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Asian Journals: India and Japan
. Travel with Comparative Mythologist Joseph Campbell to discover the power of myth in Asia
At the beginning of his career, Joseph Campbell developed a lasting fascination with the cultures of the Far East, and explorations of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy later became recurring motifs in his vast body of work. However, Campbell had to wait until middle age to visit the lands that inspired him so deeply. In 1954, he took a sabbatical from his teaching position and embarked on a yearlong voyage through India, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and finally Japan. Asian Journals combines the two hardcover editions of Campbell's journals, Baksheesh & Brahman and Sake & Satori, into one paperback volume, an edited day-to-day travel diary of the people he met and the historical places he visited on his trek through Asia. Along the way, he enlivens the narrative with his musings on culture, religion, myth, and politics, describing both the trivial and the sublime. As always, Campbell's keen intellect and boundless curiosity shine through in his lucid prose. From these pages, Campbell enthusiasts will come away with a deeper understanding of the man, his work, and his enduring legacy.
At the beginning of his career, Joseph Campbell developed a lasting fascination with the cultures of the Far East, and explorations of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy later became recurring motifs in his vast body of work. However, Campbell had to wait until middle age to visit the lands that inspired him so deeply. In 1954, he took a sabbatical from his teaching position and embarked on a yearlong voyage through India, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and finally Japan. Asian Journals combines the two hardcover editions of Campbell's journals, Baksheesh & Brahman and Sake & Satori, into one paperback volume, an edited day-to-day travel diary of the people he met and the historical places he visited on his trek through Asia. Along the way, he enlivens the narrative with his musings on culture, religion, myth, and politics, describing both the trivial and the sublime. As always, Campbell's keen intellect and boundless curiosity shine through in his lucid prose. From these pages, Campbell enthusiasts will come away with a deeper understanding of the man, his work, and his enduring legacy.
971 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2018
17 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Campbell
426 books6,220 followersJoseph Campbell was an American author and teacher best known for his work in the field of comparative mythology. He was born in New York City in 1904, and from early childhood he became interested in mythology. He loved to read books about American Indian cultures, and frequently visited the American Museum of Natural History in New York, where he was fascinated by the museum's collection of totem poles.
Campbell was educated at Columbia University, where he specialized in medieval literature, and continued his studies at universities in Paris and Munich. While abroad he was influenced by the art of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, the novels of James Joyce and Thomas Mann, and the psychological studies of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. These encounters led to Campbell's theory that all myths and epics are linked in the human psyche, and that they are cultural manifestations of the universal need to explain social, cosmological, and spiritual realities.
After a period in California, where he encountered John Steinbeck and the biologist Ed Ricketts, he taught at the Canterbury School, and then, in 1934, joined the literature department at Sarah Lawrence College, a post he retained for many years. During the 40s and '50s, he helped Swami Nikhilananda to translate the Upanishads and The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. He also edited works by the German scholar Heinrich Zimmer on Indian art, myths, and philosophy. In 1944, with Henry Morton Robinson, Campbell published A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake. His first original work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, came out in 1949 and was immediately well received; in time, it became acclaimed as a classic. In this study of the "myth of the hero," Campbell asserted that there is a single pattern of heroic journey and that all cultures share this essential pattern in their various heroic myths. In his book he also outlined the basic conditions, stages, and results of the archetypal hero's journey.
Throughout his life, he traveled extensively and wrote prolifically, authoring many books, including the four-volume series The Masks of God, Myths to Live By, The Inner Reaches of Outer Space and The Historical Atlas of World Mythology. Joseph Campbell died in 1987. In 1988, a series of television interviews with Bill Moyers, The Power of Myth, introduced Campbell's views to millions of people.
Campbell was educated at Columbia University, where he specialized in medieval literature, and continued his studies at universities in Paris and Munich. While abroad he was influenced by the art of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, the novels of James Joyce and Thomas Mann, and the psychological studies of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. These encounters led to Campbell's theory that all myths and epics are linked in the human psyche, and that they are cultural manifestations of the universal need to explain social, cosmological, and spiritual realities.
After a period in California, where he encountered John Steinbeck and the biologist Ed Ricketts, he taught at the Canterbury School, and then, in 1934, joined the literature department at Sarah Lawrence College, a post he retained for many years. During the 40s and '50s, he helped Swami Nikhilananda to translate the Upanishads and The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. He also edited works by the German scholar Heinrich Zimmer on Indian art, myths, and philosophy. In 1944, with Henry Morton Robinson, Campbell published A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake. His first original work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, came out in 1949 and was immediately well received; in time, it became acclaimed as a classic. In this study of the "myth of the hero," Campbell asserted that there is a single pattern of heroic journey and that all cultures share this essential pattern in their various heroic myths. In his book he also outlined the basic conditions, stages, and results of the archetypal hero's journey.
Throughout his life, he traveled extensively and wrote prolifically, authoring many books, including the four-volume series The Masks of God, Myths to Live By, The Inner Reaches of Outer Space and The Historical Atlas of World Mythology. Joseph Campbell died in 1987. In 1988, a series of television interviews with Bill Moyers, The Power of Myth, introduced Campbell's views to millions of people.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 13, 2023
J:Campbell was a great comparative mythologist and a very intelligent man. He, apparently was also a geezer. I'll get back to that.
Having been twice to India, I found it interesting to see it through Campbell's eyes, plus I really enjoyed reading his train of thought on Indian traditions, Hinduism, the east vs west dilemma etc. He would hate India (even more ) now- the pollution, the noise, and hey, the ever present bhakti. But he does find positive aspects as well.
To the geezer comment - Joseph Campbell found that the biggest problem of inequality between men and women in India was that the women weren't beautiful enough for him, 'because they doesn't have to catch a man to marry' since the marriages are organized. The general situation and needs and desires of the women, tied a lot indoors, doesn't concern him. Nor does he think from where and why did the women arrive in the dirty brothels. He just complains how ugly they look.
When Campbell gets to Japan, he is relieved by the lack of squalor and a more modern society. He visits many temples, and shrines, and reports interestingly about them. He goes to many theater shows, and burlesque shows and once ends up in a brothel. In the brothel the 23 year old japanese girl tells the married, 50 year old Campbell how hard her job is. Some men are aggressive, she has had diseases, her colleague has had eight abortions, but she has to support her family, At this point, what does Campbell do? He asks her if she has ever had pleasure from being with the men, lies next to her and caresses her skin! WTF?! Any decent person, would get up, pay the girl, and leave. It seems that somebody must have commented on Campbell's opinions about the beauty of women in Asia, because there, at least, happens some kind of reflection on the issue, such as a revelation that the women are often trafficked who work in the brothels. Sure it's the fifties, and Campbell is not a heartless man, and his intelligent. One can only think about the general ideas of the population at the time.
Sigh. Still, Campbell's knowledge is huge, and he is self-critical in his thoughts concerning culture and mythology. He learns the basic of Japanese in 3 months! I'm sure he continued to think about all he saw during his travels. Traveling does indeed opens one eyes, if one has an open mind.
Having been twice to India, I found it interesting to see it through Campbell's eyes, plus I really enjoyed reading his train of thought on Indian traditions, Hinduism, the east vs west dilemma etc. He would hate India (even more ) now- the pollution, the noise, and hey, the ever present bhakti. But he does find positive aspects as well.
To the geezer comment - Joseph Campbell found that the biggest problem of inequality between men and women in India was that the women weren't beautiful enough for him, 'because they doesn't have to catch a man to marry' since the marriages are organized. The general situation and needs and desires of the women, tied a lot indoors, doesn't concern him. Nor does he think from where and why did the women arrive in the dirty brothels. He just complains how ugly they look.
When Campbell gets to Japan, he is relieved by the lack of squalor and a more modern society. He visits many temples, and shrines, and reports interestingly about them. He goes to many theater shows, and burlesque shows and once ends up in a brothel. In the brothel the 23 year old japanese girl tells the married, 50 year old Campbell how hard her job is. Some men are aggressive, she has had diseases, her colleague has had eight abortions, but she has to support her family, At this point, what does Campbell do? He asks her if she has ever had pleasure from being with the men, lies next to her and caresses her skin! WTF?! Any decent person, would get up, pay the girl, and leave. It seems that somebody must have commented on Campbell's opinions about the beauty of women in Asia, because there, at least, happens some kind of reflection on the issue, such as a revelation that the women are often trafficked who work in the brothels. Sure it's the fifties, and Campbell is not a heartless man, and his intelligent. One can only think about the general ideas of the population at the time.
Sigh. Still, Campbell's knowledge is huge, and he is self-critical in his thoughts concerning culture and mythology. He learns the basic of Japanese in 3 months! I'm sure he continued to think about all he saw during his travels. Traveling does indeed opens one eyes, if one has an open mind.
September 2, 2018
Asian Journals are two books now in one edition. One, on Campbell's trip to India, and one on Japan with travel in between. Valuable as it gives us a look into his thought processes and how they changed after traveling.
October 23, 2022
I was shocked with this book. Extremely boring and not much in it other than JC winging about how dirty is India. It was just a dairy and he himself didn't want to publish it. Not worthy to read.
July 26, 2017
Endorsements:
“Campbell interrogates his own prejudices, dismantles them and builds the foundations of what has become an influential way of thinking about the world’s religions.”
— Publishers Weekly about Baksheesh and Brahman: Asian Journals-India, which is included in this new paperback
“Campbell has become one of the rarest of intellectuals in American life: a serious thinker who has been embraced by the popular culture.”
— Newsweek
“In our generation the mythographer who has had the fullest command of the huge scholarly literature, the analytic ability, the lucid prose, and the needed staying power has been Joseph Campbell.”
— Commentary
“Campbell interrogates his own prejudices, dismantles them and builds the foundations of what has become an influential way of thinking about the world’s religions.”
— Publishers Weekly about Baksheesh and Brahman: Asian Journals-India, which is included in this new paperback
“Campbell has become one of the rarest of intellectuals in American life: a serious thinker who has been embraced by the popular culture.”
— Newsweek
“In our generation the mythographer who has had the fullest command of the huge scholarly literature, the analytic ability, the lucid prose, and the needed staying power has been Joseph Campbell.”
— Commentary
April 2, 2020
Visiting India and Japan in 1954, Joseph Campbell meets Nehru, visits temples, shrines, talks to Buddhists, learns Japanese, visits Noh theatre performances, dines in excellent and shabby restaurants, enjoys Japanese Geisha culture and discusses religion and philosophy.
The journal is just that, it states the date, the tours, chats and meals and conversation highlights of each day. Campbell is annoyed at the anti-American attitude in India and feels that India should perhaps quit depending on bakshish, getting something for nothing, and grow up and enter the civilized world.
A very insightful book, over my head at times with the philosophy and myth references but enjoyed it all the same.
The journal is just that, it states the date, the tours, chats and meals and conversation highlights of each day. Campbell is annoyed at the anti-American attitude in India and feels that India should perhaps quit depending on bakshish, getting something for nothing, and grow up and enter the civilized world.
A very insightful book, over my head at times with the philosophy and myth references but enjoyed it all the same.
July 13, 2022
Insight to Joseph Campbell’s development as a thinking and it was cool to see him finally embrace comparative mythology as his field of study. Lots of raw material here that really made you think about Hinduism, Buddhism, and the clashing of cultures that happened in Asia during the Cold War. As a Joe Campbell fan, I really enjoyed it.
December 12, 2023
Campbell comes of like the prototypical Ugly American, expecting the world to meet his expectations and seeming oblivious to the impact of poverty on the places he visited. He comes through as profoundly unlikable.
December 15, 2024
With my perspective on world events from today, I can say I'm glad that his opinions did not age well.
November 20, 2019
Travel journal in which Joseph Campbell formulated his thinking by experience.
January 6, 2022
Joseph Campbell brought back so many memories of my years living in India in the late 1970s and 1980s. Of course, he was there in about 1954, in a much different era. I was surprised he had so many views about politics at the time. He was strongly anti-communist. It was also a treat to hear his experiences with the performing arts. It felt like time-traveling since I've visited a lot of the same places as he did.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews