This brilliant, readable synthesis of the history
of mythology and the function it serves to humanity is the launch title
of the groundbreaking publishing event, The Myths. "Human beings have
always been mythmakers." So begins Karen Armstrong's concise yet
compelling investigation into myth: what it is, how it has evolved, and
why we still so desperately need it. She takes us from the Paleolithic
period and the myths of the hunters right up to the "Great Western
Transformation" of the last five hundred years and the discrediting of
myth by science. The history of myth is the history of humanity, our
stories and beliefs, our curiosity and attempts to understand the
world, which link us to our ancestors and each other. Myths help us
make sense of the universe. Heralding a major series of retellings of
international myths by authors from around the world, Armstrong's
characteristically insightful and eloquent book serves as a brilliant
and thought-provoking introduction to myth in the broadest sense -- and
explains why if we dismiss it, we do so at our peril.
BOOK REVIEWS
Media Reviews
'Although the book offers no new perspectives or
information on the history of myth, it does provide a functional survey
of mythology's history.' - PW.
Comment: A Short History of Myth is the launch title in UK
publisher Cannongate's new myth series featuring retellings of classic
myths by modern writers - see The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood and Weight
by Jeanette Winterson, also in this issue. It is not surprising that
the reviewer from PW finds that this book offers 'no new perspectives
or information' as its purpose is not to break new ground but rather to
offer an overview of mythology as a whole in order to put the rest of
the series into context.
The series, conceived by Cannongate publisher Jamie Byng, is
being launched by 30 publishers worldwide this Fall. Byng (who
incidentally is the brother of Georgia Byng, author of the Molly Moon
books for children) estimates the series will be completed in 2038!
The information about A Short History of Myth shown above was first featured
in "BookBrowse Previews" - BookBrowse's monthly online-magazine that keeps our members abreast of notable and high-profile books publishing in the coming weeks.
In most cases, the reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication.
If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel
that the reviews shown do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available,
please send us a message with the mainstream media reviews that you would like to see added.
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