Mythology For Dummies [Paperback]

This is a volume of mythology is not just classical Greek and Roman mythology (that which most people think of when they think of mythology). It does include these in good measure, but also goes further afield to include an overview of the main characters, stories and ideas of mythological constructs in cultures all over the world. These include some that are familiar and related to the Greco-Roman traditions - Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, Celtic and Nordic mythologies. There are also those that are quite removed from this collection of pantheons - the Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Native American traditions of mythology are also included here.

The first section gives a brief overview of what mythology is and isn't. It doesn't go too deeply into the debate over religion (after all, one person's mythology might be another person's religion). It does give some insight into the purpose of such stories for the cultures that maintained them, and how we have come to regard such tales in more modern times. Mythology is not just about gods, goddesses and monsters, after all. Often there is a very strong human component in the myths, which can serve for ethical and moral instruction as well as inspiration. These are written in the witty style typical of the series - 'How to spot a myth a mile away' is one section title. Mythology is also shown to be not something exclusively of the ancient world - American myths such as Johnny Appleseed and Br'er Rabbit are highlighted as examples.

Some of the stories included here fall more under the category of 'legend' than 'mythology' in popular definition - the stories of King Arthur, for example, do fall under the category of mythology, although it is rarely assigned such categorisation for a host of reasons. However, the Arthurian legends are contained here (one section is entitled 'Sex, Lies, and Good Jousting'). The text also ventures into the delicate area of the parallels between ancient Mesopotamian legends and early Biblical stories - tales such as the Tower of Babel and the Great Flood bear striking similarity to many extra-canonical tales in the ancient region.

The prose is good and accessible, like most of the Dummies books. There are some graphics and line-art drawings, and the chapters are short enough for the typical reader to finish easily in one sitting. This is a fun way to learn the old stories, and relate them to modern times. I would recommend this book for adults with a general interest, and also for undergraduate students and even high school students who want a survey of the material.

However, those who are interested mainly in classical mythology (e.g. Jupiter/Zeus, Juno/Hera, the Trojan War, Odysseus, Perseus, Hercules) will likely prefer THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY by Kevin Osborn. This book gets more into the history and backgrounds of the Greek and Roman gods/goddesses and heroes/heroines. For instance, an entire chapter is devoted to the Trojan War hero Achilles while the "Dummies" book only has a few paragraphs, at the most.

We're not idiots or dummies, of course, and these books are excellent reference guides to the world of mythology. At over 350 pages, both books are meaty and informative, interesting and engrossing. Your choice as a reader solely depends on where your interests lie.

I would recommend the "Dummies" book to those who are interested in world mythology and the "Idiot's Guide" to those who strictly want Greek and Roman mythology. I would also recommend Edith Hamilton's various mythology books. Her books actually give a "cliff's notes" version of the various stories and tales - ranging from the Arthurian legends, to the Trojan War, to the Aeneid and beyond.