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29th out of 37 books
—
11 voters
When They Severed Earth from Sky: How the Human Mind Shapes Myth
Why were Prometheus and Loki envisioned as chained to rocks? What was the Golden Calf? Why are mirrors believed to carry bad luck? How could anyone think that mortals like Perseus, Beowulf, and St. George actually fought dragons, since dragons don't exist? Strange though they sound, however, these "myths" did not begin as fiction.
This absorbing book shows that myths origin...more
This absorbing book shows that myths origin...more
Paperback, 290 pages
Published
September 5th 2006
by Princeton University Press
(first published December 28th 2004)
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This is an enthralling exploration of mythmaking and how pre-literate human minds made sense of their world. As an avid history nerd, I have had innumerable occasions to lament the way present day lack of understanding consistently maligns past cultures and eras. We are so beguiled by our own cleverness, by the gadgets we've created, by our modern conveniences we now cannot imagine living without, that we consider humans of past times (when we even bother to consider them) as primitive, fairly s...more
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The productive intersections between myth and cognition, storytelling and neuroscience, have probably never been more thoughtfully explored than in this great book. Taking many of the core myths of ancient cultures, the authors unpack the ways in which these myths encode critical information in such a way that they can be transmitted generation to generation before writing. If the local mountain is actually a potentially deadly volcano and you'd better remember this, even if volcanos can be dorm...more
Fascinating exploration into the neuro-linguistic origins of myth by using linguistic constructs and the way the human brain functions. The authors have been able to theorize that most myths are oral interpretations of geological and astrological events. Over time, the stories move further away from the observed event, pass on to other cultures become embellished to keep the "story" interesting and, as a result, lose context and often meaning.
This book offers some wonderful evidence into the way...more
This book offers some wonderful evidence into the way...more
Wonderful. Why didn't anyone teach me this? A completely readable and understandable explanation, with documentation, about why so many cultures have similar myths; why characters have similar names; why we get confused about the duplication of responsibilities among gods and goddesses; how and why new mythological characters were imagined; how we derived some English words from mythological characters; and, what happens when someone or some group tries to eliminate a cultural myth. A great expl...more
Barber and Barber, in this fascinating theoretical analysis of myth, cogently argue that there are kernels of truth at the heart of many of the mythical narratives that are often dismissed without critical reflection.
With great balance, the authors lay out the cognitive principles that have constrained the myth-making process in all human culture while at the same time giving arresting examples from cultures around the world and from antiquity. The examples are most heavily drawn from ancient G...more
With great balance, the authors lay out the cognitive principles that have constrained the myth-making process in all human culture while at the same time giving arresting examples from cultures around the world and from antiquity. The examples are most heavily drawn from ancient G...more
This book advances a provocative theory of myth, one that builds on an earlier case study by one of the authors (Paul Barber) of European vampire myths. The general theory, in a nutshell, is that many myths and legends, even those that are supernatural or highly improbable, have their origins in real observable events. But these events have been transformed in systematic ways that reflect the limits of human cognition in non-literate societies, and that help to ensure that the resulting mythic s...more
Fascinating from beginning to end, though I agree with the other reviewer who mentions the astronomy chapter kind of going off the rails. Otherwise, I found all the speculation and connections to be a compelling argument of the authors' premise, that myths should not be equated with fictions but understood as documentations of actual events, often extended as oral "history" across time to us. Among the topics discussed are the Great Flood in the mythologies of cultures the world over, demystifyi...more
Not quite what I expected, but very educational nonetheless. I wish I had learned this angle of myth interpretation back in my college Classical Mythology course - would have made it much more interesting. The authors have developed quite a detailed system for explaining HOW and why myths were originally formed and HOW they have morphed over the years into what we think of today as nonsensical literary stories. Most of their examples involve volcano-based myths and they have one confusingly deta...more
This is a multiple-read book for me. It is a solid synthesis of information from multiple disciplines, defending a simple thesis: that myths from around the world contain factual information (frequently the stories of volcanic action) which people, once upon a time, needed to know. It's an interesting process which seems to work.
I had picked up this book from a local library book sale and it's an advanced copy, so some of the pictures didn't come out very well, which was rather disappointing.
Overall, however, this was a really fascinating read about what if the myths were descriptions of events happening like volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. The stories were mythologized because people didn't know how to scientifically describe things back then. Also discussed birthlines, heroes, and how it might seem like someon...more
Overall, however, this was a really fascinating read about what if the myths were descriptions of events happening like volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. The stories were mythologized because people didn't know how to scientifically describe things back then. Also discussed birthlines, heroes, and how it might seem like someon...more
The authors make a strong case for interpreting myths as stories about real events and experiences. Drawing on geology, astronomy, linguistics, archaeology, and literature, they find kernels of truth in various widespread myths (for instance, flood stories and versions of the Prometheus story) and propose a set of principles for understanding how and why a story that begins as factual narrative becomes myth.
Elizabeth Wayland Barber (half of the husband-wife author team) has written three other b...more
Elizabeth Wayland Barber (half of the husband-wife author team) has written three other b...more
Loved this, but found the ending poor. It didn't feel like it was the end, like pages were missing. Also, the charts/images were really hard to see in the kindle version.
I really enjoyed this book. It was very interesting to hear such an alternative perspective on mythology from around the world.
DREAM BREAKER ...
Fascinating stuff. Interpreting ancient myths and legends in the light of human cognition. Will have to re-read at some point to make sure that I've digested it all. I especially loved the part about dragons, and about Crater lake.
Excellent.
I just finished this book. It is a great read. Everyone should have this book in their bookshelf as a "read" book that they can handily pull out as a reference.
I read this book because of my experience with Ms. Barber's prehistoric textile investigations. Of course, this book has myth (not textiles) as its subject and, while I found the information interesting and clearly presented, I have to say I think she has done more complex and thought provoking work.
Betchen Wayland Barber is a Westridge alum, who-turns out- is the world authority on pre-historic textiles (read her bibio!). this one was very interesting, but i think i liked 20,000 years of women's work better... very diff. topics, so hard to say. but westridge does make for interesting women!
this is a fascinating book - I may have to read it slowly over the year to let each of the chapters sink in and digest the thoughts it inspires - about language, about memory, about culture....
I continue to read this book in "chunks" so it sinks in.... I love what it makes me think about...
I continue to read this book in "chunks" so it sinks in.... I love what it makes me think about...
An interesting book by scholars intersted in the historical origins of myths; however, I found them rather narrow in that they consider their own approach to mythology the only valid one (forget symbolic interpretation, etc.).
A very interesting way of looking at Myths. This assumes that myths were created to pass down important information to future generations. I learned a lot about unpacking myths.
May 04, 2013
Amanda
marked it as to-read
May 03, 2013
Bethany
marked it as to-read
May 02, 2013
Felicia
added it
Apr 23, 2013
Lucy_k_p
marked it as to-read
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Barber received her PhD university from Yale in 1968.
More about Elizabeth Wayland Barber...
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Aug 01, 2012 06:31am