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- Wondering why you were born? Look no further.
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- Accessible and clear
- One of the best storytellers of our time!
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The Power of Myth
Joseph Campbell , and
Bill Moyers
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Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth
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Myths to Live By
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Pathways to Bliss: Mythology and Personal Transformation
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The Masks of God, Vol. 4: Creative Mythology
ASIN: 0385418868
Release Date: 1991-06-01 |
Amazon.com
Among his many gifts, Joseph Campbell's most impressive was the unique ability to take a contemporary situation, such as the murder and funeral of President John F. Kennedy, and help us understand its impact in the context of ancient mythology. Herein lies the power of The Power of Myth, showing how humans are apt to create and live out the themes of mythology. Based on a six-part PBS television series hosted by Bill Moyers, this classic is especially compelling because of its engaging question-and-answer format, creating an easy, conversational approach to complicated and esoteric topics. For example, when discussing the mythology of heroes, Campbell and Moyers smoothly segue from the Sumerian sky goddess Inanna to Star Wars' mercenary-turned-hero, Han Solo. Most impressive is Campbell's encyclopedic knowledge of myths, demonstrated in his ability to recall the details and archetypes of almost any story, from any point and history, and translate it into a lesson for spiritual living in the here and now. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Finally available in a popularly priced, non-illustrated, smaller-format edition, which is ideal for the college market and general reader alike, this extraordinary best-seller is a brilliant evocation of the noted scholar's teachings on mythology.
Customer Reviews:
Wondering why you were born? Look no further........2007-09-21
5.5 stars
The Power Of Myth pretty much explains why we are here, and what we can do about it.
I can't think of any single book that showed me as much about myself, my mind, and how I fit into the grand dance of history as Powers Of Myth. It takes the great Bill Moyers interviews and lays them out in a beautifully logical fashion.
There is more deep thought and simple logic about the world's religions and myths here than in any other book I have found; Campbell's favorite theme, that all religions come from the same sources and have the same message, is clearly explained. More importantly, the wonderfully wise author takes that information and shows us how to use it to make our lives richer and more meaningful. What a glorious man, and what a glorious book. It's not only a fine introduction to Joseph's extraordinary work, it's a fitting summation, and a tribute to how much one man can learn and share and grow in a lifetime.
Makes a perfect gift for anyone at any age who likes to think.
My highest recommendation.
Other Books.......2007-09-03
A more popular look at myths and mythology, using this format to relate Campbell's studies and other works to mythological type influences that we see today, even in major media and popular culture or entertainment situations.
When Campbell points it out, you sometimes realise what you are subconsciously missing.
Accessible and clear.......2007-08-06
This is the audio to a PBS special from the 80's. It's done in a conversation between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell. For some people this may feel like there is no structure and that it meaanders through the topic. But, for me it felt more like I was sitting in a living room as they talked to each other.
I've talked to people with lots of knowledge on this topic and they've said that Campbell is sort of the popular science or myth-light version of this topic. It was just the right amount of depth for me and interesting how he personalized myth for people in modern day.
One of the best storytellers of our time!.......2007-07-28
This was required reading for a graduate course in the Humanities. This is a great book written by a very engaging storyteller. Joseph Campbell describes the monomyth in his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces as embodying all the necessary elements of the hero's journey in the many myths in human history. Campbell discovered through extensive research that humankind shares a universal monomyth in its various religions and legends especially pertaining to the creation of the world and humankind. Campbell borrowed the term monomyth from James Joyce's book Finnegan's Wake. Campbell's intuitive insight in human myth proves that for thousands of years these myths display a certain standard structure, which he summarizes beautifully in his book.
A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a
region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there
encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back
from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons
on his fellow man (Campbell 30).
There are at least four major stages that a monomyth has however, in his book, Campbell goes on to describe seventeen stages that some monomyth's posses. The four stages making up the cycle of a monomyth are "passage: separation-initiation-return:" In the passage stage the hero is summoned to journey or embark on an adventure by some kind of event that takes place or from a message, he receives. The hero may embark on this passage willingly or reluctantly. During the separation stage, the hero meets with a mentor or wise man who gives the hero either an amulet or some words of wisdom to be of help to the hero on the adventure. It is during this stage that the hero will go through his first transformation, also known as "crossing the first threshold," as he crosses over to another world or dimension leaving behind the old world. In the initiation stage, the hero goes through several trials or tests. The hero often receives help in these ordeals along the way by allies or from a supernatural force. As the hero completes these ordeals successfully, he proves himself more worthy to continue the adventure. Most importantly, during this stage the hero must pass through a major ordeal that will expand his consciousness, and thereby change his character forever. Often, this ordeal entails the death of an ally or enemy. Once the hero successful accomplishes his ordeal he is rewarded with a gift, it could be intrinsic like the "holy grail, or it can be new found knowledge to better the world with. The last stage the hero travels is that of the return whence he came. Often the hero will undergo further trials on his return before he is permitted to cross the threshold back to the world he left. During his return journey, the hero will use his newfound wisdom or gift to make a safe return home. Once home the gift is used to cure some ill in the hero's home or to impart new wisdom to his neighbors.
Campbell points to the significance of the monomyth in the fact that it describes the cycle that Moses, Jesus, and Buddha had gone through according to their religious adherents. This is not to mention the hundreds of other monomyths told throughout human history. The monomyth proves that humankind shares a common creation DNA in a sense. The monomyth is the perfect vehicle for one to study the Humanities by.
Recommended reading for anyone interested in history, psychology, philosophy.
Intellectual stuff.......2007-06-27
I have tremendous admiration for the author Joseph Campbell and also for Bill Moyers, who did the interview. Both are tremendously intelligent, well-read and capable of verbalizing opinions and explanations in a very concise way. One would glean more from reading this book if a bit of "reqired reading" had been done previous to the reading. Our book club found the book challenging because we lacked the necessary background. Having such background would have made the book read faster and also would have enlightened our understanding as we read. However, we were all glad we did read it.
Book Description
Arguing from Scripture and history, Dr. Boyd makes a compelling case that whenever the church gets too close to any political or national ideology, it is disastrous for the church and harmful to society. Dr. Boyd contends that the American Evangelical Church has allowed itself to be co-opted by the political right (and some by the political left) and exposes how this is harming the church’s unique calling to build the kingdom of God. In the course of his argument, Dr. Boyd challenges some of the most deeply held convictions of evangelical Christians in America – for example, that America is, or ever was, “a Christian nation” or that Christians ought to be trying to “take America back for God.”
Customer Reviews:
THE RIGHT WAY TO THE KINGDOM.......2007-10-22
This book should be required reading for all seminary students, whatever the denomination. I am passing it on to several people and will happily recommend it to others. As a professing Christian, it is my priviledge to work toward the coming of the Kingdom of God which resides in the hearts of men and women, not in the nation's capitol. God help us all to remember that.
The cross, not the sword: Jesus's way is not force.......2007-10-07
Imagine handing this book to the Crusader's to read on their charge to "take back" the Holy Land. Imagine handing this book to the Inquisitors as they prepared to chase down heretics and apostates to torture and burn. Would it get through to them? Or were they too convinced they were "right."
This book is Jesus's mission 101. Jesus's mission is actually more radical than that of the Religious Right in that he seems to demand the humanly impossible: transformational love rather than black and white morality. He chose the route of suffering servanthood rather than victorious political zealotry. That was his choice. What is ours?
Imagine Jesus sitting down with Pastor Boyd after reading this book in a personal and warm setting, what would he say? "Your heart and mind are moving in the right direction. I'm not going to give you any easy answers to the problems of the 21st century. I'll be here with you, but my way is not to force anyone. My way is not to force anyone, including you. You'll have to use your best judgment..." Then they would discuss the fine points of the book, some of the issues brought up by thoughtful readers posted at Amazon.com...
P.S.: Dr. Boyd's interview with Charlie Rose provides a good introduction to him and summary of his thought.
An Awesome Summary of the Christian Faith.......2007-09-26
Boyd articulates the essence of my belief and faith which is Jesus Christ and not human dogma. I kept repeating as I read, "this is exactly what I believe!" Why should this be so startling? Because for years my belief system had been decimated by the evangelical church by its illogical attachment to nationalism, life style issues, and prioritization of sins (anything having to do with sexual conduct are by far most grevious and worthy of excommunication). How refreshing to dispense with this and return to an uncluttered focus on Jesus.
God Helps Those Who Help Themselves.......2007-09-10
Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help themselves." That is, three out of four Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only is Franklin's wisdom not biblical; it's counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans--most American Christians--are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly up.
This excerpt, taken from an article by Bill McKibben and published in the August 2005 edition of Harper's Magazine, sums up the main point of this excellent book by Gregory Boyd - there is an inherent danger in believing what our popular culture tells us about the very nature and principles of our government. Even if we wish, believe, or know that America was founded on biblical principles - there is no earthly government that manifests (reflects) the kingdom of God.
I appreciated the way Boyd builds on the work of others to point out the fallacy and danger of aligning my faith directly with my patriotism. While I did not agree with all of Boyd's conclusions, I believe his analysis deserves serious consideration, especially by Christians who desire their country to reflect their strivings to be more like Christ.
President Jesus would not be in Iraq.......2007-08-27
I am a Republican and a Jesus follower.....I agreed with the philosophy and Biblical tenets connected to modern social/political issues in this book. What a brave book to write! I have highlighted it,passed it around and talked about it. It will definitely irritate the closed minded, but read it anyway and see if you might budge off beliefs that are dangerous to the agenda of Jesus--compassion, mercy, hospitality, and kindness. An important book in the election year especially. READ IT!!
Book Description
Farrell debunks the myth of male power. He dares to question the image of male-as-oppressor, arguing that this misconception has hindered not only men, but women as well.
Customer Reviews:
Not all women's fault; men do these things to other men and to themselves.......2007-10-01
Some author mentioned this book, and as I checked it out it received a whole bunch of positive reviews, so I ordered it, many moons ago. What a disappointment.
First off, the tone of the book isn't very good. He comes off as being more concerned with the perceived harms of feminism than with the plight of men.
He'll make comparisons on how males and females are treatments which seem to pit gender against gender as if fighting each other in a win-lose scenario.
For example, in talking about prostate/testes self-exams and the lack thereof compared to women's breast self-exams, he makes it sound as if the success of breast cancer/breast exam awareness campaigns means that men's health issues are left unaddressed. As if those two issues are fighting each other in a vacuum, to gain a limited amount of resources.
The point should be, that we need more prostate, testicular cancer awareness and to promote self-checkups. Yet, he frames it in a way that would make one think this is the fault of the feminists for only focusing on breast cancer/exams, as if once again they've screwed men over in a vast conspiracy.
He also talks about some problems already known by feminists, but presents them in a way that makes the reader think HE is the first to find discover these problems, and the way he writes about the problems won't really encourage readers to try to change things with feminists, but rather to hate feminists.
The author also mixes slanted opinions with facts as he does not use citations on all fact statements, meaning he must be drawing his own conclusions.
And there are many far better male feminist / men's movements out there that address these issues in a far more constructive way. (Like that show in New Hampshire and that anti-rape anti-violence website... I don't think I'm allowed to mention/advertise their names here)
Warren Farrell also talks about male gender-roles as if they were designed solely to benefit women, and blames feminists apparently because they've broken through many female gender-role barriers, compared to men who still have many more rigid, oppressive gender-roles.
In this regard he seems misguided; he should encourage men to break through their gender-role conditioning, instead of complaining about it to the feminists...
for example, he says one million men get raped every year, mostly in prisons, and he talks about the old dating model where females attract/resist, males pursue/insist, as leading to sexual harassment, date rape charges.
Or, about how the health and lives of adult men in our society have relatively low value so men can be G.I. soldiers, work hazardous jobs.
Or, about how to be masculine is basically to reject and despise all that is weak within your self and others.
But does he try to make men challenge these gender-roles that are deeply ingrained within them? No.
He whines about how women have it better than men, how they're taking over and abusing their power.
Yes, feminism isn't perfect, yes, they've spent most of their time fighting oppressive gender indoctrination affecting women only, and some so-called feminists can be downright misandrous, but come on! He'd rather get men to hate on women than to get them to reflect on themselves, acknowledge their complacency in, and challenge the status quo of misandry, and genuinely try to change things.
I wonder if he's aware of what he is doing. The more men's movements bash feminism in this false dichotomy, the more it distracts people from the real issues of socially constructed gender-based behaviour norms (quite a mouthful), which limit our freedom.
Man Obsoletes Men.......2007-06-25
This book being so well researched and laden with factoids ad nauseam makes it a tedious read. Half-way through you're tempted to shout out, "ENOUGH ALREADY, I GET IT!" I understand why Dr. Farrell felt he had to make as strong a case as possible considering the target audience was his former feminist conspirators. Men will find the book enlightening; women will refuse to even try to comprehend this perspective. A man is deemed wrong out of gate trying to use facts, logic and common sense to argue with a woman. I found "The Manipulated Man", under the same premise, much more enjoyable to read. It's as though Dr. Farrell is proving Esther Vilar's views with a follow up tomb of hard data.
Of what use are men today? Most families are fatherless or the father supports the family from a distance. 50% of all sperm bank withdrawals are to single women and lesbian couples who choose their child's characteristics from a list of hunky and well-educated male donators. (Man as "turkey baster") Warfare is no longer army vs. army conducted on a battlefield. (Even a woman can sit in a missile silo and push a button). The Stage I male protected and provided for his woman as the precious giver of life, often risking his own life to do so. The duties and roles of each were clearly understood. The Stage II male has no one to protect or provide for. Man made men unnecessary for women to give life and live life. His purpose has devolved to being the garbage man, the furniture mover, the miner, the fireman, the construction worker, and the mechanic. He is relegated to merely being short-term brawn or technical expertise. The "War" is over. The fat and ugly lesbian feminists of the 70's and 80's have gotten what they want, a society where most men are obsolete and children are raised wihout a masculine influence.
Dr. Farrell offers improbable, at least for several generations to come, solutions for the Stage II couple. Men need to discover their feelings and have the courage to ask for help. (If he wants to be ostracized and cast out as weak). Stage II women should pursue careers in the "death professions" for true equality to be reached. (Men won't allow it because we're wired to protect the female giver of life and women are wired to want to be protected; but with all the perks of Stage I entitlement-inequality defined) Men need to stop viewing women as "sex objects" and women need to stop viewing men as "success objects." Not in my lifetime, nor that of my children's children...and it's the young people having to navigate life through this unbalanced society, I feel pity for.
It's not you, and you're not alone........2007-06-14
I don't agree that male power is a myth - male power is very real. Just not for the average man, most of the time.
What is a myth is that a man, simply by virtue of being male, is automatically blessed with an edge in modern society. No average man of today feels this way, contrary to the constant barrage of disinformation that tries to make us believe, we should shut up, and suck it down, because we as males allegedly still have the power! Who has really the power here?
Farrell offers a validation to the diffuse feelings that can grow very strong inside a man from everyday experience and observations. No, I'm not insane and it's not me, and I'm not alone. This is such a revelation.
If all women should read this book..........2007-04-20
...then perhaps all men should read 'A Women's History of the World', now called, I believe, 'Who Cooked the Last Supper...' (for another look at how facts can be cherry-picked, warped to suit any argument, and sweeping generalizations are made from singular statistical data, and correlations are based off presumptive conclusions demonstrating no adequate causation--hmm, only from a woman's point-of-view and a whole lot more unapologetic in tone...I believe Rosalind Miles came from that era of "bitter feminist"--the male-bashing years...
Why I'm even wasting brain-cells on this is beyond me, but what the world didn't need was yet one more book--'The myth of Male power'--(you'd do better to read Joseph Campbell and discover the true beauty of myth and symbolism, and some archetypes of masculinity)--that attempts to present the answer to all men's problems (and women's apparently) rehashed once again by misconstrued statistics, sensationalized news contorted to astound and astonish as opposed to making one think, all fit into a pattern of fallacy so apparent, this could be used as an exemplar for intro to logic texts.
Someone in an earlier review stated how disturbing it is so many readers seem to respond favorably to this work without realizing how simplistic the 'facts' proposed are, taken out of context and construed as 'deep' research. What I find even more disheartening is how easily duped most American readers are into not being able to recognize 'pop'-culture hysteria books when they see them and analyze/critique accordingly.
As a case in point, citing men's suicide rates exceeding women's as they go through adolescence into their 20's and 30's, writing the numbers off as a tirade of 'man-the-victim-of-vicious-masculine-stereotypes-see-how-fragile-we-are-damn-the feminists-who've-made-us-suffer-for-demasculinization". How Sir Warren uses these numbers ignores complex issues of familial, socio-economic, ethnic, racial--along with gender--(and even geography) factors. This statement is not made in negation of a consistently documented trend of higher rates of suicide amongst men over women--all anyone needs to do is go to the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/suifacts.htm to see that. To say this trend is happening because of feminism's cancerous influence upon the wider arena of modern society however, thus demonstrating the victimization of men, the subsequent hacking-away of the male-coping mechanisms in terms of cognitive and behavioral health demonstrates one of these sweeping generalizations, and a lack of correlation/causation.
As noted from the CDC website, women are three times more likely than men to attempt suicide (though not carry through on it). Thus, the prevalence of suicide ATTEMPTS amongst women v. men (if we're talking victim v. victim here) is higher for women; men happen to carry through with their attempt on the first go as opposed to women. Did the self-destructive tendency come about as poisoned offspring resulting from feminism's damaging influence to masculine development/mental-health/social identity through adolescence? What about the damage feminism has done to women? After all, I'm 3 times more likely to try and kill myself, because I've obviously been conditioned by my XX chromosome to be manipulative and attention-seeking, and in my journey to evolve into a more self-directed and empowered individual I've suffered a crisis in my feminine identity (assertiveness warring against my more natural tendency toward passivity and submission). So, where men I guess blow their heads off 4 times more frequently than women, women are 3 times more likely to slit wrists and call 911. Hmm, I don't know, seems to me masculinity is fairly intact--purpose-driven and determined straight to the finish.
I don't honestly believe the above statement, but can anyone see where this sort of reasoning leads? The broad sweeping blame on one civil rights movement (of which feminism ought to be included) attempting to effect societal progress for a discriminated populace elicits a backlash of accusation, wherein feminism is touted as the reason men have lost their identity, self-confidence, jobs security, social security, effectiveness in combat, desire for combat, now experience role-confusion, etc etc...all in 21st century America.
Has the male ego become so fragile over the last 50 years that it would allow itself to be debased by such clap-trap argumentation and conclusions as to be found in this book? Are men's identities really so fragile in this country, or in the world, that in trying to reclaim the 'masculine-aura', men must segregate themselves and allow themselves to be defined by one more author espousing post-modernist biological determinism obscured by seeming "deep-research" and profound insight into the male psyche?
If anyone is interested in how the world thinking operated in terms of men and women and gender roles in the era prior to "2nd Wave Feminism", [...]
If anyone believes this was a better world, then I invite you to continue looking through rose-colored glasses.
For others, especially Sir Warren Farrell, what is it about feminism that has frightened so many, and disgusted so many others? Not to quote a bumper-sticker, but "feminism is the radical idea that women are people too", doesn't seem to scream femi-nazi.
Indeed, I think one review from "Fire in the Belly" had it right on--if you're looking to reclaim your masculinity, you'd do better to rent a John Wayne movie or watch Gladiator or The 300. Now there are paragons of masculine ethos and heroism--even for women (to enjoy on so many levels).
Ultimately, a purpose driven life isn't defined by gender, nor on self-victimization.
On the other hand, as one of my favorite authors once wrote, "It's only stupid, conventional men who like stupid, conventional women," (ah, G. Bradshaw).
I can only wonder at the kind of history with women a man like Sir Warren Farrell has had since he obviously claims to have the answers as to society's ills with them.
Attempt to discover any innacuracies in the book.......2007-02-15
I just finished reading this book, and it one of the most insightful and scholarly works that I have ever read. I then wanted to see if anyone reviewing or commenting on the book, claimed Farrell had presented any statistical innacuracies or was otherwise giving faulty information.
So I googled on "'myth of male power' and 'inaccuracies'" and got 34 hits. I checked the first 8 or 9, and most are either in support of Farrell's work or merely cite portions of the book for reference purposes, in a neutral fashion.
Only two of these are attempts at discrediting Farrell, and neither directly addresses any of the statistice given in M.O.M.P. Instead, one is an astonishing rant about how Farrell is "pro-incest", which Farrell convincingly rebuts on the same site (via email). At one point, the person running the site even claims Farrell to have written a book, which he in fact never wrote!
The other sounds like comments from an uneducated person who, from what I could tell, did not even read the book.
Others are free to check the other hits, my laptop is about to run out of battery power:)
...okay, I'm back (a couple weeks later). I did an expanded search and got 152 hits. I checked about the first half of them, and only two attempt to discredit Farrell. Almost all are supportive of the book, and of Farrell in general. The word "inaccuracy/inaccuracies" occurs so often, because those posting on the sites are commenting on the inaccuracies and lies of feminists themselves!
Here is an example of a "negative" hit: The author on one site claims that Farrell's twelve "Female-Only" defenses (chapter 12) is a "gross exaggeration"..she claims that there are really only three - pre-menstrual syndrome, post-partum depression and battered-woman syndrome. However, Farrell, in the book, uses the word "defense" in a broader fashion than the technical legal sense. For example, he describes the "innocent woman" defense (p. 256)- women are believed when they say they are innocent of violence and most easily doubted when they say they are guilty of violence. He then cites several examples, including the Tawana Brawley case and the "Excedrin Poisonings". One sees that this really is a defense, since women are often found 'not guilty' due to the innocent woman mentality.
It appears to me that people who disagree with Farrell, either do not understand what he has written, or distort what he has written, or take it out of context. They are people who are inaccurate ;-)
Book Description
Part history, part cultural commentary, part memoir, The Roots of Desire is a witty and entertaining investigation into what it means to be a redhead.
A redhead rarely goes unnoticed in a crowded room. From Judas Iscariot to Botticelli's Venus to Julianne Moore, redheads have been worshipped, idealized, fetishized, feared, and condemned, leaving their mark on us and our culture. Such is the power of what is actually a genetic mutation, and in The Roots of Desire, Marion Roach takes a fascinating look at the science behind hair color and the roles redheads have played over time. She discovers that in Greek mythology, redheads become vampires after they die; Hitler banned intermarriage with redheads for fear of producing "deviant offspring"; women with red hair were burned as witches during the Inquisition; in Hollywood, female redheads are considered sexy while male redheads are considered a hard sell; and in the nineteenth century, it was popular belief that redheads were the strongest scented of all women, smelling of amber and violets. Redheads have been stereotyped, marginalized, sought after, and made to function as everything from a political statement to a symbol of human carnality. A redhead herself, Roach brings candor and brilliant insight to the complicated and revealing history of redheads, making this a stand-out narrative and an essential tool in understanding the mechanics and phenomenon of red hair.
Customer Reviews:
Redheads Rock.......2007-03-30
Marion Roach, NPR correspondent, is a redhead, and aims to get to the bottom of redhead mythology in our culture. She discusses the oldest famous redheads, like Lilith (Adam's pre-Eve wife in the bible), Set, and Mary Magdalene. She also gets into the genetics of red hair, and explains why it's rare. She also discusses the historical attributes associated with red hair through time. It was formerly thought that Jews were redheads, and later, that redheads were not to be trusted. More currently, red hair is associated with sexual prowess and a hot temper. This book is a fun and intellectually satisfying read, especially for redheads.
Sleep-Inducing at best........2007-02-22
This book poses somewhat of a conundrum. Is it an over-thought monologue on the author's own hair color, or an exceedingly dull scholarly treatise? The answer: it is both! It's a hodge-podge of historical references, anecdotes, and Patty Scialfa. Never delving deep enough into the history, it manages to still lay on what it does say with an all-too heavy brush, dripping with overindulgent prose.
In the end, it is sound and fury signifying... the onset of sleep. If you are in need of a never-ending supply of sleep medication, save yourself some money and buy this book. If not, don't bother.
interesting read.......2007-01-10
I learned a bit about redheads--not as much as I would have liked to, but it was well written
Take the Ride!.......2006-08-26
Get ready to ride through history, science,lore, myth and fun stuff about redheads. It takes one to know one! I have recommended this book to other redheads, and will continue to do so. And yes, we are different!
Not bad........2006-08-25
Marion Roach, The Roots of Desire: The Myth, Meaning, and Sexual Power of Red Hair (Bloomsbury, 2005)
There's something about redheads, isn't there? Marion Roach aims to find out what, exactly, it is. And while, at the end of this little tome, we know that there are some genetic difference, and a good deal of myth and folklore, the mystery of the redhead is still preserved. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is entirely up to you.
Roach divides the book into three parts, with the first covering the myths and legends, the second the science, and the third... well, it's supposed to be the allure. But it actually ends up being a meshing of the driving forces of the two sections that preceded it; those looking for prurient interest are likely to be quite disappointed. That said, the book is never less than readable, and Roach's personal quest, which is what the thesis of this book boils down to, is engaging enough that it's unlikely the reader will find himself with an overwhelming necessity to, say, throw the book under the couch to feed the dustbunnies.
I get the feeling there could have been more to this book-- a lot more, perhaps-- but an equal part of me feels that it simply wouldn't to do get rid of the mystery altogether, would it? ***
Book Description
Story is the heart of language. Story moves us to love and hate and can motivate us to change the whole course of our lives. Story can lift us beyond our individual borders to imagine the realities of other people, times, and places. Storytelling -- both oral tradition and written word -- is the foundation of being human.
In this powerful book, Christina Baldwin, one of the visionaries who started the personal writing movement, explores the vital necessity of re-creating a sacred common ground for each other's stories. Each chapter in Storycatcher is carried by a fascinating narrative -- about people, family, or community -- intertwined with practical instruction about the nature of story, how it works, and how we can practice it in our lives. Whether exploring the personal stories revealed in our private journals, the stories of family legacy, the underlying stories that drive our organizations, or the stories that define our personal identity, Christina's book encourages us all to become storycatchers -- and shows us how new stories lay the framework for a new world.
Customer Reviews:
Hooray for Story!.......2006-03-27
This wonderful book explores the many uses of story telling not just for the listeners but for the tellers as well. Whether or not you ever publish your own stories, Storycatcher will convince you of the value of telling them. Christina Baldwin is at her best. Through her own stories and those of others, she shows how our stories can open the path to understanding each other and ourselves. Storycatcher will inspire and help you to catch as many as you can.
Awarded Best Motivational Book of 2006 by Books for a Better Life Awards.......2006-03-10
On February 27, 2006, this book won the motivational category in the 10th annual Books for a Better Life Awards sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
In her acceptance speech Christina Baldwin said, "The people struggling with MS have important, brave, and heart-opening stories to share. Looking at the Multiple Sclerosis website and other sources, I was so glad to see the emphasis on people sharing their journeys with this disease and the ways you are already honoring story."
Books for a Better Life started ten years ago with the intention of giving credit to the group of authors who have impacted the last half of the 20th century more than any other genre of writers. Profits from the awards go towards funding national research and local chapter services for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Make sense of life and purpose.......2006-03-08
Using story to make sense of our lives and our purpose. Christina will be my guest on my radio show and you'll be able to hear a bit of it in on my podcast!
Jennifer Louden
http://www.comfortqueen.com
Magnificent! A real gem of a book..........2005-10-18
Christina Baldwin's work on Story...the art, the practice, the importance of telling and re-telling stories in our lives is a stunning masterpiece. Woven beautifully with fragments and selections of her own stories, Baldwin once again instructs, enchants and inspires the reader about the critical nature and importance of the individual stories of all of us. Whether it's to build community, heal generational wounds, create stronger organizations, leave a legacy, or simply to pass on information, Baldwin's narrative builds a compelling case for the power of "storycatching." A magnificent read...and a wonderful gift to give. What will be the questions you carry to ask of yourself and others? A must-have!!
Storycatcher Spreads Hope.......2005-10-04
Christina Baldwin's Storycatcher tells stories of hope. She articulates beautifully the power and necessity of sharing story with those around us to build webs of connection, to build community, to provide a bridge to understanding. We all have a story. Baldwin's genius shines through showing us how to bring story into the center of our lives through telling her own story. This book is a work of love and brilliance that brings light into the world.
Average customer rating:
- Chiropractor cracks the New Age Blame Game
- Provoking, Challenging, Yet Easy To Read!
- What an eye opener!
- Important reading for students of alternative medicine.
- An important, fascinating, informative, analytic survey.
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Healing Myths, Healing Magic: Breaking the Spell of Old Illusions; Reclaiming Our Power to Heal
Donald M. Epstein
Manufacturer: Amber-Allen Publishing
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Book Description
Even as healthcare technology makes great strides, studies show that the attitude of a person suffering from chronic illness may hold the most sway over the healing process. This book shows that the first step in adopting a positive attitude toward health lies in dismissing harmful myths. "I must forgive before I can heal." "I am sick because God is punishing me." "If it doesn't feel good, it must be an effective medicine." These are outdated concepts that can slow healing -- or make an illness worse. Donald Epstein divides these myths into four categories: social, biomedical, religious/spiritual, and New Age. He discusses each myth individually -- from "healing is expensive" to "every condition can be traced to a demonstrable physical cause" -- and offers replacement myths, or "Healing Magic," to be both meditated upon and declared out loud by the reader in order to create an opportunity for healing.
Customer Reviews:
Chiropractor cracks the New Age Blame Game.......2005-05-11
Alternative medicine hits the mainstream as more people integrate and use complementary methods to restore and replenish well-being. The challenge arises when someone uses the new age blame game to force some kind of healing. A common example is when a person diagnosed with cancer is told by some holistic practitioner that they caused it. Maybe yes, maybe no, and this book provides some grounded advice on the matter. Quacks abound in the realm of metaphysical healing and Dr. Epstein offers wisdom to tell genuine assistance from downright silliness. We are repsonsible only for our own behavior and not anyone else. If you are into the whole mind-body scene on well-being this is a great guide to separating myth from fact and staying grounded by keeping yout intellect in place. Many people throw their intellect out the door when entering an intutive phase ... and this is a costly mistake. Dr. Epstein gives a blend of intellect and intuition as he cracks the common myths around healing.
Provoking, Challenging, Yet Easy To Read!.......2002-02-10
I highly recommend Donald Epstein's most readable book, Healing Myths, Healing Magic.
Pick any chapter that appeals to you, read it, and it stands on its own.
Like most anything Donald does, it is absolutely profound and thought provoking; so for me reading a chapter or two and then digesting the information for awhile works best.
Inevitably, in this book, Donald will label a myth something that you have held as fact, and this is where you will need some time to digest, but don't discount what he is saying too readily: Having attended Donald's seminars for years, I can tell you that sometimes it takes me two years to really understand something he has told me.
Donald Epstein created the most profoundly elegant and amazing healing system on the planet, Network Spinal Analysis (NSA) about 20 years ago. I have been learning how to practice NSA for the last five years.
Every practitioner, whether MD, DC, DO, PhD, LMT, or any person interested in healing needs to read this book. I have a whole library of books related to healing, and this book is the star of the collection, you need this book.
God Bless,
Hans Conser
What an eye opener!.......2000-04-21
This is a book that will be useful to both health practitionners as well as patients.The book challenges us to look at our body, mind and spirit in a new way.I discovered that what I was thought in school and what I had learned in life through countless hours of studying and post doctoral work can be repositionned in a new way.This book is a shift of paradigm on many levels.
Important reading for students of alternative medicine........2000-04-06
In Healing Myths, Healing Magic, Donald Epstein examines the deeply ingrained stories and myths we commonly hold about how our bodies heal. Some these myths may actually inhibit healing. These myths have a powerful, magically suggestive effect on the way we interpret our symptoms, the way we heal, and the quality of life we experience. Epstein argues that our capacity to heal is more often affected by society's collective myths than by our personal circumstances, symptoms, or disease. Our myths can create the magic of healing in our lives, or they can stop the magic completely. Healing Myths, Healing Magic is a seminal, breakthrough treatise that divided healing myths into four categories: Social, Biomedical, Religious, and New Age. He then exposes each myth individually and suggests an alternative statement or "Healing Magic" to help the reader reclaim his or her own body's natural ability to heal. Healing Myths, Healing Magic is important, highly recommended reading for students of alternative medicine, traditional medicine, and mind/body metaphysics.
An important, fascinating, informative, analytic survey........2000-03-03
Myths and stories surround the healing process - myths which can inhibit healing. From circumstances where healing is difficult or impossible to choices not followed, Healing Myths Healing Magic examines healing myths and exposes and religious, social and medical frameworks for their origins. An important survey.
Book Description
The Ark of the Covenant is at once the most famous and baffling article in history. Although it is cited more often than any other object throughout the Old Testament and was described as the ancient Hebrews' most precious possession, its real meaning and ultimate fate were utterly unknown…until now.
During his worldwide research into its disappearance, author Frank Joseph learned that the Ark was not a mere legend; nor was it just an elaborate box used to store the original Ten Commandments. It was, he asserts, purpose-built to harness the powers of the Earth for humanity's continued physical existence and spiritual evolution. As such, it is the single most priceless fortune mankind has ever possessed.
Following the Ark through the Book of Exodus, he discovered its lineage pre-dated the Bible, extending back in time to ancient Egypt and stories of lost Atlantis. Joseph traced the exact circumstances of the Ark's rediscovery under Jerusalem's Temple Mount by the Knights Templar. Having found the precious object, they returned with it to France, where its clandestine journey across Europe would last for the next 800 years.
Opening the Ark of the Covenant is the result of a quarter-century-long investigation. It leads from the sea-bottom off the coast of Florida to the remote heights of France's Pyrenees Mountains and Japan's secret shrines; from the Nile Valley to the Valley of Mexico. This uniquely far-flung, in-depth hunt for the truth about mankind's most valuable possession reveals the Ark's actual function, purpose and location.
Opening the Ark of the Covenant is a fact-based examination of the Arks real origins, manufactured purpose, historical application, and present whereabouts. Revealing its genuine nature and ultimate destiny represents the most profound disclosure of its kind, powerful enough to shake the foundations of established religions and modern science alike.
Customer Reviews:
Without merit.......2007-10-01
I like some of Frank Joseph's books but this one has no merit. Merely a speculation without any solid fundation. If you want a good book about the true Ark of Covenant and its possible locations, read Randall Price book.
An engrossing analysis of Ark representations and documents evolves........2007-08-06
OPENING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT: THE SECRET POWER OF THE ANCIENTS, THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR CONNECTION, AND THE SEARCH FOR THE HOLY GRAIL will reach both new age and mainstream spirituality holdings, comes from the editor-in-chief of the popular science magazine Ancient America and a co-author with direct ancestors connected to the Crusader kings in the 12th and 13th centuries, and provides worldwide research into the Ark's disappearance which proves its facts. An engrossing analysis of Ark representations and documents evolves.
Very interesting point of view.......2007-05-26
This book takes you from Atlantis to the Holy Grail and bloodline. A very interesting idea about a crystal formation that was the power source for the Ark of the Covenant and use in building the Pyramids. The crystal resonated just right over land areas that were in turmoil regularly because of eathquake or volcanic activity. This would allow humans to attain a euphoric or trance like state. The wise men, holy men, shamans of the world were the keepers of the secret of how these crystals worked. The path of the crystal starts in Lemuria (Atlantis) and passes to other areas of the world with the catastrophic demise of Atlantis.
And if anything it was a fun read.
Book Description
This carefully considered book is a welcome addition to the debate over “judicial activism.” Constitutional scholar Kermit Roosevelt III offers an elegantly simple way to resolve the heated discord between conservatives, who argue that the Constitution is immutable, and progressives, who insist that it is a living document that must be reinterpreted in new cultural contexts so that its meaning evolves. Roosevelt uses plain language and compelling examples to explain how the Constitution can be both a constant and an organic document.
Recent years have witnessed an increasing drumbeat of complaints about judicial behavior, focusing particularly on Supreme Court decisions that critics charge are reflections of the Justices’ political preferences rather than enforcement of the Constitution. The author takes a balanced look at these controversial decisions through a compelling new lens of constitutional interpretation. He clarifies the task of the Supreme Court in constitutional cases, then sets out a model to describe how the Court creates doctrine to implement the meaning of the Constitution. Finally, Roosevelt uses this model to show which decisions can be justified as legitimate and which cannot.
Customer Reviews:
Highly Recommended.......2007-07-21
Defending the Supreme Court against baseless accusations, Roosevelt's constructive analysis of constitutional decision-making yields a refreshingly principled book that withstands heated partisanship. Judicious and applicable, the book provides criteria for a careful assessment of controversial Supreme Court decisions; and subsequently, a framework with which one can discuss pending issues, including those that are likely to arouse debates later this year. What is the conceptual structure that determines the outcome of these cases? Historically, how have evolving societal standards, an emerging national consensus, and the democratic process (in their abundant or reserved degrees) informed these decisions? Written with the objective of "helping citizens to understand and evaluate the work of the Supreme Court," Roosevelt presents a myriad of topics, many of which, according to Roosevelt, remain questions that "will ultimately be answered by the American people."
A laughably muddled apologia.......2007-07-15
This mess of a book contains every possible justification and rationalization for judges substituting their own policy preferences for the text and clear meaning of the constitution. At its bottom, it is a profoundly anti-democratic tract. Mr. Roosevelt believes that the ultimate political authority in the country should be held by a wise cadre of elites in black robes. Wouldn't do to have the unwashed getting their hands on the levers of power in an honest democracy operated by the rules actually set down by the founders in the constitution.
Primer on how lawyers twist words.......2007-04-23
The author clerked under US District Judge Stephen Williams and Supreme Court Justice David Souter and now teaches at the U. of Pennsylvania Law School. The thought process of Justice Souter clearly prevails here. If the author believed his own argument, he would differ as to whether certain cases were properly decided or not. Instead, the author seems to conclude that cases are properly decided if the outcomes accord with current politically liberal fashions.
This volume would be valuable to anyone who does not already understand how legal words and judicial concepts can be twisted to achieve whatever endpoint at which a judge wants to arrive. One suspects, though, that rather than trying to add to the public's understanding of judicial decision-making, the real intent of the author is to take another step in hopefully gaining appointment as a federal judge once a Democrat is elected President.
An Important Book on a Vital Issue.......2006-12-15
The author, an assistant professor of law at Penn, and the author of a solid novel about Washington law firm life ("In the Shadow of the Law" reviewed also on Amazon), tackles in this book one of the most difficult and important issues relating to the Supreme Court--its legitimacy to make decisions overruling the popularly-elected branches. Courts recently have been under fire by a number of groups, with much more emotion and passion than light and insight in evidence. The author wants to develop a different approach in assessing charges of alleged "judicial activism." While his approach is unique, I think only time will tell whether he has crafted a workable approach to the issue. Basically, the author argues that most Court decisions are "legitimate" because they represent "reasonable" decisions as to whether judicial deference is advisable. He draws a basic distinction between "constitutional meaning" and "constitutional doctrine" (i.e., rules the Court employs to implement constitutional meaning). He focuses upon doctrine, at once then avoiding the endless debate about "plain meaning." One important consideration in formulating doctrine is institutional competence, which is a key point in his analysis, as is the role of past history. A careful examination of the "activism" allegations is included--here the author argues that it is not meaning, but doctrine, that is the key issue. He also adds some solid perspective on the originalism debate.
Having laid out his general theory, the author next looks at a series of Court decisions, some quite controversial,which he designates as "easy cases" and "hard cases" to demonstrate the applicability of his model. This is followed by a very valuable discussion of "legitimacy," which he defines as sensible attempts to implement a reasonable understanding of constitutional meaning. This section discusses more cases. Finally, in a section called "Striking the Balance," the author sums up his approach in a sort of "whom do you trust" approach re deciding constitutional issues--courts or the other branches.
The book includes excellent notes and helpful sections on "further reading" at the end of each chapter. As with most innovative studies, there are a few problems. It is not always quite clear, without substantial review, as to what the author is suggesting in the initial section where his approach is laid out. How does one define "reasonable" and "sensible" for example? While written for the general reader, this is not light "bedtime reading." Nonetheless, Roosevelt is grappling with difficult issues and proposing his own innovative model to address a very critical issue. For those interested in this vital issue, a book well worth the challenges involved in reading it.
Hardly worth the read.......2006-12-14
This is hardly a serious analysis of the issue but smacks more of a liberal's partisan defense of the charge of judicial activism - it reads more like an oversized editorial than a scholarly work.
Amazon.com
"You don't begin with meaning," according to fiction writer Rick DeMarinis, "you end with it." A critic approaching a story from a mythological standpoint might find a mythological theme, but "there are as many themes in a story as there are critical theories." Hogwash, says James N. Frey. "Mythic structures, forms, motifs, and characters ... are 'The Key' to writing more-powerful fiction," and it is a fiction writer's job to imbue his or her work with them. In The Key, Frey describes each of the mythic qualities (ascribed to the mythic hero, the "Evil One," the "Call to Adventure," and the other elements of the mythic journey) and offers examples of how to use them in one's writing. Don't get the wrong idea. Frey is not interested in academic or overly intellectual writing. Sure, he invents a Proust-reading Nevada cowboy to illustrate the concept of "The Hero's Lover," but there are more references here to James Bond than to Homer. Frey advises using first-person journal writing to get to know one's characters. He emphasizes fiction's need for conflict at every turn. And he recommends working from a premise, as it helps one know what to leave out (everything in the story must work to further the premise). Frey defines every possible mythic character or situation, then insists one not feel confined by them all. "The mythic pattern is not a straitjacket," he says, "it's Play-Doh. Have fun with it." --Jane Steinberg
Book Description
In The Key, James N. Frey takes his blunt, no b.s. Damn Good approach and applies it to Joseph Campbells insights into the universal structure of myths, providing a practical guide for fiction writers and screenwriters who want to shape their ideas into a powerful mythic story.
Customer Reviews:
Don't be misled by the title...........2007-05-16
...this is not a book on writing Myths. Rather, it is a book explaining how humans have for millenia crafted great stories using mythic structure, stories that appeal to countless generations, even into modern times. Did you know that "Columbo" can be explained via mythic structure? Or that "The Godfather" is also a mythic-based tale? Frey explains the use of the traditional element of mythic structure in modern writing, and shows the writer how to craft modern stories based on it, stories that can be as compelling and exciting as any ancient tale that has lasted through the centuries.
As a professional writer and teacher of writing, I have found this to be the best of Frey's four books on writing, and recommend that if you are serious about crafting damn good fiction, that you get a copy of this book and read it.
A Little useful info, a lot of marketing.......2007-01-28
This book is about an approach to writing based on Joseph Campbell's book, "The Hero with 1000 Faces" which is well known and considered a useful guide to writing because George Lucas famously based his script for Star Wars firmly on its principles. Better and more detailed books about the theory of using myth for writing are out there, such as Christopher Vogler's "The Writer's Journey."
What Frey tells you about in this book is not wrong. I personally find the elements of the monomyth more helpful for composing a story with a begining middle and end than the well known devices of outlining or considering conflict, the buildup of tension and the resolution. It gives you something concrete to go on. Frey's way of explaining it though seems to have a bit more air and vagueness than the subject requires. You're getting the information second-hand when you're getting it from him, and my judgment of the sections of his own writing that he includes as an example leads me to say you're getting it from a mediocre writer here as well.
This book also has all the earmarks of the kind of how-to product that is more marketing campaign than substance. Frey has a catch-phrase that he works into the title of several books, he gives you vague advice while implying that he knows his subject very deeply, and that his method works very well for him. Frey seems to be drawing the reader on with his "Damn Good" brand much like Kiyosaki does with his "Rich Dad" brand, giving advice so vague and tantalizing that you're sure to want to snap up the next book in the series so that you can learn truly useful things that maybe you can at last apply. And of course this has the effect of keeping his books on how to write fiction selling even if he can't manage to sell his actual fiction, just as Kiyosaki is obviously making money on his books and seminars even if he isn't making any money with real estate or other investments.
Actually such a comparison is at least a little unfair to Frey, because though the information he gives may be a little watered down it is information that I've genuinely found helpful, and the first two-thirds of the book, including the story he was developing as an example, initially held my interest. I just can't honestly see why anyone should buy this book instead of something closer to the source.
Worth reading, but not worth buying.......2005-03-25
Frey takes the deep and universal themes explored by Joseph Campbell and reduces them to a simple template for writers of fiction to follow. This can be handy for aspiring writers, but the danger is that you'll end up with very shallow characters and stories unless you explore this subject much more extensively. And although the summaries of particular themes are helpful, you would probably be better off going straight to the source and reading Campbell yourself. Otherwise you run the risk of spitting out a cookie cutter story that has all the technical ingredients of myth-based fiction but nevertheless fails to capture the reader because the story itself isn't compelling. If, as I did, you can find this book at your local library, it is probably worth your time to read it. However, I certainly wouldn't pay much money for it.
Don't compare this to Campbell's work... it is not Mythology.......2005-01-08
I have read many of Joseph Campbell's books. I have not read any of Frey's other works (but I'm ordering "How to Write a Damn Good Novel" today), but I have read "The Key" - and I felt it was a good book.
I thought this book very entertaining and quite useful. I have seen other reviews that claim this book is "The Readers Digest version" of Campbell's work, and other such statements. In Frey's defense, Campbell's work doesn't teach you about writing, it teaches you about Mythology. Those reviews don't make good comparisons; so, instead I will compare "The Key" to a similar work I have read: Steven King's "On Writing".
King's "On Writing" is wonderful, inspirational, and entertaining. I would say the same for Frey's "The Key". Where King's "On Writing" is more about how he writes, with suggestions towards your writing, Frey's "The Key" is more "step by step". "The Key" seems more for beginners, but I could see a more advanced writer gleaning some good ideas from it, or coming to realizations they had not thought of before.
"The Key" is a bit repetitious, much as a basic text book might repeat key ideas; however, I find this useful and not overdone. I also appreciated the many examples given, and the example story. This is something that is often missed in any sort of "How to" book. I tend to learn better from examples, so I really appreciated that effort.
Hit and myth.......2004-12-03
Joseph Campbell wrote "The Hero With 1000 Faces," arguably one of the most influential books of the 20th century.
Christopher Vogler wrote "The Writer's Journey," which might have been renamed "The Hero With 1000 Faces For Dummies."
Now James Frey has written "The Key," which might be renamed "The Writer's Journey For Dummies."
The only thing you will find in this book that is not in the previous books is countless directions to read Frey's "How To Write A Damn Good Novel," and other "Damn Good" books.
Do yourself a favour and read Campbell and Vogler instead.
Amazon.com
Myths, explains filmmaker and author Phil Cousineau in, are stories that belong to the "once and the future" because they evoke "the timeless concerns of human beings--birth, death, time, good, and evil, creativity and destruction." In his excellent Once and Future Myths, the author of The Art of Pilgrimage shows readers how mythology continues to affect and shape contemporary life. Myths are also forces to be reckoned with. Unless we become aware of the myths unfolding in our personal lives, "we run the risk of being controlled by them," he warns.
As his mentor Joseph Campbell once did, Cousineau often draws from pop culture to help readers understand modern myths and how they influence us. In a chapter entitled "The Myth of the Creative Struggle," he shows how Frank Sinatra mythologized urban life by "making our loneliness and our struggle seem sacred, and triumph possible." Yet Cousineau is most profound when he casts a mythic eye toward his own simple life. In a tender passage about taking his son to the ballpark, he gives words to the irresistible appeal and mythology of sports. Whether you are a writer grappling with understanding the subtext of life, a seeker who yearns to know your soul's true story, or are simply a fan of all things mythic, this is a highly recommend resource and a delight to read. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Phil Cousineau illustrates how myths are the stories of real life whether people are conscious of them as myths or not. He shows readers how, by becoming aware of myths in both their historical and present form, they can read the world better, with a deeper understanding of work, love, creativity, and spirituality. The book retells classic myths such as Eros and Psyche and provides new accounts of more contemporary mythmakers such as Jim Morrison and Vincent van Gogh, illustrating how these legends have affected history, culture, and individuals. The timelessness of myth is conveyed through Cousineau's discussions of the mythology of travel, mentors, cities, baseball, and vampires.
Customer Reviews:
Are you living a myth or a life?.......2002-09-21
This book changed my life. The chapter on Sisyphus alone (a metaphor for the creative struggle) was worth the price of admission. Phil Cousineau weaves endearing personal stories throughout the sharp scholarship as a means to ease us into feeling comfortable with the many complex (yet surprising) ideas about myth (classical, world, modern, popular) he shares with us. It's not about him though, it's really about finding our own stories, our own personal myths. And figuring out what is truly meaningful for us no matter where we are in our lives. Through stories about relationships, travel, sports, music, time, and countless other ways and associations, he clues us in to what deeper issues lie under the surface of things. It's not a breezy read; Cousineau has an amazing way of linking diverse subjects and finding correspondences amongst odd topics that may meander but are always delightful. A world-traveler, tortured writer, devoted father, sports fan, and humble wise man rolled up in one, Cousineau inspires us to reach for more. Highly recommended.
Once and Future Cousineau.......2002-05-29
People who say that a book was "not what I expected" are unfair. After all, an author can hardly be faulted for other people's expectations. In this case, however, the expectations were raised by the author himself. I began by reading chapter 2, an outstanding, thought-provoking chapter on the myths of time. I bought the book on the strength of this chapter, and ended up sorely disappointed. The rest of the book is far less compelling, and often is annoyingly self-focused. Cousineau's recitals of all the important people he has met and known in the great places he has visited work neither as a good memoir nor as a good book on myth (although, in fairness, there are a number of worthwhile passages and a few excellent ones).
Not what I expected.......2001-11-01
I enjoyed this book because of its wide-ranging subjects...the way he related baseball to Paris to philosophy to food to Easter Island to...etc. I thought his first chapter on the myth of Sisyphus worked the best. I was expecting each chapter to be related to some Greek or other classic myth, and how that myth resonates in our modern lives, but this is not what he did, except for that 1st chapter. Nevertheless, a good, thought-provoking book, not overly New-Agey.
Almost, but not quite........2001-09-22
Riding on the vapor trail of his association with Joseph Campbell, Phil Cousineau has written anther book that is lifeless and wholly academic. Everything that he covers in the book is valid and valuable, but he name drops so much that I can't even get a feel for who he is as a person, as a researcher or as a mythologist. Is he trying to dazzle the reader with his arcane references, or is he really trying to get us to examine the mythic concepts that he presents? There is no doubt that he is a bright man. A very bright man, but I feel that the readers of this book would be better served if Mr. Cousineau used lees brains and more heart.
Speaks directly to the human need to find meaning.......2001-09-05
In Once And Future Myths: The Power Of Ancient Stories In Modern Times, author Phil Cousinaeu, (a longtime student and colleague of Joseph Campbell) views mythology as a living phenomenon with immediate impact in daily human life. Through understanding the nature of mythical stories, Cousinaeu explains, we are better able to understand what drives us to work, love, create, and dream. Integrating psychology, history, and mythology into a unified gem of insight, Once And Future Myths includes such topics as "How the Myth of Time that we are living determines our quality of life" and "How the Myth of Creative Struggle teaches us to embrace failure as a learning experience." Once And Future Myths speaks directly to the human need to find meaning to our lives.
Books:
- The Red Hat Society Cookbook
- The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2)
- The Sea of Trolls
- The Spiderwick Chronicles (Boxed Set): The Field Guide; The Seeing Stone; Lucinda's Secret; The Ironwood Tree; The Wrath of Mulgrath
- Urban Economics
- Wall and Mean: A Novel
- Walter the Farting Dog
- Where is Baby's Mommy?
- Where the Wild Things Are
- Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Shadow Dance: A Novel
- Computational Electrodynamics: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method, Third Edition
- Size, Function and Life History
- The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance
- A World of Art
- Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships, Second Edition: Leadership in Professional Services
- Betty Crocker Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook
- Professional Practice 101: A Compendium of Business and Management Strategies in Architecture
- The Grand Tour: Travelling the World with an Architect's Eye
- Wild flowers of Tokdo Island, Korea
