The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell

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gordon's recommendation

First to recommend

The Hero with a Thousand Faces is a brilliant meditation of the role mythology plays in human psychology and common mythic elements across cultures. If you ever wondered why some stories seem to so deeply resonate or speak to broad swaths of humanity, it is worth thinking about the mythological roots of these tales.

Campbell takes the reader on a grand tour of the world's great mythic traditions w/fascinating excursions into Jungian analysis on archetypes. It can be a bit dense to get thru at times but the reward is huge: a more unified sense of the need for human narrative and the tools to understand better why certain stories appeal to us.

As a side note, a lot has been written about how closely Star Wars conforms to Campbell's "hero's journey". If you love Star Wars and have an interest beyond the special effects as to why Star Wars has captivated so many, read Campbell's books

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Updated Nov 25, 2006

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kayzee's recommendation

Richard Adams, the author of the wonderful book Watership Down, claims that it was this book that let him know that writing was his calling. Joseph Campbell tracks the hero myth through various cultures. Essential.

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Updated Jan 6, 2007

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