 "In My Top 10 Books" | 2009-10-24 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3CFJF9S29CFKT |
This piece of literary treasure is a launching pad for all of Joseph Campbell's groundbreaking philosophical and anthropological work. First of all a myth is not a lie; rather it is a way for explaining life through symbols and stories. There are basic mythologies that are similar in every civilization - even ones - that have no history or chance of being connected. The Virgin Birth, Puberty, and Death. In some special civilizations there is a fourth - the Wise Man - loosely defined as someone of middle age, who can see their life as a book, with chapters sure to be added, but with an epilogue pretty much written in stone.
The book takes no position, or more preciously is agnostic, to organized religions. Campbell opines that we evolved into a superior species because we recognized that there was a God and the only way to explain this myth is that God is literally and philosophically in our genes. In this way he is probably more aligned to an Eastern way of thinking of religion than a Western One. As I am a Roman Catholic, he does not attack or defend the "Church". Counter-intuitively he explains why this religion lost its way after Vatican II. The Priest having his back to the clergy, the candles and incense, the communal kneeling in groups for communion, the use of Latin, the organs and bells, and formal clothing gave us a powerful transcendental experience that is only vaguely replicated in Christmas Midnight Mass.
If you have one book to give to your children this should be the one. |
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| "Powerful and precious" | 2009-10-15 |
| - Reviewed By User: A23ZCJ9U3ZN0FK |
| Interestingly I read this book after reading Carl Rogers's On becoming a Person, and W.H.D. Rouse's Gods, Heroes and Men of Ancient Greece. I remember watching the PBS series with Bill Moyers a long time ago and how I was so moved by the intelligent and graceful way the interview was conducted by these enormously intellectual individuals. I feel very sad about our current trend of barking talk radio hosts that are popular, spreading non-sensical hateful agendas. This book is full of wisdom that I think addresses all the fundamental questions of our existence in the universe, and provides tools to use to experience life in a meaningful, harmonious way in our very disjointed society. Through the timeless stories of the world, life, death, suffering, love, bliss and nature all make a big circle, and we participate in it in eternity. Myths bring us from all the technical, petty and dogmatic distractions back to the fundamental experiences of living as part of the bigger and timeless universe. I enjoyed this book tremendously and I miss Mr. Joseph Campbell. |
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| "Just Believe, Whatever Your Path" | 2009-09-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1Q9KXTA84DPG8 |
| At one of the most conservative universities on the planet, Brigham Young University, I was first introduced to Joseph Campbell through a wonderful (and in hindsight, courageous) pair of Honors History instructors that elected to teach history of the world through the cultures and myths of their traditions. It was by far the best class I took while there. I just completed another read of this work and, although the structure is conversational and disjointed in places, was reminded how dramatically Joseph Campbell's work saved my life and faith from my own mind's attacks of reason and irrational rationalism. No, I do not accept everything taught by my chosen faith, just as I find aspects of science and other traditions equally difficult to accept. Campbell's research shows how deeply important to our own mind, heart, and world these deep seated traditions are, and what just might be wrong with dogma and societal interpretations of once pure ideas adapted for less than altruistic intentions. Understanding Campbell allows me to quietly synthesize the best of my core tradition with inherent truths of others as well as fully embracing science and empiricism. Looking at all belief systems both as possibly literal and always possibly metaphorical opens up child-hood teachings with new insight and potential. I find I am a child of God, a child of Mother Nature, and as such carry the stuff of both in me. Read this and believe, no matter your path, not just for yourself, but all those in need of compassion around you. |
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| "Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth" | 2009-09-20 |
| - Reviewed By chriszap3 |
This should be required reading for anyone with a sense of wonder in themselves and the world around them. Paul Moyers insightful and open ended conversation questions with Joseph Campbell are fascinating and open an eye into a whole new way of looking at the world. This is a book that, everytime it's re-read provides something new. Campbell is a great storyteller and a teacher who makes his topic soar.
The DVD series is the same content, but even better in that you get to hear and see Campbell speak. |
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| "Great book!" | 2009-07-30 |
| - Reviewed By rlhbooks |
| A great, easy to read, book about a complex topic--myth. I adopted it for a college course I teach. |
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| "powerful teacher was he, powerful teacher" | 2009-07-13 |
| - Reviewed By jstabile4 |
Okay the title is a geeky reference to Yoda. I picked up this book in my library when I was a teenager, checked it out, read parts of it, was interested in somethings, and that was about it. Then for some reason checked it out again a few years latter. Think the same copy. And I became fascinated. To this day few writers or teachers have inspired me as much. Unfortunately, Campbell's work is like a gateway drug of sorts. I became interested in the intellectual underpinnings of his interpretations of the great myths and religions and spirituality. So I started digging a little deeper. I began looking at his influences: Psychologists Carl Jung, Freud. Philosophers Arthur Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. There are other important influences on Campbell, but I developed an interest in philosophy. Well, that was that. I had a sort of mentor or great teacher in Campbell for awhile and at the time I really wanted, maybe needed one. But reading philosophy ruined it for me. I'll not get into that, except just to say that Jung is a quack and I can't swallow the metaphysics that is crucial to Campbell's take on myth. I think he relied on the best philosophy and psychology he was aware of at the time, but it doesn't hold up. Don't listen to me on it of course. I'm just some regular guy wondering about it all, maybe sorta like you. Do your homework and see what ya think. There is a ton of stuff online on Campbell, heh, just like everything else. TOO much stuff.
But I want to say, I love Campbell and appreciate his work and compassionate efforts as a truly wonderful, gifted teacher. I would to this day recommend Campbell.
Can't do better, imo, than "The Power of Myth" as a great introduction and very entertaining read. It is more than a good companion to the PBS series. It contains exchanges between journalist Bill Moyers and Campbell that were deleted from the televised program. Yes, the title is a dorky Star Wars reference, but while I was a Star Wars fan, that was not the principal draw. I really wanted the Truth. Campbell's interpretation of myth is perhaps wrong, fundamentally, in some important ways. But his work STILL inspires and you can get a lot out of it. Campbell recounting of the old stories, his breathing new, vital life into them, continues to amaze and inspire. He said we aren't looking for a meaning, really. What we want is "the experience of being alive so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonance within our innermost being and reality, so that we can actually feel the rapture of being alive." I want to feel the rapture of being alive but I don't believe it is clear or makes sense to talk of "innermost being" and reality like he does. I thoughtlessly did at first, as do most people and probably you. Don't read philosophy -especially from the 20th Century- if your repulsed by the suggestion that innermost being is nonsense. But I still love the stories. |
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