The Power of Myth - Softcover

Joseph Campbell; Bill Moyers

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0385247745 ISBN 13: 9780385247740

Publisher: Doubleday, 1988

The Power Of Myth launched an  extraordinary resurgence of interest in Joseph  Campbell and his work. A preeminient scholar, writer,  and teacher, he has had a profound influence on  millions of people. To him, 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 engaing  interviewer, The Power Of Myth touches  on subjects from modern marriage to virgin births,  from Jesus to John Lennon, offering a  brilliantcombination of intelligence and wit.

Review:

Among his many gifts, Joseph Campbell's most impressive was the unique ability to take a contemporary situation, such as the murder and funeral of President John F. Kennedy, and help us understand its impact in the context of ancient mythology. Herein lies the power of The Power of Myth, showing how humans are apt to create and live out the themes of mythology. Based on a six-part PBS television series hosted by Bill Moyers, this classic is especially compelling because of its engaging question-and-answer format, creating an easy, conversational approach to complicated and esoteric topics. For example, when discussing the mythology of heroes, Campbell and Moyers smoothly segue from the Sumerian sky goddess Inanna to Star Wars' mercenary-turned-hero, Han Solo. Most impressive is Campbell's encyclopedic knowledge of myths, demonstrated in his ability to recall the details and archetypes of almost any story, from any point and history, and translate it into a lesson for spiritual living in the here and now. --Gail Hudson

From the Back Cover:

"The symbols of mythology and legend are all around us, embedded in the fabric of our daily lives, and the Moyers-Campbell dialogues are a welcom guide to recognizing and understanding their meanings." -- Cincinnati Post.

• Publisher: Doubleday
• Publication date: 1988
• ISBN 10: 0385247745
• ISBN 13: 9780385247740
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 231
• Editor: Betty Sue Flowers