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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
These stories are so familiar, so integrated in our life. But the source material is intimidating without some guidance. Where to start?
This book introduces you to the characters and the family histories along with the various authors and their works. You get a sense of what influenced each unique telling.
It is a starting point. Or as much as you ever need to know. Your call. But it condenses a fantastic amount of information into less than 500 pages. And while I'm sure it cuts some emotional corners, the death of Hector is still thrilling, the return of Odysseus still bittersweet; Philomela's weaving is still delightfully clever. I had to go elsewhere to learn how to pronounce a lot of the names, but otherwise it's all there.
This book introduces you to the characters and the family histories along with the various authors and their works. You get a sense of what influenced each unique telling.
It is a starting point. Or as much as you ever need to know. Your call. But it condenses a fantastic amount of information into less than 500 pages. And while I'm sure it cuts some emotional corners, the death of Hector is still thrilling, the return of Odysseus still bittersweet; Philomela's weaving is still delightfully clever. I had to go elsewhere to learn how to pronounce a lot of the names, but otherwise it's all there.
A very thorough overview of Greek and Roman Myths. Worth reading for anyone who's interested in learning all the big stories and some of the smaller ones from these cultures. My only problem...Norse mythology gets merely a single a chapter. Oh well. That's what Gaiman's "Norse Mythology" is for, I guess.
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
I love Mythology. Hamilton is informative but her presentation is boring.
It’s just pretty dense. I’ll get back to it at some point, I just wanna solidify my reading habit before I tackle this one again.
{3.5 stars}
I have this now on Kindle, I come across this book constantly referenced in other books, so got my own copy.
I like how Edith Hamilton represents the gods, she’s clearly not a fan of most of them, also her explanation of the Eleusinian Mysteries is the clearest I have come across so far.
I also like how this read includes a big overview of Norse mythology and then very briefly makes a connection to Greek Myths and how both are relevant today.
What I’m not sure about is if I would have found this easy to read when I knew a very tiny amount about Greek and Roman Mythology and Norse Mythology. Though the explanations are clear, I found I got more from this this time as I am more receptive now to the chapters that have more of an encyclopaedic feel. This is not the fault of the book, it’s just the way these myths are, where there are loads of them that are not connected to a myth that is part of bigger story, for example one of the families like the House of Thebes.
And although each chapter starts with a reference, every now and then I got the sense there were parts missing, like the ending of the story of Arachne, where Edith Hamilton has a happy ending showing Athena regreting her anger to Arachne, but my 3 translations of Ovid’s Metamorphosis shows her wrath is not appeased as she also curses her family.
What I do like is how Edith Hamilton tells these tales. One of my favourites here is Cupid and Psyche. It starts with:
I have this now on Kindle, I come across this book constantly referenced in other books, so got my own copy.
I like how Edith Hamilton represents the gods, she’s clearly not a fan of most of them, also her explanation of the Eleusinian Mysteries is the clearest I have come across so far.
I also like how this read includes a big overview of Norse mythology and then very briefly makes a connection to Greek Myths and how both are relevant today.
What I’m not sure about is if I would have found this easy to read when I knew a very tiny amount about Greek and Roman Mythology and Norse Mythology. Though the explanations are clear, I found I got more from this this time as I am more receptive now to the chapters that have more of an encyclopaedic feel. This is not the fault of the book, it’s just the way these myths are, where there are loads of them that are not connected to a myth that is part of bigger story, for example one of the families like the House of Thebes.
And although each chapter starts with a reference, every now and then I got the sense there were parts missing, like the ending of the story of Arachne, where Edith Hamilton has a happy ending showing Athena regreting her anger to Arachne, but my 3 translations of Ovid’s Metamorphosis shows her wrath is not appeased as she also curses her family.
What I do like is how Edith Hamilton tells these tales. One of my favourites here is Cupid and Psyche. It starts with:
There was once a king who had three daughters, all lovely maidens …
Which sounds like Once upon a time there was a …. and fits the fairytale mode with how Psyche finds a perfect love with Cupid but after losing him is put through a series of trials to be reunited with Cupid, and live happily ever after.
My favourite line in this book is a quote from Ovid’s Metamorphosis of Phaeton’s story,
My favourite line in this book is a quote from Ovid’s Metamorphosis of Phaeton’s story,
Here Phaëthon lies, who drove the Sun-god’s car.
Greatly he failed, but he had greatly dared.
And how Edith Hamilton tells Phaëthon’s story is just as engrossing.
informative
medium-paced
I still want the anniversary illustrated edition :( <3 will always hold these stories close to my heart
Actual Rating: 4.75
+1 I'm...such a mythology nerd it isn't even funny.
+1 hilariously entertaining regarding diction. Just guys bein pals for most of this. Totally NOT gay lovers. Pssh.
+1 multiple sources for the myths, helping to ensure more accurate retellings of the original myths
+1 another pleasant audio book experience (for the most part)
+1 it's just...so good. It's most of the major myths of Greco-Roman mythology all in one place and in English. Good stuff, good stuff.
-0.25 THIS IS NOTHING AGAINST EDITH but the lady who I had reading the book on YouTube mispronounced original Roman words and it bugged me.
I'm so glad my AP Latin teacher had us pick this up because I had previously no idea it existed and I needed it in my life, so shoutout to Ms. Stephen.
+1 I'm...such a mythology nerd it isn't even funny.
+1 hilariously entertaining regarding diction. Just guys bein pals for most of this. Totally NOT gay lovers. Pssh.
+1 multiple sources for the myths, helping to ensure more accurate retellings of the original myths
+1 another pleasant audio book experience (for the most part)
+1 it's just...so good. It's most of the major myths of Greco-Roman mythology all in one place and in English. Good stuff, good stuff.
-0.25 THIS IS NOTHING AGAINST EDITH but the lady who I had reading the book on YouTube mispronounced original Roman words and it bugged me.
I'm so glad my AP Latin teacher had us pick this up because I had previously no idea it existed and I needed it in my life, so shoutout to Ms. Stephen.
A good book for reference, especially concerning Greek mythology. Unfortunately, the Norse mythology part was very short and unsatisfying. It covers only the surface of Norse mythology and doesn't even explain most of the important myths!