The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Bollingen Series, No. 17)
by Joseph Campbell
Book Summary Information
Author: Joseph CampbellEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1972-03-01
ISBN: 0691017840
Number of pages: 464
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Book Reviews of The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Bollingen Series, No. 17)
Book Review: Humanities Scholar Writing for the Layperson
Summary: 5 Stars
So what is "Hero?" Campbell is a comparative mythologist, and the original title was "How to Read a Myth." While scholarly in nature, "Hero" is not a formal scholarly paper and should not be read as such. Instead, it falls in the realm of literature. Campbell was awarded the National Institute of Arts and Letters Award for Contributions to Creative Literature for "Hero." As a scholar, he was particularly proud of this fact. While the book is not necessarily an easy read, it was written for the general public. It's difficulty may account for the "snooze factor" some reviewers attribute to it. "Hero" is a broad survey of what is similar about the world's mythologies, remarkable in breadth for its length. Rather than focus on what makes us different, as most comparative religion scholars do, he chose to focus on what makes us similar. If this interests you I suggest you read it. If after you are finished you wish for more depth, I suggest you try his four volume series "Masks of God."
If you read some of the negative reviews you will get the impression Campbell tries to provide you with answers to life's great mysteries. This is false. Instead, he borrows vocabulary from a staggering variety of the world's mythologies to describe that mystery. You will also get the impression that Campbell thinks he found the one and only way to interpret mythology. This is also false. On page one of the epilogue he says, "There is no final system for the interpretation of myths, and there will never be any such thing." You may also get the impression that Campbell was a mystic or part of the New Age movement. Again, false. When asked what method of meditation he practices, he once responded, "I underline sentences." In other words, he is a scholar.
Summary of The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Bollingen Series, No. 17)
Joseph Campbell's classic cross-cultural study of the hero's journey has inspired millions and opened up new areas of research and exploration. Originally published in 1949, the book hit the New York Times best-seller list in 1988 when it became the subject of The Power of Myth, a PBS television special.The first popular work to combine the spiritual and psychological insights of modern psychoanalysis with the archetypes of world mythology, the book creates a roadmap for navigating the frustrating path of contemporary life. Examining heroic myths in the light of modern psychology, it considers not only the patterns and stages of mythology but also its relevance to our lives today--and to the life of any person seeking a fully realized existence.
Myth, according to Campbell, is the projection of a culture's dreams onto a large screen; Campbell's book, like Star Wars, the film it helped inspire, is an exploration of the big-picture moments from the stage that is our world. It is a must-have resource for both experienced students of mythology and the explorer just beginning to approach myth as a source of knowledge.
Originally written by Campbell in the '40s-- in his pre-Bill Moyers days -- and famous as George Lucas' inspiration for "Star Wars," this book will likewise inspire any writer or reader in its well considered assertion that while all stories have already been told, this is *not* a bad thing, since the *retelling* is still necessary. And while our own life's journey must always be ended alone, the travel is undertaken in the company not only of immediate loved ones and primal passion, but of the heroes and heroines -- and myth-cycles -- that have preceded us.
Fairy Tales Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Fairy Tales Books
Italian Folktalesby Italo Calvino
Harvest Books; Published: 1992-11-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.75
Price in other shops:
Passing Strange: True Tales of New England Hauntings and Horrorsby Joseph A. Citro
Mariner Books; Published: 1997-10-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.54
Price in other shops:
The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes: How a Stone-Age Comet Changed the Course of World Cultureby Richard Firestone, Allen West, Simon Warwick-Smith
Bear & Company; Published: 2006-06-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.49
Price in other shops:
The Christmas Treeby Julie Salamon
Random House; Published: 1996-10-08; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs: Official Companion Book to the Exhibition sponsored by National Geographicby Zahi Hawass
National Geographic; Published: 2005-06-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $16.21
Price in other shops:
Drummer Hoff (Treehouse Paperbacks)by Barbara Emberley
Holiday House; Published: 1972-09; Hardcover; Book
Price in other shops:
Seven Daughters & Seven Sonsby Barbara Cohen
Demco Media; Published: 1994-12; Hardcover; Book
A Knock at the Doorby Angi Sullins and Silas Toball
Duirwaigh, Inc.; Published: 2006-10-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.75
Faeriesby Brian Froud, Alan Lee
Pavilion Books; Published: 2002-11-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $47.26
D'aulaire's Book of Greek Mythsby Ingri d'Aulaire, Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
Doubleday Books for Young Readers; Published: 1962-10-19; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $16.48
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Thou Art That: Transforming Religious Metaphorby Joseph Campbell
New World Library; Published: 2001-10-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
The Inner Reaches of Outer Space: Metaphor as Myth and as Religionby Joseph Campbell
New World Library; Published: 2002-02-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.50
Price in other shops:
Joseph Campbell - The Hero's JourneyRelease date: 2007-02-06; DVD
Best price: $9.94
Price in other shops:
The Masks of God, Vol. 2: Oriental Mythology (v. 2)by Joseph Campbell
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1991-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.57
Price in other shops:
The Masks of God, Vol. 3: Occidental Mythologyby Joseph Campbell
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1991-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.62
Price in other shops:
The Masks of God, Vol. 1: Primitive Mythologyby Joseph Campbell
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1991-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.56
Price in other shops:
Myths to Live By (Compass)by Joseph Campbell, Johnson E. Fairchild
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1993-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.42
Price in other shops:
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd Editionby Christopher Vogler
Michael Wiese Productions; Published: 2007-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.06
Price in other shops:
Pathways to Bliss: Mythology and Personal Transformationby Joseph Campbell
New World Library; Published: 2004-10-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.67
Price in other shops:
The Power of Mythby Joseph Campbell
Anchor; Published: 1991-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.14
Price in other shops: