Mythology

Edith Hamilton, who was a classicist, studied and wrote mainly about the way the Greek culture influenced the rest of the development of western thought and the arts. This book, written in 1942, is now a classic itself in a sense, as her views have had influence in this field since her lifetime of study of western thought.

This book is her choice of myths that she believed exemplified her views. The first chapter is interesting, as she outlines her way of thinking about the place of the myths to the Greeks at the time, and explains how she has chosen various versions from particular poets and what she believes the stories meant to each of them when they were first recorded.

The book begins with the creation myths, then goes on through the better known (or more influential ones) and concludes with some lesser known ones that have had an influence on western culture. While Hamilton's viewpoints are not the only ones about the place of myths in our culture, they nevertheless have had a great impact on how students of western civilization have thought about them since her work came out.

The narrator has a good quality of tone and pacing for the reading, but they are just matter-of-factly read, without too much emotional tone (which is right for these myths, in this context). Readers should consider being very familiar with all the world's great myths and stories, because they form a framework for much of the thought and literature we have created since. This book can be picked up and read anywhere, but if you desire the logical way she lays them out, suggest reading from beginning.