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The Power of Myth

by Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers, Betty Sue Flowers (Editor)

4.27 · rating details · 8,512 ratings · 513 reviews

Finally available in a popularly priced, non-illustrated, smaller-format edition, which is ideal for the college market and general reader alike, this extraordinary best-seller is a brilliant evocation of the noted scholar's teachings on mythology.

Paperback, 320 pages

Published May 18th 2011 by Anchor Doubleday (first published 1988)

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Jun 25, 2007

Kelly rated it

Recommends it for: everyone- though you have to be a bit idealistic

Shelves: owned, 20th-century-postwar-to-late, grand-opera

I really do think that this should be required reading in high school, everywhere. Or beyond. Just in general. I read it in preperation for my AP year, and it really helps you to open your eyes quite a bit. Does Joe Campbell like to stretch his points? Yes. Are some of his ideas and allusions a little far fetched? Absolutely. Will you roll your eyes a few times? Of course! Unless you are more starry eyed than even I was.

However. What he says on the subject of myth and our current cul...more

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Jul 04, 2007

Colie! rated it

Recommends it for: anyone remotely human

Joseph Campbell is seriously incredible. Read this, listen to the PBS audio tapes, read anything he writes... he's just brilliant, erudite, illuminating, fascinating, lovable, enlightening... he reveals things articulately that you always sensed in the shadowy regions of your instinct, and having them so clearly identified has a revelatory and refreshing effect. It makes you pensive and hopeful. It makes you feel good about being human, part of this thing we do called life. I don't know, I t...more

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Sep 04, 2008

brian tanabe rated it

I started reading the hardcover version of this and immediately realized it is a companion to a PBS series between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell. So I decided to switch to the audio version – highly, highly recommended over the book.

I found myself connecting with a lot of the passages, but one passage in particular definitely stands out, tackling the meaning of life. While I have a great amount of respect for Moyers, I was slightly annoyed at times with his attempts to assert his e...more

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Jan 06, 2011

Geoff Barnes rated it

I loved this book so hard.

I had watched parts of the PBS series as a kid, and read passages from the first edition of this book on my parents' shelf periodically when home from college for holidays, but I remember thinking of it as somehow unserious at the time. When I picked it up again a few months ago, it was because I was struggling through the first few chapters of "Hero With a Thousand Faces" and hoped "The Power of Myth" would be a good primer. It was. That, and more.

In "The Power of Myth...more

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Sep 09, 2007

Huling rated it

Recommends it for: Those who want to be challenged and provoked to view their world a little differently

Joseph Campbell was the foremost authority on comparative religious studies in America. Though he is no longer with us in body his legacy lives on with the profound books he left behind and a series of interviews with Bill Moyer that aired on PBS in the late 80's. Campbell's contribution to the world of myths and rituals is incomparable. And in the Power of Myth (which is basically a transcript of the fascinating interviews with Moyer) Campbell essentially summarizes his life's work and provokes...more

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Dec 25, 2007

Malynda Alice rated it

I don't know how he does it, but every time I read/hear/stumble upon some vague quotation of Joseph Campbell's work, my day gets better. The sensation I get when reading his work is of relief, that all the seemingly static and infallible truths of the world stem from very simple needs. Somehow knowing that frees me to pursue the quenching of the needs, rather than the physical trappings we have set up around that need. It is very interesting.
This book is a sort of revised and embellished v...more

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Apr 15, 2010

Pamela Lloyd rated it

An amazing book. Despite the obvious level of intelligence and knowledge demonstrated by Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell, it's very readable and made me feel that I was witness to a conversation--as, in many ways, I was, since the book is based upon their taped interviews.

While there were points that I felt Campbell spoke with too much certainty, it's difficult to criticize him due to the extraordinary breadth and depth of his knowledge, which certainly outstrips mine. Far more often, however, m...more

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Aug 10, 2007

Matt Mayhall rated it

I would recommend this book to anyone who feels like they need some kind of answer to life's bigger questions. I learned so much from J.C. He is truly one of the good guys... Although I have to say to those of you who haven't read this: This book is basically just a transcription of an interview that Bill Moyers conducted with Joseph Campbell. This interview was filmed and PBS did a 4 or 5-part special and you can get the DVDs from Netflix. The book is great and you should read it, but I ...more

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Jun 08, 2008

Ramona P. rated it

This book changed my life. Joseph Campbell opened the world of Mythology to me and introduced a new way for me to relate to my life journey. His insights and ideas about the power of myth help us understand how important it is to be aware of the traditions inherent in our cultures and how they play out personally and collectively.

I am able to look for the "soul-story" resonating in diverse cultures and know that I am looking at the myth that is informing their values, i...more

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Oct 28, 2011

Shirley rated it

Follow your bliss? You bet! And thank the "realm which we call 'God/god' because language is limited" that Joseph Campbell decided to study world mythlogies after a visit to the Museum on Natural History in NYC as a young boy. His command of this subject is breathtaking, and his ability to take deep, esoteric ideas and communicate that in everday language makes for compelling reading. I went back over passages many times to reflect on what was being said, because there was so much pack...more

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Oct 03, 2011

Dann McKeegan rated it

Recommends it for: anyone. seriously.

Campbell and Moyers are equally fascinating, and reading this interview was an absolute breeze as far as philosophy and myth go. I couldn't put it down over the couple days it took me to get through it. While I have collected 1st editions of all four volumes of The Masks of God and have most of his other works on either my actual or mental to-read pile, I wanted to dig into something I knew would be informative but accessible in small chunks.

I love when a book forces me to take my inde...moreCampbell and Moyers are equally fascinating, and reading this interview was an absolute breeze as far as philosophy and myth go. I couldn't put it down over the couple days it took me to get through it. While I have collected 1st editions of all four volumes of The Masks of God and have most of his other works on either my actual or mental to-read pile, I wanted to dig into something I knew would be informative but accessible in small chunks.

I love when a book forces me to take my index card bookmark and make a note of a page, paragraph, and portion of a salient passage. This book had me do so a number of times, including this meditation on middle age amid a discussion of the first storytellers (p88 of the Anchor Books paperback):

"What am I? Am I the bulb that carries the light, or am I the light of which the bulb is a vehicle?"

It is the nature of conversation to ramble and meander in a way that a pure written text is often revised not to do. This is part of the value of The Power of Myth. While the chapters are organized by overall theme (ex: Myth and the Modern World; The Journey Inward; Sacrifice and Bliss), Campbell's anecdotes and his telling of myths provide variations on these themes that allows for a truly engrossing experience as he and Moyers explore tangents rather than harnessing their discussion. And Moyers' strength as an interviewer allows him to pick the right questions, not the obvious ones.

"Myths" to Campbell are a part of everyday life. They can tell us a lot about ourselves and our past, just as we can use our own unique experience to find greater meaning in the myths themselves. He draws from so many traditions and in so doing makes a compelling case for certain themes and ideas that are at first counter-intuitive. For the most part, the discussion is easy to follow without being simple or simplified for an audience. Overall, it's a powerful book because of Campbell's ability to help us see many levels simultaneously. It should be no surprise that both this book version and the original PBS series remain popular more than 15 years after the miniseries first aired.(less)

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Sep 01, 2011

Lee Harmon rated it

Why do we need our folk tales, anyway? Why can't our religious icons be accepted at face value, instead of lifting them up higher than life? How do phrases like "Son of God" spring so easily and meaningfully from our lips? Why must we idolize our heroes, why do we embrace our rituals?

Journalist Bill Moyers interviews Joseph Campbell to learn why mythology is so important to us. This is sort of a compilation of Campbell's work. Says Campbell, mythology is the "song of the...more

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Jul 27, 2011

Apryl Anderson rated it

I appreciated and was enraged by the conversational setup of this book. The misquoting of the Bible, and misrepresentation of the Biblical God infuriated me, but only because I couldn't rebut right along with them. (my pen made some mighty sword thrusts, though). Campbell does attempt to distinguish between his religious Catholic upbringing and other social-cultural distinctions, and really hone in on the essential truths.

That is the whole outstanding nature of this work: that Campbell has i...more

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Dec 13, 2010

Bob Nichols rated it

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This is a conversation between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers that extended the 1980s PPS presentation of Campbell's thoughts about myth. There's something frustrating about this book that is hard to nail down.

The conversation moves across a wide swath of contemporary and historical human expression, which Campbell stamps as myth or as relevant to myth. In the introduction, Campbell talks about the country's focus on Kennedy's assassination in November 1963 as the nation's "c...moreThis is a conversation between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers that extended the 1980s PPS presentation of Campbell's thoughts about myth. There's something frustrating about this book that is hard to nail down.

The conversation moves across a wide swath of contemporary and historical human expression, which Campbell stamps as myth or as relevant to myth. In the introduction, Campbell talks about the country's focus on Kennedy's assassination in November 1963 as the nation's "compensatory rite to reestablish the sense of solidarity" and suggests that driving the country's preoccupation was the need for solidarity, as opposed, for example, to the understandable and less convoluted mourning over the loss of a charismatic leader and, perhaps, archetypal father figure. Were the tears back then really about establishing a sense of solidarity? As a primary function, marriage is not as Moyers asks, "perpetuating ourselves in our children," but is for Campbell "the sacrifice of ego to a relationship in which two have become one," around "a purely mythological image signifying the sacrifice of the visible entity for a transcendent good." As to why the ego might be sacrificed and why two should become one, and why all of this is myth is not clear. Campbell also divides love into Eros (biological urge, "the zeal of the organs for each other") and Agape ("love thy neighbor as thyself - spiritual love") and Amor ("where "the heart is the organ of opening up to somebody else. That's the human quality as opposed to animal qualities.") This latter version is symbolized by the troubadours in the 12th century who were the first in the West Campbell says to manifest a connection not with a woman but with the love for a particular woman who was a spiritual partner. Given adolescent crushes and mutual yearning between adults outside of marriage, it's not so clear how this type of attraction is anything more than the explicit, refined lust of "organs for each other" (in other words, Eros), and why that feeling did not exist before the 12 century.

"Love" is only one topic where Campbell sees and interprets human phenomena in mythological terms and throughout this book there is a sense that Campbell may over interpret what he sees. There's a sense that he is a romantic who, if it's not that unfair to say, favors an interpretation of the world in idealized terms about what he wants it to be. As to what best summarizes that perspective, it may be Campbell's advice to "follow our bliss." This is his interpretation of one strain of Buddhist thought to activate the potential that lies within ourselves and, in so doing, become one with the universe and all life within it and experience the eternal "right here and now." The relationship of people expresses "the radiance of the spirit" and activates "the divinity in the other." Reason is distinguished from thinking and involves finding the "ground of being" and "the fundamental structuring of order in the universe." The hero figure for Campbell is really not so much the external figure, such as Jesus and Martin Luther King, Jr., but what we can experience within ourselves. It is the divine activated in ourselves. This is all good, inspiring stuff and a reason why his thought was likely attractive to many, including, obviously, Moyers who throughout this conversation seems bent on reinterpreting Christian theology into more contemporary and acceptable mythological symbolism.

Yet one wonders if Campbell goes complicated when a simpler explanation for mythological experience might do just fine. Is marriage a spiritual union or is it an evolutionary contract of sex for protection and sustenance? Is the hero figure ourselves yearning to be someone or something that we may or may not be, or is it literally the hero who protects us or saves us? Is the mother figure a symbol of mythological union or the figure who nourishes and sustains us? Is the (Western) mythological dragon figure our "ego clamping you down" or the archetypal demon figure out to get us? Campbell interprets Jesus' ascension into heaven metaphorically to mean "not into outer space" but into inward space. Campbell may interpret heaven this way, but that's not how most do or would interpret heaven. So what is exactly the myth here? Is it Campbell's interpretation of what he wants heaven to mean?

In other parts of this conversation, though, Campbell makes more sense. He says that the "imagination is grounded in the energy of the organs of the body, and these are the same in all human beings" and, accordingly, they produce common themes. Campbell in this way removes some of the mystery from Jungian archetypes so that it is possible to argue that these archetypes can be rooted in evolutionary theory. As to the question of where one's life comes from, Campbell states that the life may in fact come from the impersonal energy of the universe. That suggests an alliance with Schopenhauer's Will, which might be interpreted as impersonal evolutionary energy that becomes embodied in life that tries to perpetuate itself. As Campbell states it, this impersonal energy is "moved by the one will to life which is the universal will in nature." Campbell indicates his comfort with drawing a blissful identification with this impersonal energy. Although he comments that life has no purpose, he states that "Life is a lot of protoplasm with an urge to reproduce and continue in being" and that the mission of each incarnation of life is to fulfill its potentiality by following one's bliss. That suggests ample purpose. However, that's not the purpose Moyers has in mind and he in fact protests Campbell's take on the lack of purpose by saying, "Not true - not true," hinting that something lies beyond death and oblivion. When Moyers asks why people have a yearning to live forever, Campbell responds by saying that this is something he doesn't understand. Eternity for him is not life everlasting, but living in the timeless moment. While that may be fine for Campbell, Moyers' question more accurately reflects the concerns of most who are motivated by the need for life to last forever. Here again, Campbell seems to interpret symbols to fit his worldview. Admirable as that view might be, it may not be consistent with the metaphorical meaning held by most. In the end, this leads to confusion in this conversation about the degree to which the history of myth is a history of what Campbell wants it to be.

(less)

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Oct 09, 2010

Jafar rated it

It can be joy to read this book which is entirely a conversation between the mythologist Joseph Campbell and the PBS journalist Bill Moyers – both being uber-erudite. Whether the joy turns into boredom and annoyance or continues to the end depends on your mindset. For Campbell myths are what we humans conceive to make sense of the world and our lives and our relation with the world. All stories and rites and traditions should be looked at in this perspective. Myth are not things of the antiquity...more

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Feb 22, 2010

Loyd rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

This conversation with Bill Moyers is something I re-read often. It's both inspiring and infuriating. Moyer's questions get pretty precious, almost sycophantic at times, and Campbell is perfectly capable of talking endlessly about mythology without much prompting.

I love the exploration into the stories and myths that make world cultures tick, but Campbell falls into a classic "can't see the forest for the trees" trap that is maddening to me. He believes that there is a gre...more

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Nov 05, 2009

Stephen rated it

Shelves: favorites

My 100th book for goodreads should be a memorable one.

TRUE STORY: I was facing one of those milestone birthdays where you find yourself asking the big questions like, “What the heck am I doing?” “Am I on the right course?” "Who am I?"

I wandered into a local bookstore thinking “Surely there’s a book in here with some answers for me.” I walked out with “The Power of Myth” by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers, the companion book for their PBS series of the same name...more

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Sep 05, 2011

Tricia rated it

Recommends it for: Anyone interested in myth, culture and story

Recommended to Tricia by: Mary Tensing

"Power of Myth" is actually the transcripted and edited conversation between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell that occurred in 1985 and 1986 as they were filming the PBS documentary. As the television series was only in six parts, much of the 24-plus-hour discussions had to be edited down for the viewing audience, however, the content of the conversations was so rich they released the book for those eager for more after the documentary aired.

If you're a fan of myth, and understanding th...more

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Aug 16, 2011

Cara rated it

I'm nearly done with this book, but I might as well put in my 2 cents now. As the end of a good book approaches, I tend to slow my reading down exponentially to avoid the moment of loss I feel upon hitting the last page! Ridiculous, but true.

I believe Campbell has an important message on the relevance of mythology, the importance of metaphor, and the role of religion in today's world. This message is made very accessible in the interviews transcribed in The Power of Myth. In it, ...more

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Jan 25, 2011

Sean rated it

Shelves: favorites

"The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers is one of the most amazing books you will ever read or experience. Campbell, the late professor of Comparative Mythology at Sarah Lawrence University, wrote on ideas touching upon every facet of life and his ideas have inspired all types of artistic and creative expression. It would be impossible to write about every idea that Campbell discusses in this book but it suffices to say that his work touches upon many profound aspects o...more"The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers is one of the most amazing books you will ever read or experience. Campbell, the late professor of Comparative Mythology at Sarah Lawrence University, wrote on ideas touching upon every facet of life and his ideas have inspired all types of artistic and creative expression. It would be impossible to write about every idea that Campbell discusses in this book but it suffices to say that his work touches upon many profound aspects of what it means to be alive.

The book is actually the transcript of a famous PBS television special with journalist Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell where they discuss what is mythology and what role does it have in modern life. It was one of the most highly rated programs of the 1980's and has continued to stimulate discussion. There are eight chapters, each which discuss a plethora of topics. For example, Chapter 1 examines the role of myth in modern life, Chapter 3 discusses the concept of sacrifice and bliss, Chapter 5 (perhaps the most interesting chapter) looks at the hero and heroic myth, and Chapter 7 discusses love and marriage. He discusses a wide range of ideas and symbols

One of Campbell's deepest ideas is the concept that mythology makes up the ideas of being alive, the business of living. Mythology is the stuff that makes up our interactions with each other and society at large. It transcends religion and society towards something deeper and higher, that great mystery. Mythology and mythological concepts are a reflection of our internal landscape- our human psyche. The commonality between all mythologies is a reflection of the fact that mythology reflects our human experiences, of being born, growing, and dying. It speaks not to tradition but to experiences and to the experience of living which is at once suffering and bliss. One of my favorite quotes is from when he is describing the challenge of modern life as reflected in the film series "Star Wars," which was one of his favorite examples of modern, contemporary myth. He writes "Is the system going to flatten you out and deny you your humanity, or are you going to make use of the system to the attainment of human purposes? How to you relate to a system so that you are not compulsively serving it?...The thing to do with learn to live your period of history as a human being."

The book really has something for everyone and even though I did not find every idea of this book interesting, one will find something that speaks to them. Campbell is probably the first instance I've seen of someone who is spiritual as opposed to religious. He had a profound sense of himself and his relationship to the world. This book seems to be an excellent synthesis of his ideas and you get a real sense of his beliefs and influences. It also has given me many, many different places to look for new ideas and inspiration. At times, I wonder if it might be better to read the illustrated version of this book as opposed to this non-illustrated version. But given this books ideas, it should be essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what it means to be human. (less)

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Apr 17, 2011

James Williams rated it

· review of another edition

This is my first first-person experience with Campbell. And I find it an incredibly frustrating book.

There are parts that are wonderful: when Campbell takes a few moments to tell some of the myths that have been floating around for years. Or when he compares the motifs in multiple myths from different cultures in different parts of the world. Campbell was clearly a master story-teller, and even in just a couple of sentences, he really makes these ancient stories come alive.

...more

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Oct 23, 2011

Parvathy rated it

Recommends it for: Philosophy & Comapritive Mythology lovers

Recommended to Parvathy by: goodreads

Shelves: favorites

Myths are often stories that explain how the world and human kind came to be in their present form. I have always been inexplicable drawn to these stories and often felt that they have a quality beyond what they seem to be. The undeniable pull of myths have in the human psyche and the society that surrounds them are often met with scrutiny and criticism. When you say that you are interested in mythology the question naturally comes as to why this particular subject is of interest? What role does...moreMyths are often stories that explain how the world and human kind came to be in their present form. I have always been inexplicable drawn to these stories and often felt that they have a quality beyond what they seem to be. The undeniable pull of myths have in the human psyche and the society that surrounds them are often met with scrutiny and criticism. When you say that you are interested in mythology the question naturally comes as to why this particular subject is of interest? What role does myth have to play in our modern world? Why is it important?. Whenever questions like this were directed at me I was often placed in a situation where I know what drives me towards myth but was at loss when it came to explaining this same driving factor. But that was until I read this book which gave me valuable insights in to the world of myth and urged me to consider those dimension of mythical aspects which I was completely ignorant off."The Power of Myth" is based on the interviews between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers that became a famous television series. Consisting of nine chapters that explain the importance of myth in various aspects, it deals with the universality and evolution of myths in the history of the human race and the place of myths in modern society. The first chapter is on myth and modern world which tries to explain myth as an integral part of the society and the transition required in the myths to make it more adaptable to present day world. He talks about reasons for forgoing old mythological motifs and using them to create new global mythologies that is more acceptable to the modern psyche. The role of rituals in the modern society starting from the court room procedures to the gang initiations of adolescents is emphasized to such an extent that they can be viewed as functions to give individuals a sense of belonging to a larger social group. Then the discussion moves to the concept of marriage. True marriage, in Campbell's opinion, embodies a spiritual identity and invokes the image of an incarnate God. The main intention of marriage is to identify ones other self and thereby become whole. The analysis of the national symbol of united states "The Great Seal" is used by Campbell to illustrate the ability for myths to incorporate the beliefs of a whole society and to provide the mythology to unify a nation. He ends this discussion with the possibility of the emergence a new myth which is centered around mother earth or Gaea. The second chapter takes about the Journey inward to ones spiritual self and how myths help you achieve this end. Then comes the story of the first storytellers, the animal self, the cycle of life and death, the center of the world and rituals associated with these concepts in various part of the world. The next chapter explains the shift of the society towards an agricultural society and the change in myth motifs according to these changing perspectives. The following chapters talks about a hero's journey which contains some of the major aspects pointed out in Campbell's previous books, the change of society from a goddess centric female dominated society into a male dominated society and their reemergence in the 12th and 13th century, tales of love and marriage and masks of eternity that identifies with infinity and the power of circle as a symbol. Needless to say this book contains a wealth of information that changes your perspective of the human spirit and its capabilities. There are only very few books that can transform your entire thought process and "The Power of Myth" is definitely such a book for me. (less)

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Apr 23, 2007

Sarah is currently reading it

I've read sections of this so far only, but whatever I've come across so far is packed with wisdom. It makes great connections between the narratives that we read (and grew up on) and our lives. I've presented excerpts of this to my AP Literature students, and many of them have been intrigued by the notion of the hero's journey. If my high school students liked this stuff, then this is definitely a good read for veteran readers.

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Jun 10, 2008

Miss Rudewicz rated it

"People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think that's what we're really seeking. I think that what we're seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive."

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Nov 02, 2011

S.M. Carrière rated it

Actually 4.5 stars, but it seems half-stars are not available here. In any case:

Everyone should read this book.

Everyone.

I'm at a loss for words to adequately describe this book.

And I write. Can you tell?

Presented in the format of a transcribed conversation, this book is a must read for anyone who is struggling with the inadequacies of secularism, the failures of religion, the short-comings of modern life, the mystery of marriage. This book is ...more

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Mar 25, 2010

Michael Barron rated it

If you are interested in becoming a story teller of any type (film, novels, plays, short stories) I would highly recommend this book.

To be honest it is not the most exciting read in the world. It is literally the dialogue between two men talking about myths and how they affect the modern world. The best way to read this book would be in small chunks. You can even read the chapters out of order depending on which topics interest you the most.

The insights Campbell giv...more

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Mar 31, 2011

John rated it

Though this was not the book I thought it was when I picked it up, I enjoyed it a great deal. It was much headier than I anticipated, but it was quite thought provoking. Much of it I had heard before from other sources, particularly the works of Robert Anton Wilson, though this book gave a much more base-line and understanding of common themes that run throughout all religion and myth. I didn’t quite buy all of it, but there is definitely truth to be found.

One particular passage s...more

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May 30, 2010

Calnan rated it

Quote: "Myth" it has been said "is other people's religion."

This was my first introduction to Joseph Campbell and his amazing work. It is a book based upon a series of interviews that Bill Moyers (PBS) conducted with Joseph Campbell a year or two just prior to his death in 1987. Campbell's famous quote 'Follow your bliss' is as relevant now as when he first uttered the phrase and is a portrait of what he did in his own life. His fascination with totem poles he...more

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Sep 29, 2008

Claudia rated it

This one is a toughie for me...it's a great topic and Joseph Campbell is peerless in the field, but the conversational style between him ad Bill Moyers comes across as a little "in love with themselves and their smartness" at times, for me. Still, I am keeping it on my bedside table to keep plugging away at.

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Feb 03, 2012

Aaron Brame rated it

Back when I was teaching my mythology class, we would do a unit on the hero's journey. I took Campbell's idea of the monomyth (pictured below), pared it down to seven steps so that my students could grasp it, and then used it as a framework to teach the myths of Hercules, Perseus, and, ultimately, Pinocchio. It was a successful part of a successful class, but I did not know anything more of Joseph Campbell.

When this book appeared in my pile of donated books, I snatched it right up....moreBack when I was teaching my mythology class, we would do a unit on the hero's journey. I took Campbell's idea of the monomyth (pictured below), pared it down to seven steps so that my students could grasp it, and then used it as a framework to teach the myths of Hercules, Perseus, and, ultimately, Pinocchio. It was a successful part of a successful class, but I did not know anything more of Joseph Campbell.

When this book appeared in my pile of donated books, I snatched it right up. I was surprised to learn that Joseph Campbell was not, in fact, a Victorian Englishman, as I had imagined him. It turns out he was American! And he lived until 1987!

This book is a conversation between Campbell and public-television mainstay Bill Moyers, which was televised in the mid 1980s and is readily available on youtube. These two men have an extended conversation about myths, symbols, archetypes, stories, rituals, dreams, and the consciousness that connects us all.

Reading this book, I assumed that it was a literary collaboration between the two, and that they probably spent a long time working out their questions and answers, revising their work, and editing it until it sparkled. I mean, there was no way that two human beings could actually speak so eloquently and cogently about such a topic, and at such great lengths.

But then I watched the videos . That's them talking, and this book is just a transcript of the conversation. Brilliant.

So, what is this book about? This book addresses the larger questions. Why are we here? What is the point? Why do we do the painful things that we do? What is the meaning behind the everyday rituals of our lives? How can one live blissfully? What are all of these stories about? What is life and what is death? The Power of Myth pulls back the curtain, to use a tired expression, and shows you the underlying forms that surround us, whether it be the eagle on the back of the dollar bill, the cross hanging in your church, or the tattoo on your barista's wrist. It is all linked.

I am not a spiritual person, and I look for my answers in a library, not a church. The Power of Myth showed me that my intellectual efforts were not different from other people's spiritual efforts; they are, in fact, the same. The intellectual quest is a spiritual quest. There is a religious text that you can trust wholeheartedly, Campbell tells us. There is a self-help text that tells you all you need to know about yourself. And that text is simply the entirety of human literature. It's right there, waiting for you discover it.

If all religious fundamentalists could read this book, the world would be a saner place.

Here is the last thing I will say about this book, and then I will leave it. Think back to Raiders of the Lost Ark, when Indiana's friends come to visit him while he's teaching his class. You know the scene. There's the girl with the words "LOVE" and "YOU" written on her eyelids.

So then class ends, and Indy's friends start telling him about the medallion that they're looking for, and all of a sudden, Indy's like Wait! I have this awesome book that tells you everything you need to know! It has all the answers!

And then he goes to his shelf and pulls down this enormous leather-bound book and flips through it, and then the creepy music starts to play in the background, and he opens up to a page with a terrifying lithograph in it, and he starts telling them about the Staff of Ra and how it can melt people's faces.

Remember that scene? Well, I always really, really wanted that book. And the closest thing I've ever found to it is The Power of Myth.(less)

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About Joseph Campbell

Joseph John Campbell was an American mythology professor, writer, and orator best known for his work in the fields of comparative mythology and comparative religion.

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Books by Joseph Campbell

Primitive Mythology (The Masks of God, #1)

Occidental Mythology (The Masks of God, #3)

Oriental Mythology (The Masks of God, #2)

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Quotes from The Power of Myth

“People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances without own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.” — 102 people liked it

“Sit in a room and read--and read and read. And read the right books by the right people. Your mind is brought onto that level, and you have a nice, mild, slow-burning rapture all the time.” — 33 people liked it

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