The Complete Idiot's Guide to Classical Mythology

by Kevin Osborn and Dana L. Burgess

Book Overview

An introduction to Greek and Roman mythology provides explanations of all the gods and their roles, origins of the myths and theories on who wrote them, and the function of myths in society.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0028623851
• ISBN13: 9780028623856
• Release Date: July 1998
• Publisher: Alpha Books
• Length: 406 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

very nice

Very nice and useful refrances. I do wish there were more pictures and varieations of the myths. But it dose have everything you want to know about Myhtology.

Fantastic guide for those new to myths, or wanting an easy fun version of events

When I bought this book I had no idea what classical mythology was. I was writing a novel about Hercules though, and needed some mythological help, so I bought the book. Luckily for me, Classical mythology is the myths of ancient Greece and Rome. This book has perfect, easy to read break-downs of even the most complicated myths. Often funny and always a pleasure to study, I found myself reading this at bedtime instead of a novel. It's almost a perfect work on the Greek Myths. I had two problems with this book. One, I had no idea of the time line of the myths. Like, Hercules married Creon's daughter, but Creon's sister was married to Oedipus-so did Hercules grow up in a Thebes ruled by Oedipus or was that later on? I had no idea at all. Also a more complete family tree for the gods, sprites, titans and nymphs would have been good, but probably would have had to come in a form like a fold out map. In short, fabulous book to get started on Greek and Roman myths, though more detailed study may be needed later on for clarification.

Excellent resource for classical mythology fans.

Like most books in the "Idiot's Guide" series, this guide to classical mythology is an excellent and comprehensive resource book for fans of Greek and Roman mythology.There are several mythology reference books available in the market today but more serious and 'seasoned' fans and scholars will likely prefer THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY by Kevin Osborn. We're not idiots, of course, but this book is meaty, entertaining and has more background information on the various gods/goddesses, heroes and stories. At over 350 pages, it has loads of information on various topics and stories in mythology. For instance, an entire chapter is dedicated to the Trojan War and Achilles and Odysseus also have their own chapters. With other mythology books, you would be lucky to have a few pages dedicated to Achilles alone.Fans who want more than classical mythology will want to explore MYTHOLOGY FOR DUMMIES by Christopher Blackwell. This book also delves into the Arthurian legend, Norse myths, Beowulf, as well as world mythology in general (Chinese, Jewish, Hindu, etc).These 2 books are all excellent. The choice lies on the readers' level of interests. I would recommend the "Complete Idiot's Guide" to those who enjoy Roman and Greek mythology or those who want to learn more about the Trojan War, Perseus, Jason and the Argonauts, Zeus, Hercules and the many other fascinating gods/goddesses and heroes of classical mythology.

A Skeptic No More

I was a bit skeptical about purchasing my first "Complete Idiot's Guide," but this work won me over completely. It covers all the major aspects of Greek myth in a well-organized, easily understandable fashion. Authors Osborn and Burgess were not content with merely giving the "greatest hits" of myth, they include a wealth of detail and helpful historical/cultural notes. The "Least You Need to Know" sections at the end of each chapter are particularly nice. As a teacher of Classics I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who need an intro to Greek myth or anyone (like myself) who needs a handy reference.

Never Thought Mythology Was Entertaining? Think Again!

For anyone who feels that mythology is just too complicated and boring, this is the perfect book to change your mind. A multitude of mythological topics are covered susinctly and with a great deal of humor. Information is neatly categorized and easy to follow. This would be a great book for students newly exposed to mythology or teachers needing a refresher course! And the real clincher for me? It was co-written by Dana Burgess, who was one of my favorite professors at Whitman College and instilled in me a passion for classics nearly equalling his own.