The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony
by Roberto Calasso
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 183)
Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
fans of the Greek tragedy, philosophy or mythology
Wow. I never thought I'd read this book -- I had flipped through it many times in the bookstore and found it to be rambling and bizarrely organized. But for some reason I purchased it as a used bookstore and decided to read it the right way -- starting on page one, and boy am I glad I did. Calasso does something nearly impossible -- he weaves together all (or almost all) the great stories of Greek antiquity (everything from the Trojan War to the abduction of Persephone) and makes a coherent na...more
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Read in June, 2007
I've read this book cover to cover 3 times since I bought it in 1993. It's the best book I've ever read on Greek mythology.
Actually, it's more of an extended (and unfailingly brilliant) meditation on Greek mythology, rather than a summary or "explanation." Calasso is some kind of genius: he's not only read everything, he's thought about it, flipped it backwards and forwards and tilted it sideways in his mind, then filtered whatever he's talking about through a sophisticated prism. ...more
Actually, it's more of an extended (and unfailingly brilliant) meditation on Greek mythology, rather than a summary or "explanation." Calasso is some kind of genius: he's not only read everything, he's thought about it, flipped it backwards and forwards and tilted it sideways in his mind, then filtered whatever he's talking about through a sophisticated prism. ...more
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"To invite the gods ruins our relationship with them but sets history in motion. A life in which the gods are not invited isn't worth living. It will be quieter, but there won't be any more stories. And you could suppose that these dangerous invitations were in fact conceived by the gods themselves, because the gods get bored with men who have no stories."
An absolutely brilliant, if meandering, journey through variants of Greek myth. Roberto Calasso writes with evident passion, wea...more
An absolutely brilliant, if meandering, journey through variants of Greek myth. Roberto Calasso writes with evident passion, wea...more
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Read in August, 2008
This book was a difficult book to read and at times I debated continuing. What kept me going was a) the depth of greek mythology that I was not aware of and was curious about b) something along those same lines with regards to greek history and c) the visions of a perception of reality totally different to my own - that is, a world view grounded in myth rather than modern thought. The book is written as a series of disjointed passages that form a mosaic whole. Nothing is explicitly spelled ou...more
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Read in January, 2006
Facinating in scope and purpose...the greek myths gained real purpose and breadth to me after reading this. Reads more like a meditation or consciousness or novel or something that I can't exactly explain than a list of facts.
Calasso seriously needs a new editor. Didn't bother me overmuch, though I did correct the mistakes as I found them. Still, I was mildly irritated by the occasional abuse of grammar...though not enough to knock off a star.
Calasso seriously needs a new editor. Didn't bother me overmuch, though I did correct the mistakes as I found them. Still, I was mildly irritated by the occasional abuse of grammar...though not enough to knock off a star.
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Read in June, 1995
recommended to Antoine by:
Jim Watrasrecommends it for: People who love mythology
This is one of a handful of books that has changed my life. I have always loved mythology, but it wasn't until I read this book that I began to understand how the Greek Myths could form the basis of a compelling view of the spiritual life, and why stories are always so much more important and vital than mere doctrine. I could say more, so much more. I love this book so much that I actually started to compile an index for it once.
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longer review later, but an immediate warning is necessary: I think your enjoyment of this book will be determined partly by how familiar you are with Greek mythology. If you're not, the tangential nature of the storytelling may feel too confusing and the names too indistinguishable, especially those figures who are initially mentioned in passing without a character description to lodge firmly in your memory.
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I read this book back in '97 and have read it a million times again since. It's a gorgeous, beautifully well written account of the tales of the Greek gods in such a way that makes their beauty and transcendental qualities more apparent to the modern mind. Anyone looking to have a greater understanding of ancient Greek religion beyond Disney and dry academia needs to read this book.
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I seem to be out of step with the Goodreads consensus on this one. I received this book as a gift from a friend who claimed it was one of the best things she'd ever read. There's no doubting Calasso's scholarship, but unless you have a PhD in Greek mythology (or just a boundless fascination in it) then I imagine you'll struggle with this as I did.
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I read this several years ago. In fact, I was only 19. Nonetheless, it left its impression; to be enthusiastic, I would say that it practically blew my mind. It explains mythology in a way I hadn't known was possible, and made links to modern and contemporary writers and thinkers. I'd read it again.
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I keep trying to read this book and being distracted by schoolwork, more intriguing books, or both. Yet I feel that I must read this book - if only for edification and expansion of my Greek mythological knowledge. If only it would stick with me.
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Read in January, 2003
recommends it for:
Mythology fans
Again, brilliant. The way stories are woven together, the beautiful language, the way the same story is sometimes presented in more than one way because it was passed down in different versions: so much fun!
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A beautiful retelling of Greek Myth with commentary on the inter-weavings of the various myths, their meanings, and reflections on their relevancy for our so-called post-modern psyches.
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Unbelievable writing. The morning of western civilization. You
will understand mythology after Calasso.
will understand mythology after Calasso.
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Read in November, 2007
I've read this twice and was blown away by his insights into these myths.
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recommends it for:
myth heads
a fine way to approach (or re-approach) Olympus
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The new feature where you're supposed to put what page you're on in the book shames me! This book is slow going, but I love it! I refuse to be rushed by your fancy new feature, Goodreads!!
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