Myths to Live By: The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell Kindle Edition

I have been reading Campbell since the late '80s and have watched the Videos "The Power of Myth," "Mythos," and "Transformation of Myth through Time," read "Hero with 1000 Faces" and other of his books, and have listened to many of his taped lectures -- many times. This book is a sampler of his talks, put out by the JC foundation. The problem with this book is one that he never really addresses the topic of the title: how to actually "LIVE BY" a myth. This is typical of Campbell, who made many claims and assertions for the value of mytholgy, but never, never, never produced any evidence to support his them.For example, in the "Power of Myth" interviews he repeatedly claims that a knowledge of myth helps one in navigating the vagaries of life (what he calls myth's "pedagogical" function). However, he never, ever demonstrates how this actually works. Even when asked directly by Moyers for a single example where a myth helped in his own life, Campbell does not answer the question, but goes off on a tangent. This is also true of of the JC Foundation's books, which are taken from his lectures; he makes assertions, but never produces evidence to support his claims.The problem may be that Campbell is so winning: so charismatic, articulate, informed, and charming, that it takes multiple listenings/watchings/rereadings, to see that there is very little helpful "practical" material there. In fact, when a member of the audience at one of his talks asked for "practical" advice (per his Authorized Biography, A Fire in the Mind) he was indignant; he was supposed to talk and then you were supposed to figure out what to do with it. So if you are looking for something to "live by" you won't find it here.

If you wish to leave the Wasteland read The Hero With a Thousand Faces, read this book and then read the four volume set The Masks of God. You will soon learn to become the Hero of your own life.

...it is Joseph Campbell... one of the greatest philosophers of the past century... you can not help but grow and mature, when you read his words. a remarkable man and it is a gift he so willingly shared so much of his philosophy with the world.. we are better as a species to have had him with us.

Joseph Campbell is among the great spiritual thinkers of the 20th/21st centuries. His prolific writings draw their inspiration from the myths of the world. In "Campbellian " terms the world myths ( imagination expessing ultimate truths via metaphor) tie all humanity together. Through Campbell's works I have come to appreciate the truth that humanity shares a common spirituality expressed in different religious traditions. He is brilliant in his his vast appreciation of global cultures and how these culures deal with what Campbell calls the "Great Secret;" otherwise called our collective concern with our mortality. Joseph Campbell is a teacher par excellence. Through him I have grown in my own religious tradition which, in itself, is rich with legend and myth recounted in its stories that deal with ultimate truth.Highly recommended along with Richard Rohr who is also a gifted teacher of spirituality.

One of those rare books where the ideas always remain fresh and original, and the insights are deeply personal and universal at the same time. Based on a series of lectures by Joseph Campbell, this book synthesizes not just his work but the insights he gained from his lifelong studies of the world's mythologies.

Joseph Campbell was obviously a special person with a deep and profound interest in mythology, and reading this small sampling of his speeches and papers was a treat. I wasn't expecting to find myself so interested in what he had to say regarding the world's various myths, but Mr. Campbell's insights into human nature and religion compelled me to crack a smile numerous times as I was reading this book. Revelations abound in these pages, but be warned: if you are a fundamentalist adherent to one of the Abrahamic religions, you probably won't enjoy it nearly as much as someone with an open mind will. Campbell makes the case that religions and mythologies are merely reflections of the hidden human psyche, and he makes his case well. Anyone interested in theology (from an academic standpoint) would be doing themselves a disservice by not reading what Campbell had to say about mythology and it's role in society.

This is my favorite of Joseph Campbell's books, and I liked most of them. I found it quite readable, but my wife thought his writing style was too academic and dry. I recommend reading a sample before you buy to see if you like it. It was written as a series of lectures before it became a book. Myths from many cultures are represented here along with a discussion of why a mythology for modern times could make life more meaningful, less scary.

I love Joseph Campbell and have many of his books. So the content is wonderful, but it has brown pages and is too dirty to sell.

I really wish I had read this years ago. Clearly many of the essays have been seminal ones - and a great deal of thought and criticism has in fact had these essays in mind - but never clearly acknowledged them!!I am really annoyed that no-one recommended I read this before now!!!The first of these essays was written a long time ago now - but charts a path for the struggle between Islam and the West - almost as though it perceives the threat and is outlining instructions to try and deal with it!!The language of the book is really lucid and accessible and I would really recommend that you all invest in a copy.It will probably make sense of all the Hollywood family films you've ever watched since the 1960s......

There's a lot of material in this book that I found interesting particularly the comparisons of varying myths and states of being. It seems so contemporary! Is there anything more to learn about myths? My only criticism would be that the book jumps about a bit from one subject to the next. I will now look out for more of Joe's work

I'm afraid I would not recommend this, as the views and understanding are, in my opinion, no longer valid. It is, for example, extremely Eurocentric. Disappointing, as I am very interested in the subject. Worth exploring contemporary research for a more up to date take on this.

To my shame I'd never heard of Joseph Campbell before and I wish I'd encountered him decades ago. Here's a guy after my own heart, giving an intelligent, dispassionate look at how our spiritual discourse has unfolded over the millennia. Something to come back to when you need a bit of solace.

This series of essays/lectures on mythological themes is a delightful read in which Campbell's lifelong studies bear fruit in insight and understanding about who we are and our place in the scheme of things. It has not foxed with age (originally published in 1973) and with its clarity of style and thought, goes does like a great liqueur.