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130th out of 394 books
—
749 voters
Creative Mythology (The Masks of God #4)
This volume explores the whole inner story of modern culture since the Dark Ages, treating modern man's unique position as the creator of his own mythology.
Paperback, 752 pages
Published
November 1st 1991
by Penguin Books
(first published April 1st 1968)
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I'm obsessed with Joseph Campbell, and his words of wisdom are like the ambrosia of the gods to my un-mythologized mind. I think just about everything he writes is amazing. But on the scale of "kinda amazing" to "really FREAKING amazing," this book falls more in the range of "kinda amazing." All of the other books in the series fell in the "really FREAKING amazing" range.
If you've read the other three books, no doubt you're going to read this one just to finish the series. So maybe my review is...more
If you've read the other three books, no doubt you're going to read this one just to finish the series. So maybe my review is...more
May 06, 2012
Lisa (Harmonybites)
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Those Who Really, Really Love James Joyce
Creative Mythology is the fourth and last volume in Masks of God. Up to this book, I thought the work had become stronger with each volume. The first book, Primitive Mythology published in 1959 by and large dealt with the pre-historic era Campbell sees at the root of world culture, and so relied quite a bit on archeology and the speculations of such psychologists as Freud. It was very dry and I suspected, dated. The second volume, Oriental Mythology, primarily examined Egypt, India and China--an...more
It's to give a rating for this book as I have not finished it yet. Unlike the previous volumes this takes a more focused look at the arts from the middle ages to the present. I'm only 150 pages or so into as of now.
Alright I finally finished the book. Yeah, it may sound like a bit of exasperation there and at some points it was. This volume was a bit more challenging to read I felt and did not flow as well as the first three volumes. I felt Campbell did a fantastic job reaching his point as "man...more
Alright I finally finished the book. Yeah, it may sound like a bit of exasperation there and at some points it was. This volume was a bit more challenging to read I felt and did not flow as well as the first three volumes. I felt Campbell did a fantastic job reaching his point as "man...more
Dec 09, 2010
David Melbie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Read the first three. . .
Recommended to David by:
Big fan.
This is the book that contains Joe's 'Annotated Parzival,' as I call it, and a very sharp look at our modern tendency toward older myths.
Even as I write this, our nation toils on, waging war and ravaging the planet. But, I digress. . . --From A Reader's Journal, by d r melbie.
Even as I write this, our nation toils on, waging war and ravaging the planet. But, I digress. . . --From A Reader's Journal, by d r melbie.
analysis wrapped in mysteries tied with contradictions made out of the tinder and spark of campfire stories, brick kilns, and steel foundries. Materials, colors, designs, executed, shared, found, sifted, chosen, revealed. Shelved.
All the major ways has been destroyed. We are in a desert and a dark forest now. And each of us should go alone...
Liked very much though I think in some parts Joseph has taken too long way to tell his story
Liked very much though I think in some parts Joseph has taken too long way to tell his story
This book demands multiple re-readings of the text. Campbell does what he does best - deconstruct mythology - and some of his ideas regarding creation and art are quite striking and fresh indeed.
While traditional mythologies are discussed here, (such as Le Morte d'Arthur) Campbell also likes to draw on distinctive and post-modern authors like Joyce and Mann when discussing novel mythological structures or narratives. This may be good or bad, depending on whether or not one likes these authors.
U...more
While traditional mythologies are discussed here, (such as Le Morte d'Arthur) Campbell also likes to draw on distinctive and post-modern authors like Joyce and Mann when discussing novel mythological structures or narratives. This may be good or bad, depending on whether or not one likes these authors.
U...more
One of the most important books every written because it brings the art of Europe and places it into context with the worlds religions.
Because I always do things bass-ackwards I read Vol. 4 "...Creative Mythology" first. Coming from a Fine-Arts and creative writing background this was perfect because the author highlights the common mythological threads throughout literature, poetry, visual arts, religion et. al. Joseph Campbell is the only man that I have ever come across that knows everything about all mythology. If you have ANY interest in why we as human beings create the stories that we do and generally try to relate the e...more
Jul 15, 2011
Gwnhwyfer
marked it as looks-interesting
From the bibliography of Scott Cunningham's Wicca (2004). Recommended read.
Just started re-reading this one. I got about halfway through last time and found so much good stuff in it last time that I thought I'd see what I pick up this time through.
It's interesting that it starts with the time of the 'dark ages' since what I'm working on now, though set in modern day, has a kind of allegory of the idea of the dark ages.
I really would like to learn more about Joseph Campbell. I know some basics of his ideas, but he has written a lot. I'll probably also be watching the 'M...more
It's interesting that it starts with the time of the 'dark ages' since what I'm working on now, though set in modern day, has a kind of allegory of the idea of the dark ages.
I really would like to learn more about Joseph Campbell. I know some basics of his ideas, but he has written a lot. I'll probably also be watching the 'M...more
Jan 07, 2009
Laura
marked it as to-read
Started...haven't finshed. Joseph Campbell is no joke.
unwholesome
I loved the scholarship of this book...I learned that there was a christian sect that would eat the aborted fetuses of thier women, also, diana's priesthood and its bloody rights of passage, and many other things that have been believed by differant people at different times about god...joseph cambell a student of carl jungs wrote in four volumes a magnificient work...with implications on any creative persons ideas of myth and its role in life... deep book... mike seely and the acid tong
Editing!
The last in the series. As this was written nearly 40 years ago, many of the ending spots for the series feel unfinished....as it would since so many cultural trends have gone on, changed, AND reached back to the past. Reading all 4 volumes can be a revelation.....
Would like to get to this before reading Ulysses, since I've heard Campbell's take on Joyce totally transforms the way you see the work.
Like I'd say anything about my main man, Joseph Campbell? Always compelling, Always interesting, and what a wonderful storyteller. A man whose grace, kindness,and infinite intelligence, always shines through in his writing.
I did not read this. I really want to like Joseph Campbell but I just can not get into it. This was so wordy. I found myself wishing he would get to the point.
Not an easy read but well worth it. As always I walked away seeing things just a bit diffferently.
some people love this one, but to me this is just campbell soup
Mar 25, 2007
Manish
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those building the myth of their lives
Shelves:
bigquestions
This is how it is done . pursuit of your happiness.
Of the 'Mythology' quartet, best.
Campbell hits the nail on the head!
May 16, 2013
Karen Hughes
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2013
Aaron Ellison
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2013
Graham Steeksma
marked it as to-read
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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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“Life is like arriving late for a movie, having to figure out what was going on without bothering everybody with a lot of questions, and then being unexpectedly called away before you find out how it ends.”
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Jan 11, 2010 03:05pm