The Mightiest of Mortals: Hercules

Greek Myths

by Doris Gates

Retells the exploits of the Greek demi-god Heracles, including the tales of his twelve labors.

96 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 1975

About the author

Doris Gates, 1901-1987

A lifelong resident of California, Doris Gates was for many years, she was a librarian for the Fresno County Free Library. However, she is remembered for her many beloved children's books. Of these, the best known and most influential was Blue Willow (1940), selected as a Newbery Honor Book in 1941. Many consider Blue Willow to have been the first realistic, problem novel for children, and it was recognized both for its lasting literary merit and for its expansion of the range of subjects which could be explored in books for children. She died in 1987.

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfectly solid and very thorough retelling of the Heracles myth, leaving out pretty much nothing, and clocking in at 91 pages (including some very nice black and white illustrations), which is just long enough for me to wish Gates would abandon her factual and removed narrative style and attempt a little more of a probe into the psyche and motivations of her characters, be they gods or mortals. There are moments which pop, like the birth of Heracles, but Gates brings no depth or pathos to the story, and so at some point it becomes a bit of a slog of Heracles gets a job, Heracles kills or captures something, a King cheats him, Heracles seeks revenge- repeat. Still, it's a good single volume introduction to this pivotal figure of Greek mythology, though it may ultimately be more informative than entertaining.