sarabaggins's review
5.0
"The Age of Fable" tells the fables of a wide variety of cultures, but focuses on the Greek tales. This book also includes clips of various poems that refer to the fables, including several snippets of "Paradise Lost" by Milton. And, towards the end, Thomas Bulfinch addresses the many theories about the origin of the fables, and the more famous fantastical creatures that appear in legends the world over.
grcbnntt's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
chantelmccray's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this one up to put in the bathroom. Because I like to read about Greek and Roman Gods while I'm sitting on the Porcelain God :)
I was obsessed with this book as a child; checking it out from the library countless times. I couldn't get enough of these ancient stories of Gods and Goddesses. This is a great book to get acquainted with the main characters is Greek and Roman mythology. Especially useful if your studying ancient history.
I was obsessed with this book as a child; checking it out from the library countless times. I couldn't get enough of these ancient stories of Gods and Goddesses. This is a great book to get acquainted with the main characters is Greek and Roman mythology. Especially useful if your studying ancient history.
spillie's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
3.0
While it was interesting to read the original mythology stories, I confess to losing interest very quickly. By far my favourite section was the northern mythology, including Valhalla, the Valkyrior, Thor, and Loki. However, I suspect I’ll never be able to watch the Thor movies now 😉
hannfarmer21's review against another edition
3.0
i didn't really finish it, but my curriculum no longer requires me to read it. *finally*
sgunther's review against another edition
3.0
We have been referring to this book all year in English. I can't exactly say I've read the whole thing, but pretty close.
abetterjulie's review against another edition
4.0
I learned a lot from this one! The writing isn't great, but the information kept me interested.
adammp's review against another edition
3.0
Bulfinch's Mythology, Thomas Bulfinch
The book serves as an excellent reference and beginner's guide to mythology. It has guided me through multiple courses in college, from beginner's level Latin, to graduate level philosophy and political science. I highly suggest the Kindle version. It is for free and easy to quote through the computer program, which is also for free. The search function on both the computer program and the Kindle itself is also very helpful, and will get you all of the information that you need in minutes. The version for kindle also contains some excellent sections on the legends of Arthur and Charlemagne.
The book serves as an excellent reference and beginner's guide to mythology. It has guided me through multiple courses in college, from beginner's level Latin, to graduate level philosophy and political science. I highly suggest the Kindle version. It is for free and easy to quote through the computer program, which is also for free. The search function on both the computer program and the Kindle itself is also very helpful, and will get you all of the information that you need in minutes. The version for kindle also contains some excellent sections on the legends of Arthur and Charlemagne.
djasson's review against another edition
4.0
A most enjoyable collection on mythology, even though at times the stories were severely edited with one eye on Victorian sensibilities and another on space. One of the best parts of this volume were the quotations from writers that referenced the people and actions in the included myths. I loved the entries from Milton, Byron, Shelley, and Gray. While this is a good book, it's still important to engage with the original sources, many of which are very accessible. Homer, Hesiod and Ovid cover so much, and there are wonderful translations out there (Caroline Alexander, Dorothea Wender, and Charles Martin, respectively).
My favorite Greek entry was the story of Phaëton and the chariot of the Sun (p. 46-53). Two non-Greek items from northern mythology were really exciting. The first was of the Valkyries, female warriors from Norse mythology. The story says that light emanated from their armor as they rode through the sky, and this shimmering was the aurora borealis, i.e. the "Northern Lights". So cool! Also, I really enjoyed the story of a visit to the Giant's country (Jotunheim) (pp. 351-357). His description of the contests of Thor and his companions was excellent. I loved the comparisons to battling Fire, Thought, the Sea and Old Age (p. 356).
My favorite Greek entry was the story of Phaëton and the chariot of the Sun (p. 46-53). Two non-Greek items from northern mythology were really exciting. The first was of the Valkyries, female warriors from Norse mythology. The story says that light emanated from their armor as they rode through the sky, and this shimmering was the aurora borealis, i.e. the "Northern Lights". So cool! Also, I really enjoyed the story of a visit to the Giant's country (Jotunheim) (pp. 351-357). His description of the contests of Thor and his companions was excellent. I loved the comparisons to battling Fire, Thought, the Sea and Old Age (p. 356).