Originally written by Campbell in the '40s-- in his pre-Bill Moyers days -- and famous as George Lucas' inspiration for "Star Wars," this book will likewise inspire any writer or reader in its well considered assertion that while all stories have already been told, this is *not* a bad thing, since the *retelling* is still necessary. And while our own life's journey must always be ended alone, the travel is undertaken in the company not only of immediate loved ones and primal passion, but of the heroes and heroines -- and myth-cycles -- that have preceded us.


From AudioFile
Campbell's unique perspectives examine the world's complex and interwoven mythology, folklore and religion, providing an understanding of the essence and genesis of humanness. Blum allows the listener to focus on the content of Campbell's words. All stories are told in plain narration except the Irish myths, for which Blum attempts a slight brogue without success. Slight pauses, musical interludes, plus announcements help distinguish the sections of the text. P.A.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Gabor Mate, The Globe & Mail
"Campbell's survey of mythology continues to speak to us with a timeless eloquence and spiritual urgency that quicken the soul".


Review
Campbell's words carry extraordinary weight, not only among scholars but among a wide range of other people who find his search down mythological pathways relevant to their lives today. . . . The book for which he is most famous, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, [is] a brilliant examination, through ancient hero myths, of man's eternal struggle for identity.


Book Description
Joseph Campbell's classic cross-cultural study of the hero's journey has inspired millions and opened up new areas of research and exploration. Originally published in 1949, the book hit the New York Times best-seller list in 1988 when it became the subject of The Power of Myth, a PBS television special. Now, this legendary volume, re-released in honor of the 100th anniversary of the author's birth, promises to capture the imagination of a new generation of readers. The first popular work to combine the spiritual and psychological insights of modern psychoanalysis with the archetypes of world mythology, the book creates a roadmap for navigating the frustrating path of contemporary life. Examining heroic myths in the light of modern psychology, it considers not only the patterns and stages of mythology but also its relevance to our lives today--and to the life of any person seeking a fully realized existence. Myth, according to Campbell, is the projection of a culture's dreams onto a large screen; Campbell's book, like Star Wars, the film it helped inspire, is an exploration of the big-picture moments from the stage that is our world. Offered for the first time with beautifully restored illustrations and a bibliography of cited works, it provides unparalleled insight into world mythology from diverse cultures. It is a must-have resource for both experienced students of mythology and the explorer just beginning to approach myth as a source of knowledge.


From the Inside Flap
"I have returned to no book more often since leaving college than this one, and every time I discover new insight into the human journey. Every generation will find in Hero wisdom for the ages."--Bill Moyers, host of the PBS special 'The Power of Myth' "In the three decades since I discovered The Hero with a Thousand Faces, it has continued to fascinate and inspire me. Joseph Campbell peers through centuries and shows us that we are all connected by a basic need to hear stories and understand ourselves. As a book, it is wonderful to read; as illumination into the human condition, it is a revelation."--George Lucas, filmmaker, creator of the movie 'Star Wars'


About the Author
Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) was an inspiring teacher, popular lecturer and author, and the editor and translator of many books on mythology, including "The Mythic Image" (Princeton/Bollingen Paperbacks). Clarissa Pinkola Estés is the author of the national bestseller "Women Who Run with the Wolves".

ANNOTATION

A look into the variety of hero myths and the similarities that run through different cultures by making use of psychology and folklore.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The amazing, best-selling exploration of world myth and the individual soul's development that has changed millions of lives and was the focus of the recent Bill Moyers special on PBS.

SYNOPSIS

Although they are perceived as two different concepts, "fact" and "fiction" are really opposite sides of the same coin—two ways of expressing the same truth. According to the brilliant scholar and writer Joseph Campbell, myth is the way a culture becomes reconciled to the universal truths of human existence—the joys and sorrows, pains and pleasures of life. In short, it is a philosophical text, but one which reveals truth in symbolic terms.