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Title: Parallel Myths by J.F. Bierlein ISBN: 0-345-38146-7 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 11 October, 1994 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (4 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: A useful survey, but stretched thin over many topics
Comment: I had originally given this book a severe review and one star. I still hold that for me, the book is not very useful. But after a few discussions with the author, Mr. Bierlein, I have somewhat changed my opinion, although I can't completely let him off the hook. As an aside, I would like to say that Mr. Bierlein is a complete gentleman, especially considering my original words, which weren't too nice.
I was greatly looking forward to reading this book and I was somewhat letdown. I am a bit of a student of mythology so I was quite excited to find a book that purported to draw on the work of Joseph Campbell, G.G. Jung, and Mircea Eliade.
My first complaint is there is not a great deal of original content. The large portion of the book is cut and paste from Eliade, Jung, and Campbell, books which I already own. So, if you are already a well-read student of this field, this book will have a limited appeal. I have come to realize, however, that it could be a valuable source to those who have little to no knowledge of comparative mythology. Mr. Bierlein alerted me to the fact that the book was intended to be an introductory text for High School students, so keep that in mind. I must concede that it could be useful in that regard, as the subject matter is very broad rather than overly specific in any one area.
This explains what had been my second issue with the book. Please note that the stories have been censored, so that nothing overly sexual is portrayed. Again, this could be good for younger students, getting it included in schools, but could be a detriment to older students who wish to see the tale in its original and pagan form. As a good reader is apt to know, the pagans did not share our delicate Christian sensibilities when it came to the facts of life.
For a more in depth study of particular mythologies, I would recommend reading "Greek Mythology" by Robert Graves. For comparative mythology read anything by Joseph Campbell or Mircea Eliade, who is very good in speculative anthropology. James Frazer's "The Golden Bough" is an excellent source of comparative mythology and anthropology, but admittedly is dry reading. For a psychological view of myth and archetype, read "The collective unconscious" by C.G. Jung. Although, as Bierlein himself pointed out, Jung is a gray area to scholars now days. It should be remembered that a few initials after one's name does not make one the uncontested expert of a field, and this is coming from a hopeful academic himself.
The strongest aspect of this book is what I will term, the non-traditional mythology included in this book. This type of mythology does not particularly appeal to me, as I am a die-hard europhile. Thus, I approach mythology mostly with an interest in the myths of Europe: Norse, Greek, Roman, et cetera. Mr Bierlein has included these to some extent, but as he himself has conceded, he was less interested in going over the ground that had been well-tilled by other luminaries.
Thus, he includes information on Indian, Hawaiian, Aztec, Iranian, African, Finnish, Chinese, Japanese, Polynesian, and North American myths. If you have an interest in these less studied myths, then this book would be a strong starting point. As for myself, I feel that these myths have less an impact on our culture and psychology, although not to say they are not worthy of study.
So, all said and done, this book has its strong points and weak points. It could be a good text for particular people. I still wouldn't call it an invaluable text (sorry J.F.) but as a high school text, or as a very broad introduction to a non-scholar, I think it would serve as a good starting point.
As one further digression, this is the only book I have read by Mr. Bierlein, and it was written ten years ago. Thus, this is in no way a commentary on the man's other works, which I have yet to review. So, as a Roman might have said, Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est, although I rather doubt that he did.
Rating: 4
Summary: Engaging overview
Comment: The book offers the material in a very readable fashion. I got exactly what I expected from the title -- readings of parallel myths. The themes around which the parallels were drawn such as the "hero" or "descent to the underworld" made sense. More commentary on the themes themselves would have been of interest to me but then would have changed the book from a straight forward collection into a thesis. The final chapters of the book give a short but informative review of the key theories of how myths may be traced back to primordial events and societies. The author seems to be presenting this collection (along with short commentary) as a counterbalance to the rational materialism of our present culture that demands empirical evidence and eschews all things supernatural. His short closing arguments for the positive role of mythology in our present society are interesting.
Rating: 4
Summary: Useful for a beginner or as a convienient reference
Comment: Being already familiar with the mythologies of many peoples around the world, This book had little to offer in the way of things I haven't seen before. As an introduction to world mythology, however, and as a concise cross-reference, this book is wonderful.
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Title: The World's Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions by Huston Smith ISBN: 0062508113 Publisher: Harper SanFrancisco Pub. Date: 13 September, 1991 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: American Cities and Technology : Wilderness to Wired City (Cities and Technology) by Gerrylynn K. Roberts, Philip Steadman, Open University ISBN: 0415200849 Publisher: Routledge Pub. Date: January, 2000 List Price(USD): $40.95 |
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Title: Society and Technological Change by Rudi Volti ISBN: 1572599529 Publisher: Worth Publishing Pub. Date: January, 2001 List Price(USD): $37.10 |
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Title: Mythology by Edith Hamilton ISBN: 0316341517 Publisher: Back Bay Books Pub. Date: 14 September, 1998 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: C++ Primer Plus (4th Edition) by Stephen Prata ISBN: 0672322234 Publisher: SAMS Pub. Date: 15 December, 2001 List Price(USD): $49.99 |
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