at the end - in this case, the Top Ten Places (which includes Vahalla, Elysium, Atlantis, even Brigadoon) and the Top Ten Monsters (Gorgons, Unicorns, the Sphinx, dragons, etc.). This is a volume of mythology is not just classical Greek and Roman mythology (that which most people think of when they think of mythology). It does include these in good measure, but also goes further afield to include an overview of the main characters, stories and ideas of mythological constructs in cultures all over the world. These include some that are familiar and related to the Greco-Roman traditions - Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, Celtic and Nordic mythologies. There are also those that are quite removed from this collection of pantheons - the Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Native American traditions of mythology are also included here. The first section gives a brief overview of what mythology is and isn't. It doesn't go too deeply into the debate over religion (after all, one person's mythology might be another person's religion). It does give some insight into the purpose of such stories for the cultures that maintained them, and how we have come to regard such tales in more modern times. Mythology is not just about gods, goddesses and monsters, after all. Often there is a very strong human component in the myths, which can serve for ethical and moral instruction as well as inspiration. These are written in the witty style typical of the series - 'How to spot a myth a mile away' is one section title. Mythology is also shown to be not something exclusively of the ancient world - American myths such as Johnny Appleseed and Br'er Rabbit are highlighted as examples. Some of the stories included here fall more under the category of 'legend' than 'mythology' in popular definition - the stories of King Arthur, for example, do fall under the category of mythology, although it is rarely assigned such categorisation for a host of reasons. However, the Arthurian legends are contained here (one section is entitled 'Sex, Lies, and Good Jousting'). The text also ventures into the delicate area of the parallels between ancient Mesopotamian legends and early Biblical stories - tales such as the Tower of Babel and the Great Flood bear striking similarity to many extra-canonical tales in the ancient region. The prose is good and accessible, like most of the Dummies books. There are some graphics and line-art drawings, and the chapters are short enough for the typical reader to finish easily in one sitting. This is a fun way to learn the old stories, and relate them to modern times. I would recommend this book for adults with a general interest, and also for undergraduate students and even high school students who want a survey of the material.
Some useful info but a bit fluffy for my taste, 19 Sep 2007
Since everyone else seems to be raving about this book I thought I'd offer an alternative view. I find the whole thing a little fluffy and fuzzy, frankly. That's not to say that there isn't useful information in here, but I'm not sure that one couldn't dig that up with a little searching on the internet.
A lot of the information is either common sense magickal knowledge (he bangs on a lot about focusing on intent during preparation) or could be better found in a book of correspondances such as Crowley's 777 or similar. There were some new correspondances I wasn't aware of, however.
The recipes section is a little odd also. It may give you a recipe and then tell you to not even consider using it, presumably since it contains strong or dangerous substances - perhaps a symptom of a culture of litagy, but nevertheless I found it strange. A simple disclaimer at the beginning of the book would be sufficient, surely? What's more, the recipes don't really contain any information other than the ingredients. He never mentions his sources for these recipes and on occasion says - "I've never been able to find substance X so use a substitute", marking out a few recipes as being not his invention. Where traditional recipes exist it would have been useful for them to be marked as such, and likewise where a recipe is simply his own devising.
My final criticism is one that I would level at all Cunningham's stuff that I've read which is that I find his writing style a little irritating. He has a tendency to point out the obvious and for condecension, and he constructs arguments in a fuzzy manner. I find it a little weak and couched in too much new age fluffiness. Being used to reading Crowley, and being accustomed to that degree of mental alacrity, it is too large a step back to stomach.
All in all some useful stuff here, if you can stomach the presentation, but little that could not be found on the internet.
Best book on potions etc you can have, 27 Jun 2005
Wonderful book. I am quite new to wicca and have found this book the most helpful so far for bath brews, oils and insense. Scott cunningham was one of the greats when it came to writing books of the craft and long may he continue to be. You won't go wrong with buying this book.
Excellent book, 06 Jan 2005
This book is great,iv had this for a while now and i use it the most especially when i was a beginner,its excellent you can make up your own spells with the information,different oils for different outcomes,which incense to burn for what,how to make bath oils and what oils to mix and make magical oils for spell workings its so good,a full list of oils and what they are used for,its a definate must for any one following the wiccan path or anyone really whos interested in oils,and incenses,well worth the money
Brilliant book for everyone., 09 Jul 2004
I was so happy to recieve this book, it is so helpful and especially great for kitchen witches who work a lot with herbs.
To me it's an essential, and i highly recommend to just about everyone, as it also shows how to make gifts such as herbal bath teas, so you can even treat yourself. Well worth it!
Incense, Oils & Brews--Scott Cunningham, 11 Jun 2004
Well thumbed, dirty around the edges & with so many place markings what else can I say!!
Being also an Aromatherapist & with a good grasp of the do's & dont's of the "Oil/Herb World" I found this a very welcome volume to my very extensive "libary".
What ever you believe in & whatever you decide to call it. It will work.
Good to read with many varied "creams/lotions & potions" they are what you make of them, wether you 'empower'or not, the recipes/concoctions - for want of better words- should be done with love- as should anything that you make for yourself or for others,
So enjoy & take it as it is, an interesting volume well worth the space that it takes in your library.
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Customer Reviews
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.
VERY INFORMATIVE, 19 Aug 2008
As I'm very new to the world of Pagan/Wicca, this seemed like a good place to start. I found the writing informative and very easy to understand, I haven't used any of the rituals, but used the book as as starters guide to the use of earth magic.
A Wicca Classic, 08 Jul 2008
Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner is a very well known book that everyone interested or partaking in Wicca has read at some stage in their spiritual development. It is recommended throughout every other book on Wicca or the occult you might read, which first led me to buy this book.
I found it beautifully written, but I would only recommend it to someone that is serious about learning Wicca as it puts everything into practise very quickly. Cunningham uses his own experiences as examples which give the book a personal touch, as if he is speaking directly to you. It includes some of Scott Cunningham's own Book Of Shadows, that makes up a nice bit of the book. It's a great example for anyone unsure what A Book Of Shadows is supposed to be or look like.
Altogether, this book is packed full of information in a small volume and will become the one of the most read books on Wicca you will own. But, again, I would only recommend it for SERIOUS people with a geniune interest in practicing the Craft.
A true Gem!!, 21 Aug 2007
I was directed to buy this book when I first decided to follow the wiccan path. It is a wonderful book, well written, it seems like Scott Cunningham is speaking right to the reader (may he find peace and happiness in the Summerland). He was such a gifted writer, I will be collecting many more of his books!! A Must buy for anyone New to the faith!! Blessed Be
a must buy for the new witch, 15 Jul 2007
If anyone were to ask me about wicca, whether for me to teach them, for them to simply need a few references on it, or simply for them just to learn about it, I would immediately recommend this book
This book covers so many topics, and for the beginner is absolutely indispencsable as an introductiobn to wicca. Scott's style is easy, informative and, due to his desire for perfection, absolutely full of useful information for a new witch.
Without this book I would not be on the path I am, and that thought does scare me; that I would never have found the Goddess and God and all the wonderful things that eneter your life once this discovery is made
I think that the world of wicca would not be where it is now if it wasn't for scott cunningham. I would highly recommend all of his encyclopedias, and the follow up to this book is just as relevant as this one.
a must buy for the new witch
My first book about Wicca, 02 Aug 2006
This is a very inspiring book and is just perfect for a beginner. This was my first reading and it was NOT DISAPOINTING at all, on the contrary, it inspired me so much. After reading this book i started growing on Wicca's path. Scott puts things in such a simple but efective way... It's all there and you understand it all, seems all so simple, and it actualy is if you take one step at a time. Be patient and enjoy the way you grow.
Be Advised, 10 Oct 2007
After reading other customer reviews about this book I couldnt wait to have it to hand for I was running out of ideas for the childrens' bedtime story.When you open it up you find hundreds of stories to choose from but unfortunately as I started to read it I was constantly being interupted with questions of "what does 'hast thou' mean daddy ?" and "whats 'ran thither to entreat him' mean ?" and "whats 'hark thee'?".For the book is full of oldy worldy sayings. I found it quite useful to read ahead before reading it at bedtime. It saves lots of questions and time.
Grimm fairy tales review, 27 Mar 2005
For the fan of fairy tales this book is a lovely addition to any collection. Although lengthy and perhaps not the best introduction to the works of the Grimm brothers, it is comprehensive. The stories are short enough to read aloud and the illustrations are simple and compliment the stories well.
I give this book four stars only because I would have liked more illustrations and would have liked the book to be more child friendly.
Everlasting, 06 Nov 2003
I knew some of Grimms fairy tales but had no idea they had written so many - and here they all are! If you are hoping for the sanitised Disney version you'll be disappointed - these are the real stories and there's a whole HEAP of them. Don't just buy it for your kids - buy it for yourself, its Fabulous!
Fantastic - for old & young alike, 08 Nov 2001
You don't have to be a child to enjoy this book - the stories are funny, interesting and relevent. The characters & situations they portray can be applied to everyday people & situations - thus the sign of great storytelling - these stories are timeless.
A great book to pick up for a quick read - some of the stories are only one page long.
Definitely a book to have your collection.
Don't myth it..., 05 Jan 2006
'Mythology for Dummies' is part of the widely-read 'Dummies' series, and lives up to most of the expectations one might have of a volume in that series. It has the requisite cartoons, the various side-bar items throughout the text, and the the top-ten lists at the end - in this case, the Top Ten Places (which includes Vahalla, Elysium, Atlantis, even Brigadoon) and the Top Ten Monsters (Gorgons, Unicorns, the Sphinx, dragons, etc.). This is a volume of mythology is not just classical Greek and Roman mythology (that which most people think of when they think of mythology). It does include these in good measure, but also goes further afield to include an overview of the main characters, stories and ideas of mythological constructs in cultures all over the world. These include some that are familiar and related to the Greco-Roman traditions - Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, Celtic and Nordic mythologies. There are also those that are quite removed from this collection of pantheons - the Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Native American traditions of mythology are also included here. The first section gives a brief overview of what mythology is and isn't. It doesn't go too deeply into the debate over religion (after all, one person's mythology might be another person's religion). It does give some insight into the purpose of such stories for the cultures that maintained them, and how we have come to regard such tales in more modern times. Mythology is not just about gods, goddesses and monsters, after all. Often there is a very strong human component in the myths, which can serve for ethical and moral instruction as well as inspiration. These are written in the witty style typical of the series - 'How to spot a myth a mile away' is one section title. Mythology is also shown to be not something exclusively of the ancient world - American myths such as Johnny Appleseed and Br'er Rabbit are highlighted as examples. Some of the stories included here fall more under the category of 'legend' than 'mythology' in popular definition - the stories of King Arthur, for example, do fall under the category of mythology, although it is rarely assigned such categorisation for a host of reasons. However, the Arthurian legends are contained here (one section is entitled 'Sex, Lies, and Good Jousting'). The text also ventures into the delicate area of the parallels between ancient Mesopotamian legends and early Biblical stories - tales such as the Tower of Babel and the Great Flood bear striking similarity to many extra-canonical tales in the ancient region. The prose is good and accessible, like most of the Dummies books. There are some graphics and line-art drawings, and the chapters are short enough for the typical reader to finish easily in one sitting. This is a fun way to learn the old stories, and relate them to modern times. I would recommend this book for adults with a general interest, and also for undergraduate students and even high school students who want a survey of the material.
Some useful info but a bit fluffy for my taste, 19 Sep 2007
Since everyone else seems to be raving about this book I thought I'd offer an alternative view. I find the whole thing a little fluffy and fuzzy, frankly. That's not to say that there isn't useful information in here, but I'm not sure that one couldn't dig that up with a little searching on the internet.
A lot of the information is either common sense magickal knowledge (he bangs on a lot about focusing on intent during preparation) or could be better found in a book of correspondances such as Crowley's 777 or similar. There were some new correspondances I wasn't aware of, however.
The recipes section is a little odd also. It may give you a recipe and then tell you to not even consider using it, presumably since it contains strong or dangerous substances - perhaps a symptom of a culture of litagy, but nevertheless I found it strange. A simple disclaimer at the beginning of the book would be sufficient, surely? What's more, the recipes don't really contain any information other than the ingredients. He never mentions his sources for these recipes and on occasion says - "I've never been able to find substance X so use a substitute", marking out a few recipes as being not his invention. Where traditional recipes exist it would have been useful for them to be marked as such, and likewise where a recipe is simply his own devising.
My final criticism is one that I would level at all Cunningham's stuff that I've read which is that I find his writing style a little irritating. He has a tendency to point out the obvious and for condecension, and he constructs arguments in a fuzzy manner. I find it a little weak and couched in too much new age fluffiness. Being used to reading Crowley, and being accustomed to that degree of mental alacrity, it is too large a step back to stomach.
All in all some useful stuff here, if you can stomach the presentation, but little that could not be found on the internet.
Best book on potions etc you can have, 27 Jun 2005
Wonderful book. I am quite new to wicca and have found this book the most helpful so far for bath brews, oils and insense. Scott cunningham was one of the greats when it came to writing books of the craft and long may he continue to be. You won't go wrong with buying this book.
Excellent book, 06 Jan 2005
This book is great,iv had this for a while now and i use it the most especially when i was a beginner,its excellent you can make up your own spells with the information,different oils for different outcomes,which incense to burn for what,how to make bath oils and what oils to mix and make magical oils for spell workings its so good,a full list of oils and what they are used for,its a definate must for any one following the wiccan path or anyone really whos interested in oils,and incenses,well worth the money
Brilliant book for everyone., 09 Jul 2004
I was so happy to recieve this book, it is so helpful and especially great for kitchen witches who work a lot with herbs.
To me it's an essential, and i highly recommend to just about everyone, as it also shows how to make gifts such as herbal bath teas, so you can even treat yourself. Well worth it!
Incense, Oils & Brews--Scott Cunningham, 11 Jun 2004
Well thumbed, dirty around the edges & with so many place markings what else can I say!!
Being also an Aromatherapist & with a good grasp of the do's & dont's of the "Oil/Herb World" I found this a very welcome volume to my very extensive "libary".
What ever you believe in & whatever you decide to call it. It will work.
Good to read with many varied "creams/lotions & potions" they are what you make of them, wether you 'empower'or not, the recipes/concoctions - for want of better words- should be done with love- as should anything that you make for yourself or for others,
So enjoy & take it as it is, an interesting volume well worth the space that it takes in your library.
Forced to parent your mother from the age of 5?, 02 Feb 2001
If you, like me, suffered from role reversal, if your mother expected you to "look after mummy because if you don't, something might happen to me!", if you have been weighed down by guilt, shame, anger and depression which seems to have dominated your adult life, if you still don't seem to know who you are as a woman when everyone else seems to know where they are going, if you still feel an overwhelming need to be parented, then, this cassette comes as highly recommended. The author, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, sounds as if she has travelled a very similar journey. Her voice is warm, soothing and empathic, as she explains why unmothered children get locked into certain ways of behaving, the depressions, the feelings of unworthiness and low self-esteem, and the far-reaching effects such abuse can have on adult life. Listening to this tape will give any unmothered adults, (especially women), hope, understanding, and empowerment to find their way back to the child they once were. Clarissa states very early on in the tape that the only person who can parent an unmothered adult and "make it better" is the adult herself. A bitter pill to swallow when all you want is for someone to come into your life and do it all for you but knowing that truth can act as a catalyst for change. Yes there is a way out of this dungeon of pain. Your life can change. You can't change your past any more than I can, but you can change your future. Let Clarissa help you and guide your first steps on the road to your recovery.
This tape changed my life, 05 Sep 1999
I am grateful to the person who recommended this tape to me. I was indeed the stone child - the motherless child. I had fallen into such deep depression that I did not know if I could go on living. The first time I listened to this tape something happened inside my heart, I discovered a small flame of life within that I had never known was there. Clarrisa's warm voice, enouraging words of insight and hope renewed me and lifted me out of my depression. I listened to her tape over and over day after day and something changed inside. And because of the change deep within my life changed too. I finally found that what I was looking for outside was actually within me all the time. Thank you Clarrisa for helping me find it within. I look forward to listening to all of her tapes and continuing on this journey of warming the stone child and connecting to my own internal mother within to guide me through my life.
Just what I need in my life right now, 01 Aug 1999
I really don't know what I would have done had I not found this tape. Someone recommended it to me. I feel like the stone child in the tape and I feel like the life is nearly gone from me, the will to live has been quickly fading. She has pointed me in a new direction of healing and hope. Dr. Estes has a soothing and caring voice. Her stories, Jungian explanations and warmth fanned the tiny ember in my heart into a small flame. Maybe if I learn to love myself and care for myself this tiny flame can grow strong. I highly recommend this tape to anyone who was abandoned in childhood and abandonment can be emotional as well as physical. I did not know if there was hope. After listening to her I think there is.
Ms. What a fantastic resource!, 28 Dec 1998
I heartily recommend Warming the Stone Child. She goes right to the heart of healing the core issues of anyone who has experienced abandonment by a crucial nurturing figure. I have listened to this tape over an over again after it was given to me as a gift. Her stories and wisdom have helped to nurture my psyche in many important way. I return to it again and again.
There is a nurturing internal mother inside us all, 16 Nov 1998
I could never say enough about any book or tape by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. This audio tape in particular has meant a lot to me in healing wounds of childhood neglect and abandonment. Each time I listen to these stories my internal mother grows, becomes stronger, and is more able to nurture me in a way I have never experienced. Dr. Estes talks about what an unmothered child experiences, but she also helps you see that you have special gifts and powers, and only need to search within to find and free them.
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Customer Reviews
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 | | |