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Myths of the Ancient Greeks
by
From one of today’s foremost scholars, a lively retelling of the timeless tales…Here are the myths that have influenced so much of our cultural heritage. Such age-old stories as the tragic love of Orpheus and Eurydice or Demeter’s loss of her daughter, Persephone, resonate strongly with readers even today. In this book the rousing adventures of the heroes Herakles, Theseus
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Paperback, 368 pages
Published
April 1st 2003
by NAL
(first published 2003)
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Myths of the Ancient Greeks is a book with perfect economy of title. It is a brief retelling of the major surviving myths of the ancient Greeks, and Martin adds a light touch to the stories. He succeeds in making very accessible stories that are notoriously difficult to comprehend. This is not a scholarly look at the myths, but again a light introduction to the stories that may peak your interest into deeper study.
The introduction is wonderful, and makes a key point that any person familiar with ...more
The introduction is wonderful, and makes a key point that any person familiar with ...more
I understand that is bold to contribute all of the stories of Greek Mythology in one book, given its thousands of pages of information. But if you are going to do it, don’t undermine the reader and distribute expectations within how the book should be read, who should read it, and how great it is written. It’s less about the mythology and more about the over exaggerating self awareness the author has for their “feat.”
It’s fine at times, very dry mostly all the time, and frequently boring in it a ...more
It’s fine at times, very dry mostly all the time, and frequently boring in it a ...more
Väga informatiivne ja lihtsasti loetav :)
I must admit, I skimmed most of this book. I originally bought it because I love the tales of Greek mythology but I found this book lacking. It's dry and offers little of the magic that is usually associated with these tales and there is nothing setting this book apart from a quick google search online for the same stories. I also believe the author made a mistake but making the gods and goddesses speak in modern tongue. It brought me out of what little of a story there was.
Aside from that, ther ...more
Aside from that, ther ...more
This book is as pleasant a read as it gets. It revisits more than revises; Martin is able to recount multiple versions of key myths as he presents the fractured, uneven narratives structuring a sort of continuity. Key players are introduced, and then reappear later in both familiar and unfamiliar contexts. But what makes the texts most accessible is the fact that Martin presents them for what they are: narratives. This book does not attempt to replace existing guides to Greek mythology, but rath
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It covers the greek gods and related stories but does not clearly mention what is true and what is a myth. If it is supposed to highlight that all the god related stories are a myth then that will imply for such stories in all the cultures and civilizations. Maybe, it assumes that the reader is completely familiar with the greek history.
The book is also not interesting to read. It comes out more like a chronological tale and I believe it could have been written in a better tone. I skimmed about ...more
The book is also not interesting to read. It comes out more like a chronological tale and I believe it could have been written in a better tone. I skimmed about ...more
Although the book was ok, to be honest I recommend the book by H.A. Guerber much more. Nothing against Martin, but his book didn't have anything that Guerber hadn't already explained, and explained better in my opinion. I was also irritated by Martin's style of mixing several myths into one, I definitely understand that Greek mythology is incredibly fluid, but for informative purposes I find it best to discuss every myth individually.
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Interesting preambles to each "book". The story telling is a bit lacking thou, the latter part is very dense with reference to other stories and the one being told doesn't come to life. Oth seems like the author is trying to capture the minestrel type of storytelling.
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Jan 31, 2012
Molly Ringle
added it
Read the first half or so, anyway, before having to return it to the library. Lots of great detail into the labyrinth that is Greek mythology, with its many major and minor characters and contradictory versions of mythical events. May come back to read the whole thing sometime.
This is a very informative, very clearly written account of Greek Myths that's easy to understand. It connects the myths to each other in a way that make them seem less mythical and more historic. I recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about Greek myths an legends.
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More of a story like oration in tone which I found I quite liked. A good book on Greek mythology that recounts the major events in a story like manner.
I loved it. Easy to read. Not utterly complicated, no literary reference book for sure but enjoyable for someone who likes greek mythology.
Pretty comprehensive and much more complete than others I've read. Adds real depth if you can follow the weaving of tales.
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I love it! Especially when the author included the family tree at the beginning. Great for references.
I knew what I was getting into because I read a lot of the reviews, but it was saddly a little to dry for me. Information was great just not for me.
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