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A review by njyx
The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
4.0
Where to begin with this ... wow. It's a very lengthy and deep book analyzing not only ancient myths but also Freudian couch conversations. The central thesis of a number of common life stories is great and rings very true. There are also some truly inspiring points paint, particularly in the final chapter which wraps up the thesis. The key idea that "humanity" is now our central mystery and we can't be tribal anymore is very powerful and moving... so based on all of that this would be a five...
However, I really struggled with parts of the book, it's long detailed and turgid. Really reading like a PhD thesis in places. I have to admit skimming some sections just because of the fatigue it induced. This would make it a 2 or a 3 score. However, I'm glad I caught some of the later pieces since there is true gold there. This is probably a book to dip in and out of as a reference.
For an actual overview of the stories of the Myths I'd recommend Mythology by Edith Hamilton instead...
However, I really struggled with parts of the book, it's long detailed and turgid. Really reading like a PhD thesis in places. I have to admit skimming some sections just because of the fatigue it induced. This would make it a 2 or a 3 score. However, I'm glad I caught some of the later pieces since there is true gold there. This is probably a book to dip in and out of as a reference.
For an actual overview of the stories of the Myths I'd recommend Mythology by Edith Hamilton instead...