Reviews

The Inner Reaches of Outer Space: Metaphor as Myth and as Religion (Collected Worksl) by Joseph Campbell

ovenbird_reads's review against another edition

4.0

Joseph Campbell is extraordinary. This particular work was pretty complex, and I skipped the last chapter on art, but the parts about the principle of Kundalini from yoga and the reinterpretation of some elements of the bible were fascinating. You're never going to look at the serpent in the garden of Eden the same way again. I was absolutely amazed by the comparative study of world religions presented here. Campbell shows that most religions, even when geographically isolated and separated by hundreds and thousands of years, contain eerily similar elements--specifically the idea of Kundalini that is reiterated in truly diverse cultural and social contexts as an aspect of spirituality. The result is a mind bending argument that suggests a universal experience of human spirituality that has worked its way into multiple systems of spiritual thought. The specifics vary culturally but the core idea remains too similar to be discounted as pure coincidence.

lanceschaubert's review against another edition

4.0

Rather than write a review of this man's life work, I'd rather just cite the various posts I've written about him in the past:

• Monomyth Definition: A Defense of The Hero’s Journey
• Hindu Monotheism : The Upanishads and Vedanta
• Follow Your Bliss : Results of Joseph Cambell’s Advice
• The New
Hero: Tolkien and Subversion
• Joseph Campbell Religion :: Did Joseph Campbell Believe in God?
• Joseph Campbell Religion :: Did Joseph Campbell Believe in God?
• Was Joseph Campbell atheist?

And because I like having fun, the Zero with 1,000 Faces

Mark: Got a new lighting rig and arrangement that I want to test out, but I need something that changes and moves around a bunch. You up for a challenge?

Lancelot: [silence. I’m thinking…]

Mark: Day… in the… studio?

Lancelot: New lighting set up?

Mark: Yeah, it’s–

Lancelot: What if I tapped into my old thespian and modeling skillset and tried to give you as many faces as possible?

Mark: So… you’d… wait. Like trying to get me to mix it up as you mix it up?

Lancelot: Yes. You’ll keep me on my toes, making sure the faces are all different. I’ll keep you on your toes so you switch your style.

Mark: Sounds fun.

Lancelot: We’ll call it… [Dr. Evil voice] THE ZERO WITH 1000 FACES.

Mark: [Quiet for awhile, then:] Okay.

Well we got into the studio and I brought exactly four billion props and costumes.

lajoselu's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

4.5

I especially liked how different myths and works of art were used to communicate complex ideas. Perhaps in the last chapter is when I kind of lost the thread of ideas that I'd been following in the previous parts, though it was interesting nonetheless. 

quinndm's review against another edition

4.0

The first 3/4's of this book is pretty incredible! I love the stories and the insights... but the last quarter drags a bit with all the fascinating information it had already established.

jupytwo's review against another edition

moving out from college, will resume in the fall

maxwelldemay's review against another edition

4.0

2 / 4 : If you have time, read
NON-FICTION
[Campbell's thoughts on myth in the time of the Space Age.]

Less focused on its prime subject matter, with long retellings of myths, this lecture series nonetheless looks towards our future in the unknown and its unknowable promise.

He really is a fan of Kant, Mann, and Joyce.

drew1013's review against another edition

3.0

2022 reread: Having just read Pathways to Bliss, it’s difficult to come back to The Inner Reaches of Outer Space and be as enthralled. Pathways to Bliss covers many of the same ideas in a more engaging way, and Inner Reaches meanders into weird areas like numerology and esoteric discussions of words and what they really mean when talking about art. It was difficult to enjoy this time, though I remember liking it a few years ago.

sydthehobbit's review against another edition

I don't think I have enough brain cells for this one

booksladycma's review against another edition

3.0

I enjoy Mr. Campbell's work, and did take away some insights from this, but this book was way more obscure than his other work. The numerology lost me, I admit.
The comparisons of world religions were interesting, and the chapter on art was interesting, but this book was a struggle to get through.

ghostslideshow's review against another edition

I don't think I can rate this book on the Goodreads enjoyment scale, because I don't think it should be read for that. (Though, haha, the author talks about writing and art as esthetic enjoyment in the last chapter so take that as you will.) Campbell is undoubtedly brilliant and this collection had some beautiful thoughts about the unity of humankind and the artistic/mystical duty of compassion, but the jacket promised an exploration on the changing face of myth in the space age and the book didn't really deliver that. That isn't Campbell's fault, though, and it's possible I misinterpreted something along the way.