Mythology

Rating:
Summary: A great introduction to the myths of ancient Greece & Rome
Review: This book is likely the best introduction to Greek and Roman mythology. Hamilton does a wonderful job of providing thumbnail sketches of the highlights of these early explanations for the phenomena observed by the inhabitants of the Classical Mediterranean. It is well organized and clearly written. I highly recommend this book, especially for the parents of young children who wish to introduce their progeny to the enduring stories of the West.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful to read and understand
Review: I recommend this book to everyone that has the slightest interest in Greek and Roman mythology. It is extremely informative and tells about the stories and legends of ancient times in great detail and in a way that is incredibly easy to follow along with. I personally like the story of Cupid and Psyche the best over all but every story in the book was captivating and informative. I could hardly put down the book and carried it everywhere I went. I would suggest buying the hard cover copy because I found that since the book was so good, it was opened and closed a lot and the front cover became frayed very quickly.

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Summary: Timeless Tales of the Gods and Heroes of Classical Mythology
Review: Edith Hamilton's "Mythology" tell the "Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" of classical mythology and this volume, first written in 1942, is now a timeless classic itself. This was the first book of mythology that I ever read and it is still the best. When Hamilton retells the love story of Cupid and Psyche or the tragedy of Agamemnon and his children, she does so with a full sense of what it meant when first told by Apuleius or Aeschylus. These are not children's tales, but the heroic legends and religious beliefs of the ancient Greeks. Furthermore, the illustrations by Steele Savage have the elegance of wood block prints, which, for all I know, is exactly what they are. I appreciate Hamilton's choice to avoid relying on Ovid, for while the "Metamorphoses" is the most comprehensive ancient text dealing with the classical myths, Ovid is an unbeliever. For Hamilton the writings of Homer, Hesiod and Pindar are more abbreviated in terms of providing details for the myths, but at least they take the tales seriously.

Another strength of the book is how she organizes the myths in her seven parts: (1) Covers the complete pantheon of deities, including the lesser gods of Olympus and Earth and the later Roman additions, as well as the earliest heroes. (2) Retells the various tales of love, between mortals and the gods or each other, along with the Quest for the Golden Fleece and other early heroic adventures. (3) Focuses specifically on the greatest heroes, Perseus, Theseus and Hercules, with Atalanta thrown in the mix in a curious but understandable editorial decision by Hamilton. (4) Puts together Homer's Iliad and Virgil's Aeneid into a giant epic stretching from the Judgment of Paris to the founding of Roman, with the Odyssey and the tragedies of Euripides. (5) Tells about the great mythological families, namely the House of Atreus (Agamemnon), the Royal House of Thebes (Oedipus and Antigone), and the Royal House of Athens. (6) Covers all of the lesser myths, most notably Midas. (7) Goes off in a new direction, providing a very brief introduction to Norse mythology that seems woefully inadequate given the comprehensive compilation of classical mythology that precedes it.

I looked over other possibilities as a basic textbook for an introductory mythology course, but I keep coming back to this one. If you want analysis of these myths, then you certainly want to look elsewhere. But if you want a solid retelling of virtually every tale of classical mythology, then Edith Hamilton's volume is still at the top of the list.

Rating:
Summary: The basic Classical mythology book!
Review: If you are at all interested in Greek and Roman mythology, buy this book. It provides the basics, the major good, the lesser gods, creation myths, famous myths, stories of heroes, the story of the war with Troy, the wanderings of Odesseus, minor myths, and even an introduction into Norse Mythology. But this book is good for people who already know about mythology too. It gives in depth stories about all the inportant gods, humans and creatures of Classical mythology. A wonderful book!

Rating:
Summary: Magical Storytelling
Review: This is a wondrous collection of the best stories ever. Her
translations are simple and in everyday language. You can dive
in at any point, immerse yourself in timeless tales of love,
honor, jealousy, and passion, and return refreshed and wiser.
These are tales of ancient themes and timeless values.
Unlike most of today's stories these will never be outdated,
boring, or pretentious.
Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Quick. Concise. Informative
Review: After reading this novel for my Enlgish class, I would like to share my thoughts. For people that are looking for a book to catch them up on Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology, in a quick period of time, this is your book. It gets to the point and just re-tells what the previous writers have. But if you want to take your time and read mythology with passion and time, choose another book. Hamilton just tells it as it is, although if some stories are vivd, it would probably be thanks to Ovid.

Rating:
Summary: a real classic
Review: I used this book back when I was in highschool in the 80s and had to buy it again to refresh myself. Its a real classic. It has all the great myths. Each one is short and sweet so you can read through the myths you might be wondering about without having to read through long myth stories. The writing style is accessible and colorful. Definitely and enjoyable read.

Rating:
Summary: Review: Dedicated to Anti-Statists and Bad Poets
Review: All the important Greek and Roman mythology is included in this work, with a few "Norse tales" tacked onto the end for flavoring, one supposes. The Norse myths comprise the book's final "Part Seven", which runs only from page 443, to the end at page 462. These myths of the Northern European Peoples appear after "Part Six", which bears the rubric "The Less Important Myths".

Only indirectly, and briefly does the author mention such German myths as The Nibelungenleid and Parzival, and then she merely dismisses them thus: "Sigurd is the most famous of Norse heroes; his story is largely that of the hero of the Nibelungenleid, Siegfried... I have not gone into it, however."

There are no Celtic myths. The legend of Arthur's round table at Camelot is omitted, and so are the tales of Roland and the Paladins of Charlemagne. The Holy Grail is nowhere to be found, and there is not a single word about Uncle Remus.

All that having been said, one must wonder if the title "Mythology" isn't overstating, just a bit. It certainly leads to disappointment if a reader makes his decision based on the title alone. Perhaps "Classical Mythology" would better suit the text.

All of the above doesn't make this a bad book. Actually, the author has turned in a workman-like performance, and all the Greek and Roman foundation tales of Western Civilization are included.

I have found the dust jacket blurbs, on my 1942-copyright, used edition, to be interesting reading... this book is a good place to get acquainted with classical mythology.

Rating:
Summary: An old classic that belongs on the reference shelf.
Review: I bought this to answer questions and settle arguments about Greek and Roman mythology in various word-based game forums. It is a classic and a standard reference. It does little with any mythology of non-mediterranean people.

Rating:
Summary: A classic reference of mythology
Review: The parallels between the Bible and many of the stories in classic mythology are truly fascinating. The chicken and the egg question is not my goal here, but I must say that the lines can certainly be fuzzy if one does not have a solid foundation on which to stand. This book is a classic in the realm of mythology and is truly a good reference to have around.