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The Power of Myth

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The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell, as expressed by readers, is a transformative and enlightening exploration of myths, rituals, and archetypes. Described as impactful, thought-provoking, and perspective-shifting, the book delves into the essence of humanity, spirituality, and the meaning of life. Through conversations with Bill Moyers, Campbell's work is seen as a guide to understanding the interconnectedness of different cultures, religions, and belief systems, making the world seem more magical and interconnected.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging and conversational, making complex concepts accessible while using rich metaphors to illustrate ideas.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative delves into the universal need for myths, exploring their role in shaping culture, identity, and the human experience through themes like sacrifice and the hero's journey.

Setting:

The setting intertwines cultural and historical contexts, with a focus on how myths have shaped human experiences across time.

Pacing:

The pacing is conversational and reflective, allowing readers to digest complex ideas while maintaining a coherent flow throughout the discussions.
People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. 1 don't think that's what we're really seeking. I think that what we're seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experien...

Notes:

Myths guide people towards sacrifice and community integration.
Campbell compares modernity's rapid imposition on primitive cultures to colonial impacts on identity.
The book defends religion against atheists who ignore its integral role in human experience.
Modern cultures have their own myths, like progress and liberalism.
Mythology can be interpreted in many ways, making it unfalsifiable.
Campbell emphasizes that self-knowledge comes from experiences, not drug-induced states.
He focuses on day-to-day challenges and the importance of rituals.
Campbell outlines the hero's journey common across cultures.
He connects language and myth, noting its limitations but also its beauty.
Campbell's work reveals the importance of personal myths versus larger cultural myths.

From The Publisher:

The Power of Myth launched an extraordinary resurgence of interest in Joseph Campbell and his work. A preeminent scholar, writer, and teacher, he has had a profound influence on millions of people-including Star Wars creator George Lucas. To Campbell, mythology was the "song of the universe, the music of the spheres." With Bill Moyers, one of America's most prominent journalists, as his thoughtful and engaging interviewer, The Power of Myth touches on subjects from modern marriage to virgin births, from Jesus to John Lennon, offering a brilliant combination of intelligence and wit.

This extraordinary book reveals how the themes and symbols of ancient narratives continue to bring meaning to birth, death, love, and war. From stories of the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome to traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, a broad array of themes are considered that together identify the universality of human experience across time and culture. An impeccable match of interviewer and subject, a timeless distillation of Campbell's work, The Power of Myth continues to exert a profound influence on our culture.

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Read It (9)
Want To Read (4)
Not Interested (2)

About the Author:

Joseph Campbell (1904-87) began his career in 1934 as an instructor at Sarah Lawrence College, where he taught for almost forty years, and where the Joseph Campbell Chair in Comparative Mythology was established in his honor. He is the author of numerous books, including the bestselling The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Bill Moyers is an acclaimed journalist, widely respected for his work both at CBS News and at PBS. One of his primary efforts has been to bring to television outstanding thinkers of our time, most recently in the immensely popular and highly celebrated PBS series and bestselling book A World of Ideas. His conversations with Joseph Campbell were one of the highlights of television programming in the 1980s.

Betty Sue Flowers teaches poetry and myth at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the author and coauthor of several books, including Browning and the Modern Tradition, Four Shields of Power, and Daughters and Fathers.

 
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