Suggest me a book for an easy overview of greek mythology
I'm on holiday with my family in Greece and my partner has said that she would like to read about Greek mythology. Ideally, she would like an easy read which gives a high level overview as time (and patience) is in short supply!
Mythos by Stephen Fry is the book you’re looking for. There are also two follows ups, Heroes and Troy.
stella3books on
Stephen Fry’s books have already been suggested, just to add specific details: Fry presents charming, engaging outlines of various characters. It’s the literary equivalent of listening to a witty friend explain a hobby to you, like a dinner party where you legitimately just want to shut up and listen to the clever people talk. The downside is the format he uses keeps things light, but makes it hard for him to include citations. So if you find yourself asking why he depicts a character a certain way, it’s hard to find what specific sources and influences he’s drawing on.
Natalie Haynes writes accessible nonfiction about classical literature (I enjoyed “Pandora’s Box” but haven’t read her book about goddesses). It’s less of the casual conversational tone that Fry uses, and more of a sort of overview of history, context, and literary sources. So it’s a much better option if you’re looking to get an overview, then follow up on ideas or patterns you’re interested in.
EDIT- Just for vibes- Fry’s books for drinking with friends, Haynes’s books for coffee near the library.
JimmyBane1982 on
it has been 8 years since I have read the Percy Jaxon books, but I remember loving them and learning a bunch of Greek mythology trivia
3 Comments
Mythos by Stephen Fry is the book you’re looking for. There are also two follows ups, Heroes and Troy.
Stephen Fry’s books have already been suggested, just to add specific details: Fry presents charming, engaging outlines of various characters. It’s the literary equivalent of listening to a witty friend explain a hobby to you, like a dinner party where you legitimately just want to shut up and listen to the clever people talk. The downside is the format he uses keeps things light, but makes it hard for him to include citations. So if you find yourself asking why he depicts a character a certain way, it’s hard to find what specific sources and influences he’s drawing on.
Natalie Haynes writes accessible nonfiction about classical literature (I enjoyed “Pandora’s Box” but haven’t read her book about goddesses). It’s less of the casual conversational tone that Fry uses, and more of a sort of overview of history, context, and literary sources. So it’s a much better option if you’re looking to get an overview, then follow up on ideas or patterns you’re interested in.
EDIT- Just for vibes- Fry’s books for drinking with friends, Haynes’s books for coffee near the library.
it has been 8 years since I have read the Percy Jaxon books, but I remember loving them and learning a bunch of Greek mythology trivia