Handbook of Classical Mythology, the Meridian

by Edward Tripp

Book Overview

The ultimate single-volume reference guide to Greek and Roman mythology An ideal resource for students, teachers, librarians, writers, and readers of great literature, the Meridian Handbook has set... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452006430
• ISBN13: 9780452006430
• Release Date: October 1974
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Definitive Myth Guide

This is without a doubt the definitive guide to Greek mythology. I have used other sources but none of them even come close to this dictionary. The sheer amount of information per entry, including multiple versions of the myths, is staggering. If the guide has one weakness, it is that it is a little weak on Roman mythology. The information on the Aeneid is not quite as detailed as I would expect it to be, but by no means should that prevent a purchase. If for any reason you need a reference for the Greek myths, this should be the first place you look.

The definitive resource for Greek Mythology

Ed Tripp wrote this book over the span of many years and it shows on every page. Excellent cross-references, alternate names indexed meticulously, superb background on every entry. The only downside is the paperback format - I wore my first copy out long ago!

The Best Guide to Classical Myths

This is the best handbook of Classical Mythology I've ever encountered. It contains hundreds of entries of names (was anyone left out?), all in alphabetical order, of major and minor characters of the Greek and Roman myths. A very full account of each entry is given, including variants of many of the stories. Also included is a pronunciation index for most of the names listed. This is a tremendous resource for students and teachers alike. A great reference work.

Ian Myles Slater on A Fine Book Under Any Title

Edward Tripp's encyclopedic survey of Greek and Roman myths was originally published in hardcover 1970, in the United States by the Thomas Y. Crowell Co. as "Crowell's Handbook of Classical Mythology," with a simultaneous Canadian edition, and in Britain by Barker as just "The Handbook of ...". It was reissued as a trade paperback under the New American Library's Meridian imprint under title "Meridian Handbook" in 1974, and continued to be reprinted under this title, as the publishing industry was reshuffled, into the 1990s. So far as I can determine, the various editions are identical, so anyone looking for a copy can probably follow availability and price. It now seems to be out of print, under any of the various titles, which is a shame. It is somewhat more comprehensive and generally easier to use than Kerenyi's admirable "Gods of the Greeks" and "Heroes of the Greeks," and far more reliable than Robert Graves' idiosyncratic and erratic "The Greek Myths." (One can hope for a future reprinting -- perhaps as "Tripp's Handbook..."?). With its comprehensive coverage, and general preference for literary data over interpretation, Tripp's "Handbook" can serve as either a first-rate introduction or a convenient reference book, depending on a reader's needs and level of knowledge. A "pronouncing index" helpfully distinguishes traditional English pronunciations of names from currently favored approximations of the original Greek and Latin. Tripp's dictionary-style arrangement of the material is easy to follow, the articles are usefully cross-referenced, and the sources in classical texts are carefully noted. The length of the article usually corresponds well to the prominence of the god or hero, but some relatively minor figures get the space needed to sort out contradictory reports. Most of the relevant classical writers get their own articles as well -- although it is often a good idea to look at the corresponding entry in Lillian Feder's "Handbook of Classical Literature" (also once published as "Crowell's Handbook...," and again as a "Meridian Handbook..." in paperback, and recently reprinted by Da Capo), for more specialized information in a similar format.

the best classical mythology reference guide by far!

Tripp put in all in here: characters, tribes, geographical divisions and more. Character entries feature any alternate names for the character, other personae identified with the character, parentage (or creation or other origin), and a synopsis of every myth containing the character, including notations of any conflicts between tellings by different poets and mythographers. Geographical division entries feature alternate names, history of founding or establishment, and notable births, rulerships and events within them. Tripp must have invested painstaking effort to make this book this thorough and complete -- it shames all other classical mythology references guides that I've ever seen!