I wouldn't say it is overhyped, I just think you need a particular interest and mindset when reading certain books. Right now my mind is swamped and I feel down so I'd only want to read something that will help me in my current life predicament but I'm sure I would enjoy the book when I have nothing else going on.
you should have read it in your teens, unironically
11 months ago
Anonymous
unfortunately I hadn't really read a book outside of the high school curriculum until I was maybe 20. I spent every hour outside of school hours playing video games
11 months ago
Anonymous
You know what? Books like these should be read by everyone at least once in their life. I too remember it being pretty boring in the first half. If you think reading the actual exciting parts may motivate you, then go straight to the section on "Great Heroes before the Trojan War," followed by the "Heroes of the Trojan War." Even if you feel confused about who's who, just keep reading. After that, it's just your choice whether you will read the whole thing or not.
It's an excerpt from OP's book. The beginning of the book contextualizes the role of the gods and mythology in Greek society. She's pointing out that Ovid, as a Roman living much later, would have a different perspective and treat the works he compiled differently.
i honestly believe these should be read when you're a kid or else you're ngmi. i tried le greeks meme in my mid-20s and winged horses, dickhead gods, some bloke going around the balkans to kill a giant..sorry, can't do it. by all means though put these in the hands of kids instead of star wars and harry potter
Read Homer recently and it was an amazing experience. But I agree that it wouldn't have been all that great if I wasn't already pretty acquainted with Greek myth in grade school.
These are made to fitbinto high school lesson plans for reading Latin and/or Shakespeare. Just read Homer and trust him. He is the least obscure writer you will ever read.
a person needs to atleast have a mediocre grasp on the greek mythology before starting the illiad
a good chunk won't make sense at all if you start will illiad straight away
This. The biggest filter in Homer is all the names of the gods that the reader is supposed to know about already. Reading Homer without that context is like watching the Troy movie.
when you're done with that you can then use it for memory refresher as you read through these essays, which give a much more in-depth analysis of the myths:
https://independent.academia.edu/JohnSalverda
I always kind of assumed that all Americans (or people in the West generally) have read this or similar books and have some knowledge of mythology by the time they get to the Odyssey (high school reading) and the Iliad (early college).
Are there really Americans who would haven o idea what you're talking about if you mentioned names like Perseus or Andromeda or Calypso?
Or is there knowledge only gleaned from some twisted, shitty Hollywood blockbuster version?
It's honestly less comprehensive than just reading through Wikipedia and clicking links on every page. The Norse section is especially worthless. It's crummy myth summaries with no variants included.
Yeah
I read it expecting to be blown away for some reason, it's literally just some summaries of a few myths that are basically not as you could get from either reading the source material or just looking them up in the internet
Really good book and required reading if you want to get into stuff written in Antiquity, but her retellings of The Iliad, Odyssey etc are really bland
Mythology by Edith Hamilton
source?
The start of philosophy
good book
its neither hyper autistic nor too homosexual
if you came here from the greeks chart then I would definitely recommend this
>if you came here from the greeks chart
I have never read a (non-math) book before. Someone told me I should start from the Greeks, so here I am.
good start then, you will not be disappointed
t.STEMcel
got to page 15 and then realised I don't and won't care about much in the book and put it away to perhaps read at a later date when I feel up to it
Did the same. Overhyped book that’s far too broad
I wouldn't say it is overhyped, I just think you need a particular interest and mindset when reading certain books. Right now my mind is swamped and I feel down so I'd only want to read something that will help me in my current life predicament but I'm sure I would enjoy the book when I have nothing else going on.
you should have read it in your teens, unironically
unfortunately I hadn't really read a book outside of the high school curriculum until I was maybe 20. I spent every hour outside of school hours playing video games
You know what? Books like these should be read by everyone at least once in their life. I too remember it being pretty boring in the first half. If you think reading the actual exciting parts may motivate you, then go straight to the section on "Great Heroes before the Trojan War," followed by the "Heroes of the Trojan War." Even if you feel confused about who's who, just keep reading. After that, it's just your choice whether you will read the whole thing or not.
Mythology compilations are always ass tbh, just read straight from the sources. Read Ovid
>Ovid
Kek, what moron wrote this?
It's an excerpt from OP's book. The beginning of the book contextualizes the role of the gods and mythology in Greek society. She's pointing out that Ovid, as a Roman living much later, would have a different perspective and treat the works he compiled differently.
She's not wrong though.
i honestly believe these should be read when you're a kid or else you're ngmi. i tried le greeks meme in my mid-20s and winged horses, dickhead gods, some bloke going around the balkans to kill a giant..sorry, can't do it. by all means though put these in the hands of kids instead of star wars and harry potter
agree
much better than whatever is on the TV right now
Read Homer recently and it was an amazing experience. But I agree that it wouldn't have been all that great if I wasn't already pretty acquainted with Greek myth in grade school.
These are made to fitbinto high school lesson plans for reading Latin and/or Shakespeare. Just read Homer and trust him. He is the least obscure writer you will ever read.
a person needs to atleast have a mediocre grasp on the greek mythology before starting the illiad
a good chunk won't make sense at all if you start will illiad straight away
This. The biggest filter in Homer is all the names of the gods that the reader is supposed to know about already. Reading Homer without that context is like watching the Troy movie.
Postus Deletus
How did you do it???
An incredibly dry, shitty retelling of Greek myths and then some Norse bullshit at the end.
when you're done with that you can then use it for memory refresher as you read through these essays, which give a much more in-depth analysis of the myths:
https://independent.academia.edu/JohnSalverda
A lot of rape and a lot of misunderstanded oracle
I always kind of assumed that all Americans (or people in the West generally) have read this or similar books and have some knowledge of mythology by the time they get to the Odyssey (high school reading) and the Iliad (early college).
Are there really Americans who would haven o idea what you're talking about if you mentioned names like Perseus or Andromeda or Calypso?
Or is there knowledge only gleaned from some twisted, shitty Hollywood blockbuster version?
People nowadays mostly know mythology from marvel movies and videogames.
Pretty dry
This, I found it very difficult to commit any of it to memory.
It's honestly less comprehensive than just reading through Wikipedia and clicking links on every page. The Norse section is especially worthless. It's crummy myth summaries with no variants included.
Yeah
I read it expecting to be blown away for some reason, it's literally just some summaries of a few myths that are basically not as you could get from either reading the source material or just looking them up in the internet
Really good book and required reading if you want to get into stuff written in Antiquity, but her retellings of The Iliad, Odyssey etc are really bland