The Hero with a Thousand Faces: Amazon.ca: Joseph Campbell: Books

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From Amazon.com

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.

From AudioFile

Campbell's unique perspectives examine the world's complex and interwoven mythology, folklore and religion, providing an understanding of the essence and genesis of humanness. Blum allows the listener to focus on the content of Campbell's words. All stories are told in plain narration except the Irish myths, for which Blum attempts a slight brogue without success. Slight pauses, musical interludes, plus announcements help distinguish the sections of the text. P.A.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

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Customer Reviews

59 Reviews

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (59 customer reviews)

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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read the previous review first, Jan 12 2006

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Mr. Smarty Pants (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Paperback)

This book is accessible to any reader because it is so well-written; not because it lacks intellectual credibility. Notice the previous reviewer made no reference to the ideas or arguments presented in the book; but instead chose to associate Campbell's work with popular science fiction in an obvious attempt to make the people who enjoy the book look stupid. Based on the content of the review, this reviewer has more experience with science fiction than with "mythography". My guess is that the reviewer has not read the book. Seems like the anonymous reviewer wanted to look and feel smarter than the audience who is inspired by Campbell's work, but wasn't sure enough about their remarks to leave a name.

Three quotes for the genius from NYC:

"All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree."

"Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds."

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."

Albert Einstein

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1.0 out of 5 stars I could only take reading a few pages of this book., May 5 1999

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Bill Wilson 1212 (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Paperback)

Wow, this guy is way out there he is brilliant, but what is a pain is that he doen't follow any one story through when he is discribing it. He trows in so many different sotries, parables, ect. and jumps around I had a very difficult time following what he was saysing. The Keys section of his book is worth the price of the book, it is about 4 pages long. And really good, I wish he could write the way he did in that section in the whole book, but unfortunately he did not. You have to be way way way into mythology to be able to make sense out of this book. Good Luck! I agree with the fisrt revewier, rent the trilogy.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It changes lives, Mar 6 2004

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Born Skeptic (Kansas City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Paperback)

Consider for a minute, every movie that has ever touched your heart, every story that still moves you, or every hero/heroine that has inspired you. Every bit of magic in the world of story telling that you could not define or articulate. This is the logic behind it. And the logic in itself, is magical.

This book makes every goosebump make sense. It will make you smile in recognition or gasp at the recall, and all in all, you see how the hero's journey is not just applicable to a Harry Potter or Luke Skywalker, but to your own life . This is not for people who are looking to be spoonfed, or who like their knowledge with a big dose of fun and excitement. Yes, it is pedantic, and it is long winded, but if you are patient, and do not require special effects to understand transformation of the spirit, this book will find a permanent place in your book shelf and you will feel rejuvenated everytime you read it.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hero with a Thousand Faces
The Hero with a Thousand Faces is the work that first introduced me to Joseph Campbell. It was then and continues to be one of my favorite books of all time. Read more

Published on Oct 9 2008 by Tami Brady

5.0 out of 5 stars A Most Insightful Book
I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. Read more

Published on Nov 4 2007 by Zadius Sky