“Unusually accessible and useful . . . An eye-opener to readers into the universality and importance of myth in human history and culture.”—William E. Paden, Chair, Department of Religion, University of VermontFor as long as human beings have had language, they have had myths. Mythology is our earliest form of literary expression and the foundation of all history and morality. Now, in Parallel Myths, classical scholar J. F. Bierlein gathers the key myths f...

An intriguing exploration of the enduring significance of the world's great myths--from the dawn of time to the present dayAs ancient as speech, as essential as law, myths are the stories we tell to find our identity in the cosmos. It is through mythology that we attempt to unravel not only the meaning of our actions and impulses but the significance of human existence itself. Now in Living Myths, classical scholar J. F. Bierlein explores the enduring patterns and messages of myths...

Explore the Hero's Journey in stories as old as humanity and as new as last night's dreamThe latest incarnation of Oedipus, the continued romance of Beauty and the Beast, stand this afternoon on the corner of 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue, waiting for the traffic light to change. — Joseph CampbellSince its release in 1949, The Hero with a Thousand Faceshas influenced millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psycholog...

Discover Myth"There's no one quite like Joseph Campbell. He knows the vast sweep of man's panoramic past as few men have ever known it." --The Village VoiceJoseph Campbell famously compared mythology to a kangaroo pouch for the human mind and spirit: "a womb with a view." In Myths to Live By, he examines all of the ways in which myth supports and guides us, giving our lives meaning. Love and war, science and religion, East and West, inner space and...

This bestseller is a new vision of what a man is or could be, drawing on psychology, anthropology, mythology, folklore and legend.**"Important. Timely and powerful." —**New York TimesRobert Bly writes that it is clear to men that the images of adult manhood given by popular culture are worn out—men can no longer depend on them. In Iron John , Robert Bly looks at the importance of the Wild Man (reminiscent of the Wild Woman in W...

In this fascinating installment of the New York Times bestselling Don’t Know Much About® series, Kenneth C. Davis explores the great myths of the world and their implications for art, science, religion and culture throughout history.What is an Egyptian pyramid doing on the U. S. dollar bill? • Did a pharaoh inspire Moses to worship one God? • What’s a Canaanite demoness doing at a rock concert?Since the beginning of time, people have been insatiably curious. They’ve asked q...

In Trickster Makes This World, Lewis Hyde brings to life the playful and disruptive side of human imagination as it is embodied in trickster mythology. He first visits the old stories—Hermes in Greece, Eshu in West Africa, Krishna in India, Coyote in North America, among others—and then holds them up against the lives and work of more recent creators: Picasso, Duchamp, Ginsberg, John Cage, and Frederick Douglass. Twelve years after its first publication, Trickster Makes This W...

A deeply awakening yet radical exploration of the Goddess, the divine feminine, and the cultural forces that have formed the female condition—A must read for all feminists and spiritual seekers“One of the most important books I’ve ever read.” – Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize Winning author of The Color PurpleFor readers of Women Who Run with the Wolves, The Great Cosmic Mother offers a sweeping overview of the Goddess, allowing us to reconnect within, tap deep into our innate...

This groundbreaking book proposes that the rise of alphabetic literacy reconfigured the human brain and brought about profound changes in history, religion, and gender relations. Making remarkable connections across brain function, myth, and anthropology, Dr. Shlain shows why pre-literate cultures were principally informed by holistic, right-brain modes that venerated the Goddess, images, and feminine values. Writing drove cultures toward linear left-brain thinking and thi...

Hercules, Zeus, Thor, Gilgamesh--these are the figures that leap to mind when we think of myth. But to David Leeming, myths are more than stories of deities and fantastic beings from non-Christian cultures. Myth is at once the most particular and the most universal feature of civilization, representing common concerns that each society voices in its own idiom. Whether an Egyptian story of creation or the big-bang theory of modern physics, myth is metaphor, mirroring our deepest sense of ou...

Did you know the Mbulu of South Africa has a razor sharp tail with a mind of its own? Or that the Kuru-Pira of Brazil has eyes that glow like embers, and fangs ripping from its mouth? In this updated edition of A Field Guide to Demons, Carol and Dinah Mack bring to life some of the most horrific and fascinating creatures ever described in mythology and legend. With a deft pen and global perspective, the Macks profile over ninety bogies including: mermaids, ghouls, vampires, kelpie...

A study of the significance of snakes in ancient civilizations, from the author of The Rise and Fall of the Nephilim ."Fortunately, Scott Roberts boldly goes where few men have surfaced from, providing a well-balanced, innovative, and insightful approach to the topic." —Philip Coppens, author of The Ancient Alien QuestionWhere the bloodlines of the Nephilim leave off, th...