Mythology Books

Without any shadow of doubt, there is no other book like ''In the Light of Truth''. The author, Abdruschin, is certainly the promise that Jesus made to mankind. Jesus did not say that he himself would come back, but the Son of Man would come to teach and to judge. Deep in my soul, I am sure this is the last hope for all of us.

This book will shake you out of our self-created indolence and superficiality. It offers an explanation to every conceivable problem in existence today and goes further by giving insights and clear examples of how to live aright so as to bring clarity and beauty into our lives and our world. After reading this book, it is only sad that it is still relatively unknown. The author himself is the fulfilment of promises made long ago which can be found by clear thinking people who belong to any of the major religious movements.

This is truly an exceptional book that is worth more than its cost. Step by step it removes all the disillusionment that man has had of Creation in all these centuries. Every false conception is revealed and true Light comes to the fore as the explanations given in this book project a perfect picture of Creation as it is and always has been. To all this who get this book, it will be the shining light and guiding staff that will lead them out of all the present-day chaos. It is indeed my Book of the Millenium.

I have read this book in English as well as in it's original language, German. It is truely a book of wisdom explaining the nature of our existance, setting right where religions have gone wrong... The author does not bring a new religion with his words, he removes the blinders bestowed upon us by our own foolish conceptions which prohibit us from understanding life, which in turn forces us into blind faith or mere frustration. He challenges the reader to turn blind faith into conviction that comes from knowlege and understanding alone. The author Abd-Ru-Shin sheds light onto christian subjects like The Antichrist, The Creation of Man,Marriage, Man and his Free Will,Beauty of the Peoples,etc.just to name a few, but he also gives insight into the important role women play in creation,life after death,elemental beings, as well as the Millennium. If I was given the option to own only one book, this would be the book of my choice for the reason that the human spirit excists beyond our earthly life and this book shows what that existance truely consists of and guides mankind into knowledge about themselves and the position they hold in Creation.

I read this book because of a great review in the NY Times. I agree with the 2 other reviews, so won't repeat their comments. I have to say that the book is laugh-out-loud funny. I consider it to be a farce, which is normally not the kind of book I'd seek out. But Henry Cecil was so clever & witty in defining his characters & situations, that it was irresistible. It didn't matter where I was when I read it: restaurant, hair dresser, etc. No matter how hard I might have tried, I couldn't keep from laughing aloud. I wouldn't try, even if I could; why keep all that delight to myself?

This is a humorous legal British mystery first published in 1963. A car and a motorcycle collide and after a brief pause, the car driver leaves the scene of the accident. Many folks at a nearby pub are on hand to help the injured motorcyclist and to speak to the police about what they saw. None of them has any connection to the men involved in the accident (i.e., they are independent witnesses) and all claim the car driver ran the halt sign. An M.P. confesses to being the driver but insists he stopped at the sign, albeit briefly. He claims he left the scene because he had just had a panic-inducing call from his sick wife.

Much of the book consists of the courtroom examination and cross-examination of the independent witnesses. Some of them are quite eccentric, and their testimony is a hoot. The only sour note is struck when the author briefly goes off a tangent that minimizes the plight of domestic violence victims. I grimaced but kept reading. As Cecil was a judge, I especially wish his views were more enlightened. Yet the passage could very well be somewhat *less* offensive than a typical judge's view of domestic violence four decades ago. That bit aside, this was a quick, fun, and amusing read.

You can get the whole book by reading the first chapter and the last, but if you do that then you'll miss the oddity of the book. The humor is excellent. I caught myself laughing on the metro a few times. Every person should read Henry's books because they help you learn the legal procedures not only of UK but also of the US. What does it mean to be a witness to an accident? How do you know if what you saw was really what happened? Through the legal proceedings you will learn to ignore some faults you may have in the way you may present your very case as well (if you should end up in the court room for any reason). The ending will surprise you.

I stumbled upon this book quite be accident and boy, am I glad I did. This takes you through the events following a collision between a car and a motorcycle. It records the event as seen from the point of view of eight different witnesses, all who may or may not have seen what they think they saw. This may not sound like it would make for fascinating reading, but trust me on this, it really does! The writing is superb, the plot speeds along (no pun intended), and the characterizations are often hilarious. Suffice to say that this is not your ordinary mystery. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up!

The prologue of "Insatiate Archer" captured my undivided attention, and the remainder of the book kept me spellbound, literally up to the last word. I don't usually read a great amount of the sort of subject matter this book discusses, (I term it medieval fiction, for lack of my ability to arrive at a better term), but the author presented the material in a manner such as I could not escape her. Consequently, I'll be anxiously awaiting her next book, regardless of the subject, simply to experience more of her outstanding literary ability!

The debut novel of retired soldier Hunter Taylor, Insatiate Archer is an action-packed novel set in the harsh era of the 14th century. Heroine Susanna is a high priestess of the sacred druidic groves, who seeks to accept the best of Christianity. Yet the murderous Yellow Curate will stop at nothing to exterminate her beliefs from the face of the earth. Susanna can barely stay scarcely one step ahead of her relentless pursuers, in this dramatic tale interspersed with touches of magical fantasy - a land where the ruthless Insatiate Archer could be lurking behind any obstacle, arrows notched and ready to pierce fresh hearts.

I'm a big fan of the Weiss-Hickman sci-fi/fantasy books, and the story sounded vaguely similar, so I gave it a try. The first impression, the cover, does not begin to communicate the excitement, the passion or the surprises related on the pages within. Just read the prologue and see if it doesn't get your heart racing. It's a truly excellent story, very well told. If you enjoy the ups and downs of a thrilling fantasy, I strongly recommend this one, and look forward to the next book from Hunter Taylor.

Hunter Taylor is an amazing wordsmith. I was completely caught up in the characters' trial and tribulations. I went through a wide range of emotions, and had to wrench myself out of the book to do other things. I found the intersection of faiths fascinating, and the recurring theme of what really matters touched me. I truly hope there is another book forthcoming from this delightful author; the epilogue left me wanting more. Do yourself a favor - read this one.

M.L. von Franz was one of Jung's closest associates and is proclaimed by some to be his intellectual heir. She was a language specialist, in particular ancient languages, and worked with Jung from her early twenties until his death.

Von Franz has the knack of going to the essence of Jungian theory without some of the circumlocution that so many complain of in Jung's collected works. Fairy tales were her forte and she believed by analyzing fairy tales in terms of their collective, not their personal meaning, one would connect with the wisdom of the collective.

This books provides step-by-step instructions for doing fairy tale analysis according to the method of mythological amplification. She also provides examples of her own analysis of fairy tales.

Von Franz believes that all fairy tales are describing one psychic fact--that of the Self. (The Jungian Self includes both the individual self and the collective unconscious). The Self has so much complexity and variation that many different tales are necessary to describe it.

This is an important book that describes some of the basic tenets of Jungian psychology in an easy-to-read form. It is one I return to over and over in my exploration of symbolic material.

I want to second the good review already written and add that the thing about Marie-Louise von Franz is her great readability compared with most of Jung, who can at times be very obtuse. All of von Franz's fairy tale studies are valuable and useful, but for the beginning searcher, this IS a good place to start. Von Franz, "the greatest living heir to C.G. Jung," is down-to-earth in her writing, and her examples of interpretations are always crystal clear and practical. She IS a Jungian, but for her Jung is just a tool that she uses -- she is no slave to a method. She freely admits that any interpretation is just one of many possible ones one might make. Beware! If you like this book and find it useful, you will want to read ALL of her other books.

also this work should be of benefit to anyone interested in literary, dream, or pyschological analysis. Well written, researched, and more accessible than many of Jung's own books. Highly recommended for those interested in Jungian Analysis. Very beneficial for improving one's understanding and interpretation of symbolism.

This book by marie-Luise Von Franz provides valuable insight into the varied uses of a Jungain approach to psychology. Interpreting fairy tales provides us with skills and techniques to help interpret our own fairy tales, that of our dreams and life stories. Useful for all students of Jung and applicable in our own lives if only for the joy of seeking connections and associations in our own experiences. Ideal for dreamers and philosophers as well as beginner Jungians.

This volume contains three of Racine's classical drama. Two 'Iphigenia' and 'Phaedra' are based on plays of Euripides. The third is based on a Biblical story.
'Iphigenia' relates to the conflict Agammemnon has over whether or not to meet the demands of the gods and sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia, or by not doing so to prevent the Greek expedition from proceeding on its way to war with Troy. The outcome is an unusual one for Racine in that Iphigenia is spared, and the expedition nonetheless goes ahead.
'Phaedra' is Racine's best known play. It is based on an earlier version of the play by Euripides. It is written at a relatively late period in Racine's career when he was moving back toward Jansensim and a fully religious life. The play is considered the most perfect French example of a tragedy written according to the classic rules. The story is one of illicit passion and its price. One strange idea of Racine was that the 'gods' forced people to sin, and then punished them for this. This cruelty of the gods somehow suits the whole tenor of Racine's work which has a certain fierce kind of cruelty in it. Phaedra the second wife of the king Theseus falls passionately in love with Theseus' son Hippolytus. Hippolytus who supposedly hates woman is in fact secretly in love with Arcis. Upon receiving a message that Theseus has died Phaedra contain contain her passion and confesses her love to a horrified Hippolytus. Then it is revealed that the message of Theseus dead like Mark Twain's has been premature. Theseus returns and urged on by her wicked servant Oenone Phaedra indicates that Hippolytus has attempted to seduce her. Outraged Theseus orders that his son be executed. Phaedra upon learning this thinks to confess, but then learns that Hippolytus is not indifferent women as he has pretended to her but in fact loves Arcis. In a fit of jealousy she allows Theseus to carry out the execution. Upon learning of Hippolytus death, she commits suicide.
The virtous Phaedra who worked so hard to overcome her passion for Hippolytus has been defeated by that passion. The passion, the sinful nature of the human heart has ruthlessly brought to the tragic death of the innocence. This is the harsh and bleak world of Racine's tragedy, the cruel world in which sinner and innocent alike go to their doom.
In 'Athaliah' Racine's Jansenist religious sympathies come to the fore, though in contradiction with loyalty to the monarchy and Louis XIV who despised Jansenism. Athaliah is a ruling queen who despite her sympathetic character is eventually defeated by a cruel and inevitable fate.
As John Cairncross puts it in his excellent introduction to this play ..." Racine set out ostensibly to defend absolute monarchy by divine right and ended up by appeals to pity the poor that smack of eighteenth- century humanitarianism. ..There can be few more striking examples of an artist going beyond and indeed against the aims that he might be expected to follow. ..Racine was too rich and complex, too sensitive to the endless contradictions of life, not to reproduce these in his last play. It is a fitting conclusion to a series of works of genius that hold perpetual revelations to the attentive reader." pp.232

Racine's plays capture the Enlightenment's revival of interest in Greek Tragedy. Racine powerfully retells classical Greek mythology as inner-conflicts between passion and reason. This edition is particularly useful because it includes Racine's original prefatory remarks to each of his plays. Highly recommended for those who enjoy the human drama of Greek tragedy.

I'm unqualified to judge the translation since I don't speak any French, but the play is very accessible. Although I have read many of the classic Greek plays, I never read anything by Racine. It's helpful to pick up a book on Racine like the Twayne's Masterworks series to find out some background information. Like many French authors, he grew up in poverty and ascended to power and prestige later. Several of his plays were based on Greek stories and plays -- in this one, he even quotes out of the originals. The plot line is easy to follow and very interesting, plus Phaedre strikes me as one of the most developed female characters around. Compare her depth to Dido's in Virgil's Aeneid and you'll see what I mean. This play is excellent and now I'm inspired to read more of Racine's wonderful plays which still have a modernness of theme about them. There are some moving speeches -- I'd like to see it performed. This edition also as the prefaces which are supposed to be included but aren't always.

According to my class' notes, Barthes said that there is a law about Racine's tragedies: A loves B. B does not love A. B is under A's control. This is a simplistic approach that sort of works, but "Phaedra" is far more complex than a simple letter soup. Hippolytus is not totally under Phaedra's control, since he decides not to tell Theseus what has really happened between himself and his stepmother. This makes him noble, but less than brilliant. Phaedra is guilty of a passion she cannot help, and turns her guilt into criminal acts by accusing Hippolytus of either lecherous intent or outright rape, depending on how one reads her words. Theseus is a cad who projects his own behaviour onto everybody else, so he immediately believes the worst about his son. And Oenone is a snake, the personification of bad counsel who does not even begin to pay, with her own suicide, for the tragedy she has helped unleash. Racine has created a masterpiece of brevity and passion, following the example of his much admired Euripides. It is clear after reading "Phaedra," that his work goes far beyond the simple A-B-C of Barthes, and into deep psychological development of characters who make fateful choices based on their passions. This is a great play by a great playwright.

Oscar Wilde's mother was a renowned Irish nationalist writer in her day, and sent her famous son forth as an effective blow against the empire, revealing its corruption perversion and hypocritical shallow cruelty through his own writing until he was finally imprisoned a de facto political prisoner and broken (read his Ballad of Reading Gaol and De Profundis)

Lady Wilde's Ancient Legends so highly praised by Mr. Yeats cannot now be found, nor her other winderful and witty writing, and it is a great loss to our culture and wisdom. We must console ourselves with this slim volume of "Superstitions"

Such is our anglo-owned commercial time . . .

This book was written by Lady Wilde who was Oscar Wilde's mother, and what a wonderful book it is. Although the book is called Irish Cures, Mystic Charms & Superstitions, it also contains a section of proverbs, information about the fairy race, traditions and the uses of herbs. The writing is beautiful and I can almost hear Gaelic when reading how to cure dropsy or keep a changeling from being substituted for a mother's baby. That this advice was actually used is so mind-opening in this day and age of technology where the cure for everything is probably on cable TV.
Lady Wilde was extremely talented and she collected a multitude of Irish make-believe and folk advice into these priceless pages. It's also a cheerful read for night-time reading. You can pick it up anywhere and find something interesting and amusing.
As I turn off my cell phone and computer, I pick up Lady Wilde's book and put myself in another century and place.

I think this book was an awesome guide to irish traditions. I thought the book had many good charms, keeping you ready to start right away. Personally this book tought me a great deal about myself and i thought it was over-all great. 5 STARS!!!

A grand little book filled with traditonal folk charms, superstitions and other mysterious items. A quaint and well informed read.

Over five hundred pages of Irish stories provide one with great enjoyment. A few anachronisms, like a cyclops forseeing the devastation of the New World, give some stories a distinctively modern flavor, which is not entirely a bad thing since it is the prerogative of every storyteller to add his or her own flavor.

The deus ex machina manner of some heroes' baptisms into the Christian faith would confuse a newcomer, but bear actual roots in Irish history. As Catholicism grew to dominance, baptisms were tacked on to the ends of stories to provide spiritual aedification.

An introduction to this work is sorely needed, since the reader cannot tell how many of the stories are folk stories retold, and how many bear the embellishment of the anthologizer. The historical context from which these stories arose requires further explanation, especially for the Irish diaspora.

In short, not a masterly work, but closer to greatness than mediocrity.

This book is one of a few that I had the most fun readin

This is an excellent book. Michael Scott has made a marvellous job retelling the old stories in a beautiful and accurate style. In this volume you can find the most important traditions of Irish myths.

Micheal Scott has collected a volume of stories that cover the the early bloody begginings of Ireland to the present day (the seventies). The first stories involve various settlers to the young land. As time progresses the Tuthe de Dannan fade into legend and interact with characters in the stories. By the end an American construction company plans to level an ancient fairy fort. Needless to say all hell breaks loose and the book ends. Many of these stores make reference to previous ones. This volume is also a handy reference guide. These stories all flow together to make a fasinating history of Ireland according to myths. The way Micheal has rewritten these stories has made me unable to read other volumes of Irish tales. This book is definitly worth the search. I looked for seven years and just recently found it at Powells Books in Portland, Oregon. I hold this book to be a ruler to which all other stories are measured up to. This short review may be a little one sided but all I can say is that I have nev

I have not yet finished this book, as it does take awhile to read. It is very informative and has a lot of intersting facts about this Avalon and Glastonbury; however, it can be difficult to read.

I've just come back from Glastonbury, and having read this book first helped a great deal. I'm reading it again, and am feeling so enlightened. If you love Avalon, you must have this book.

Anyone interested in the background behind the mysts of Avalon will enjoy this book. I found it well-researched, fairly easy to read, and quite informative. A great collection to my library.

Nicholas Mann captures the spirit of Avalon through the combined lenses of history, archeology, mythology and comparative spirituality rarely found in comparable texts. A must-own for anyone interested in Glastonbury, the Arthurian Mythos, spiritual history in sacred Britain, sacred geomety and geomancy. Mann brings a critical yet intuitively insightful perspective to all of the above. Well worth reading more than once!!

Ever since I was about three (I'm [age] now) I've listened to almost all her stories... my parents recorded them off the radio for me, and i usually listened to them when I went to bed. I still have "jack was born a lazy baby" going through my head. For the longest time, I had memorized the entire story "jack in the army", haints and all... This is probably the most influential part of my childhood, and when I get kids, I'll give them the same tapes I used to have.

Jackie Torrence is truly one of the greatest living storytellers and has been at the very heart of the Storytelling Renaissance. To hear her is the best, and audio--even video--tapes cannot help but lack the fire and energy of Jackie herself. This book is sheer delight for someone who has heard and seen Jackie--I could hear her as if she were sitting beside me again. I don't know how effective this book will be for someone who is unfamiliar with this wonderful lady, but it does offer many specific, powerful techniques for storytelling performance that are effective even for the beginner. For those of us who know and love Jackie, it is a treat to sit down and hear and see her in these exquisite photographs which truly, as well as still photography can, capture the magic of Jackie Torrence's quicksilver expressions and dancing hands. If you can't have Jackie, have this book. But do what you must to hear and see Jackie in person too!

Jackie Torrrence has rightly earned a reputation as the "First Lady of Storytelling." She has elevated the art of "porch style telling" to new heights, with her expressive facial and hand gestures, beautiful diction and direct approach to her listeners. Unfortunately, because of medical concerns she is not able to perform any longer, though she continues to work with apprentices in the art.

How fortunate, then, that we have this book of her favorite stories, with wonderful photographs on every page that come very close to capturing the essence of a "Jackie telling." Sprinkled liberally throughout are Jackie's tips for telling these stories, as well as her personal philosophy about the various types of stories included. Most inspiring, though, is her sharing of her personal story, of her positive outlook on life and the will to accept and work with whatever burdens we might face. This volume is highly recommended for lovers of story everywhere.

Until a week ago I was ignorant of Jackie Torrence's existence. "I don't know how effective this book will be for someone who is unfamiliar with this wonderful lady" states an earlier review. After hearing just a snippet on NPR about the book, I rushed to get it, and have truly enjoyed it. Jackie has made me a storyteller! Parents, aunts, uncles, educators, sages, grandparents, and anyone who enjoys entertaining should open this book. Jackie provides traditional stories with cues and suggestions on how to bring the words alive. The book works. I'll never be Jackie, but my nephews love my new-found talent. The photographs are heartwarming.

This is a delightful book about a poor family of an old man, an old woman and a young boy named Johnny who merrily whistles his way through life. However, the family comes on hard times when their animals are lost and the decision is made that Johnny must leave. He packs up his few possessions and the old woman bakes him a journey cake for him to eat. As he walks along, the cake pops out of his sack and rolls away, taunting him. He gives chase and when he passes various animals, they join in the pursuit of the journey cake. The cake rolls and rolls, until it eventually falls over. Johnny looks around and discovers that he is back where he started and he has brought an entire entourage of farm animals with him.
The book is well illustrated and has a happy ending when Johnny returns home. However, some children may be disturbed by the thought of the child having to leave home when bad times fall on the family.

I remember this book from childhood. It was a fun story with warm pictures. I thought about this simple story for years after. In the story--- A family experiences the ravages of poverty/loss and the boy Johnny sets out on his own. While on his journey, he loses his one means of sustinence, the "Journey Cake". From there, he chases the rolling cake and a whole series of events unfold. Years later, I found a copy and realized the profundity of the story. Sometimes when you are down to nothing, it is the journey that provides you with everything you need, even a way back home. Great story for children and adults.

I was born in Dec, 1950. My mother read this book to me as an infant (published 1953) and I was so enthralled by it that I had her read it to me many many times. Some part of me became the character in the book and I was completely lost in it. Possibly because I am a Sagittarius, I related to the travel and the journey and the ideals put forward.

I've read this to many students and to my own children. Everyone loves this charming story.