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Summary: A dangerous bag of magic
Review: This book is undeniably appealing, but be careful: myths are a product of the lower rational mind, as philosopher/scientist Jurgen Haberamas has shown. It is the same mentality that produces the rediculous Christian mythology which the readers of this book are rebelling against. Cambell admits that 99% of myth-involved folk believe the myths to be LITERAL. The other 1% are mystical, transpersonal people who are merely expressing their experiences in the format of a myth as a tasteful way of expressing the eternal. So for the rational Westerner, this leaves us with lovely myths which merely correspond to a mystical region which we can at most intuitively sense is sort of there. So what do we do? - read Ken Wilber and start meditating to get to the place where we understand myths to be an expression of the eternal. Think you're there already? Think again. Meditate.
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Summary: A Must for the Thinking Person's Library!
Review: I have seen the Joseph Campbell interviews on PBS with Bill Moyers. I loved that series so much that when it came out on video, I rented them to watch again. Never having been privileged to take one of Joseph Campbell's courses at Sarah Lawrence I am deeply grateful that I have the benefit of his knowledge through television and books. He makes the spiritual images of my childhood's faith come alive with his explanations of the timeless themes of mythology. Endless facinating; highly recommended!
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Summary: One of the greatest minds of our time...
Review: Joseph Campbell is simply eloquent as he tells of stories from every culture and every time in history. These stories always get to the heart of what it means to be human and alive. The stories teach us to look beyond a named religion and toward a truth about the experience of living!
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Summary: There ara a lots of value in life.
Review: I want to buy this in English version. So, please contact me how to get this in this site.
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Summary: This book has no meaning...but it gives meaning to you.
Review: I had listened to Joseph Campbell on audiocassette six months earlier (Transformations of the Myth Through Time: Mystery of the East), in which I went for a long drive for about 5 hours and literally did not want to stop driving! However, I found myself in the same place (not behind the wheel, however) in reading The Power of Myth, as I could not put that down either. All I can say is, read it and if you don't like it, you'll be none the worse. It starts out showing how dreadful life can be in the latter half of the 20th century, but by the book's end, you have new hope and enlightenment towards the world, and hopefully changed a little inwardly. I've read it 3 times already and I should finally buy a copy of it...
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Summary: Good only in parts
Review: This book is a mixed bag.On the plus side , Campbell draws attention to myths, which are important in our lives.He also mentions the need to look inwards to the intangible worlds.But I find him to be just a bit too glib.He snatches at myths from all over the place, sampling a bit here and a bit there.This is a negative feature of New Age thought, which treats myths and religion like consumer products.He takes the Eastern quietest position by ignoring the social dimensions of life.When he says you can't do anything to change the world, he ignores that people are influencing the world all the time.The powerful exploiters certainly have a great impact in shaping the material world in which we live.People can change themselves and the world at the same time.This book offers a few tasty morsels, but not the sustenance of a full meal.
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Summary: Myth underlies everything...
Review: This book is one of the required texts for a Humanities course I'm taking. We just finished it, and I am in love with the book! Campbell demonstrates how myth is a force present in all aspects of life, and he will really make you develop an appreciation for the power of myth. Everyone should read it!
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Summary: Joseph Campbell's studies enlighten and teach.
Review: A customer reviewer wrote that Joseph Campbell's work was "new age crap." How can that be? He studied real-life mythologies from around the world, in many centuries. It is the most comprehensive, informative, history lesson you'll find available. New age? NO. It's a message for all ages, and it comes from all ages. His love of study shines through and teaches the basics on how to live your live life with compassion and joy. You must follow your bliss; nice advice. He doesn't preach, just shares. It's well worth the money!!!
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Summary: Read with an Open Mind
Review: I've looked at the other reveiws of this book and some on other works by Campbell, and I've noticed that those who don't like his books don't understand some of the primary messages they contain. These are things that cannot be explained in 1,000 words so I won't go into it here, but I would recomend reading Alan Watts, Abraham Maslow, Robert Anton Wilson, Hermann Hesse, Aldous Huxley, and Buckminster Fuller. If you still don't get it then you never will from reading a book so you might as well quit. As for the comments about it being New Age crap, I would say read it again...the stories and ideas he addresses are not New at all. They have been asked since the day humans became conscious and will probably be asked until the day we are wiped out. It seems to me that the phrase New Age is derogatory and is used by those who don't understand the ideas. Looking at a New Age section in the book store I see that most of it is Crap (BTW I found this book in the philosophy section) and is probably just a result of people trying to make money, but once in a while there is a book, put there because somebody doesn't understand it, that has a good message and can help people out. Also I want to point out that there is no claim made in this book that cannot be confirmed by science, unless your idea of science is screwed up (feel free to challenge me on this or anything else in the review and I will be happy to look into it).
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Summary: Read and make your own decision
Review: Let me quote Campbell. Towards the end of the second chapter: "People ask me, 'Do you have optimism about the world?' And I say, 'Yes, it's great just the way it is. And you are not going to fix it up. Nobody has ever made it any better. It is never going to be any better. This is it, so take it or leave it. You are not going to correct or improve it." I continued reading, waiting for a valid explanation for this, but to no avail. Campbell makes you think, I'll give him that much. I suggest that you make your own verdict.
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