Greek myths have long been admired as beautiful, thrilling stories but dismissed as serious objects of belief. For centuries scholars have held that Greek epics, tragedies, and the other compelling works handed down to us obscure the “real” myths that supposedly inspired them. Instead of joining in this pursuit of hidden meanings, Sarah Iles Johnston argues that the very nature of myths as stories—as gripping tales starring vivid characters—enabled them to do their most important work: to create and sustain belief in the gods and heroes who formed the basis of Greek religion. By drawing on work in narratology, sociology, and folklore studies, and by comparing Greek myths not only to the myths of other cultures but also to fairy tales, ghost stories, fantasy works, modern novels, and television series, The Story of Myth reveals the subtle yet powerful ways in which these ancient Greek tales forged enduring bonds between their characters and their audiences, created coherent story-worlds, and made it possible to believe in extraordinary gods. Johnston captures what makes Greek myths distinctively Greek, but simultaneously brings these myths into a broader conversation about how the stories told by all cultures affect our shared view of the cosmos and the creatures who inhabit it.

What are myths? How have they evolved? And why do we still so desperately need them? A history of myth is a history of humanity, Karen Armstrong argues in this insightful and eloquent book: our stories and beliefs, our curiosity and attempts to understand the world, link us to our ancestors and each other. This is a brilliant and thought-provoking introduction to myth in the broadest sense–from Palaeolithic times to the “Great Western Transformation” of the last 500 years–and why we dismiss it only at our peril.

More than 80 classic myths retold and explained, from early creation beliefs to classical hero narratives and the recurring theme of the afterlife. The latest title in the bestselling Big Ideas series, The Mythology Bookexplores the compelling worlds and characters depicted in myths and legends. Delve into each myth and discover the meanings behind these stories, getting to the heart of their significance to different cultures worldwide. More than just stories, myths are testament to the amazing creativity of humans striving to explain and make sense of the world around them. Revisit your favourite myths and discover brand new ones- discover Zeus, god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods, Loki, the cunning trickster with a knack for causing havoc, Thor with his mighty hammer, and Hades, ruler of the underworld. Beyond the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greek, Roman, and Norse myths this book delves into the stories woven by the Australian aborigines, the Cherokee, and Aztecs, each brimming with amazing characters and insights into human existence.

As long as we have been human, we have been mythmakers. In A Short History of Myth, Karen Armstrong holds up the mirror of mythology to show us the history of ourselves, and embarks on a journey that begins at a Neanderthal graveside and ends buried in the heart of the modern novel. Surprising, powerful and profound, A Short History of Myth examines the world's most ancient art form - the making and telling of stories - and why we still need it.

Illustrated in full color throughout, this delightful collection puts the riches of world mythology at the fingertips of students and storytellers alike. It is a treaury of favorite and little-known tales from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Oceania, gracefully retold and accompanied by fascinating, detailed information on their historic and cultural backgrounds. The introduction provides an informative overview of mythology, its purpose in world cultures, and myth in contemporary society and popular culture. Mythic themes are defined and the often-misunderstood difference between myth and legend explained. Following this, the main sections of the book are arranged thematically, covering The Creation, Death and Rebirth, Myths of Origins, Myths of the Gods, and Myths of Heroes. Each section begins by comparing its theme cross-culturally, explaining similarities and differences in the mthic narratives. Myths from diverse cultures are then presented, introduced, and retold in a highly readable fashion. A bibliography follows each retelling so readers can find more information on the culture, myth, and deities. Character, geographical, and general indexes round out this volume, and a master bibliography facilitates research. For students, storytellers, or anyone interested in the wealth of world mythology, Mythology: Stories and Themes from Around the World provides answers to common research questions, sources for myths, and stories that will delight, inform, and captivate.

Explore eighty of the world's greatest myths and characters, from the gods of Greek mythology to the Norse heroes, retold and explained with engaging text and bold graphics. From early creation stories to classical hero narratives and the recurring theme of the afterlife, experience each myth and unravel the meanings behind the stories, getting to the heart of the importance of mythology to different cultures worldwide. More than just stories, myths are a testament to the amazing creativity of humans striving to explain and make sense of the world around them. Here you will discover Zeus, god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods, and Loki, the cunning trickster with a knack for causing havoc, aided by his ability to change shape and gender. Beyond the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greek, Roman, and Norse myths, this book delves into the stories of the Australian aborigines, the Cherokee, and the Aztecs, each brimming with amazing characters and insights into human existence. This newest title in the bestselling Big Ideas series pairs engaging visual style with global coverage of world myths - profiling everything from the well-known tales of the Greeks, Norsemen, and Egyptians to the legends of the Caribbean, the Americas, Oceania, and East Asia - bringing the wisdom of the ages to life.

Presents traditional tales from Greek, Roman, Norse, American Indian, Asian, and other mythologies.

"Stories centuries in the making, and many centuries worth of stories, are an integral part of modern society. Whether modern or ancient, every culture has its myths. Mythology forms our understanding of our origin, history, and traditions. They tell of our heroes and deities. Myths are vehicles for understanding religion, for learning language, and for understanding society, but they can often be difficult to understand and confusing. The Handy Mythology Answer Book examines and explains, in plain English, numerous myths and mythology. From the ancient Greek and Roman to Egypt and Babylon, from Native North American Indian to Celtic, Middle Eastern, Indian, Asian, African, and the lesser known myths from around the world, The Handy Mythology Answer Book has them covered. Whether it is the modern retelling of a classic myth or an ancient story about a Norse god, this helpful resource demystifies the myth, looks at different archetypes and motifs, and even shows how myths help explain our existence and institutions. It answers nearly 600 questions and offers fun facts about the treachery and violence, the inspirational and epic, the supernatural monsters and heroic mortals found in mythology, such as How and when did myths originate? What are the three primary myth types? What is the nature of Creation Myths? How can myths be compared to dreams? Why do humans tell myths? What was the Egyptian Book of the Dead? How is the epic of Gilgamesh like later epics? Why is the biblical flood story so like the Babylonian flood myth? What was the myth of Theseus, the Labyrinth, and the Minotaur? What are the Homeric Hymns? How and why are the Odyssey and the Iliad so different from each other? What is the popular appeal of the Odyssey? Did the Greeks see these myths as religion or as entertainment? What was the background myth of the Oedipus plays? What was the nature of Roman mythology during the Roman Republic? What was the Metamorphosis? How did Christian narrative and tradition fit into and come to dominate the Roman mythological tradition? How is Celtic culture and mythology related to the culture and mythology of Greek, Roman, and other cultures? How did the Vedas contribute to Hindu mythology? Who invented Chinese writing? What was the Aztec pantheon? What is the story of the Cherokee Grandmother Sun? Who are some Native American tricksters? What is the story of Schrödinger's Cat? How did Freud use myths? How is myth used in politics? A glossary of commonly used terms and an appendix of parallel mythology exploring universal themes, motifs, and archetypes from across various cultures further explains the world of mythology."--

"Jason and the Golden Fleece" is the second book in the Early Myths collection, a series of children's picture books about Greek mythology. Each book tells the tale of a character from myth and brings the story to life through inspiration from art and literature. The books are aimed at 4 to 8 year olds, are beautifully illustrated and easy to read. The story of Jason tells one of the oldest stories from Greek myth. Our hero tries to win back the throne, stolen from his father, but is challenged to a great adventure to prove his skills. He gathers to greatest of the heroes and sails to the edges of the world to win the fabled Fleece. He returns to Greece with princess Medea to claim his prize but faces many obstacles along the way. Jason and the Golden Fleece followed Perseus, which won a bronze medal at the Moonbeam Children's Awards 2014. Our third book, Odysseus, has received two awards- an honourable mention at the 2015 Royal Dragonfly Books Awards and a finalist position in the 2015 Wishing Shelf Children's Book Awards. Our latest book is "Atalanta" which was released at the end of 2015 and our fifth book will be released in late 2016.

This book, developed out of the 1969 Sather lectures at Berkeley, California, confronts a wide range of problems concerning the nature, meaning and functions of myths. Professor Kirk's aim is to introduce a degree of coherence and of critical awareness into a subject that arouses profound interest today, but which for too long has been the target of excessive theorizing and interdisciplinary confusion between anthropologists, sociologists, classicists, philosophers and psychologists. Professor Kirk begins by discussing the relation of myths to rituals and folktales, and the weakness of universalist theories of function. He then subjects Lévi-Strauss's structuralist theory to an extended exposition and criticism; he considers the character and meaning of ancient Near Eastern myths, their influence on Greece, and the special forms with rational modes of thought, and finally, he assesses the status of myths as expressions of the unconscious, as elements of dreams, universal symbols, as accidents along the way to some narrative objective. The result is a significant critical venture into the history and philosophy of thought, imagination, symbol and society.--From publisher description.