10 Interesting Books To Get Into World Mythology
Of the various mythologies in the world, it seems like Greek Mythology is the one that gets all attention. From Percy Jackson to God of War, many pop culture franchises have their origins in Greek Mythology. Beyond that, many familiar words and terms have their origins in Greek Mythology.
Sadly, Greek Mythology getting so much focus has overshadowed a ton of interesting mythologies. Thankfully, there is a ton of intriguing books about non-Greek Mythology. These books either focus entirely on other Mythologies or treat it as just one of many Mythologies in the world.
Here is the list of 10 interesting books to get into world mythology:
1. The Illustrated Book of Myths: Tales & Legends of the World
A personal favorite of mine, DK Publishing's The Illustrated Book of Myths is a great collection of illustrated myths. With tales ranging from the Labors of Hercules to the Ainu creation myth, nearly every region of the world has representation in this book.
Beyond the book featuring some more obscure myths, what sets it apart from many other books on the topic is its art. Every tale has at least one lavish illustration that does a great job of depicting a myth in an art style that looks nice and homages its cultural origins.
2. Mythology of the World
Speaking of books that highlight obscure mythologies, Mythology of the World takes a different approach. Instead of retelling various myths, this book is more interesting in exploring how Myths interact with the culture that created them.
This approach makes even its brief look at Greek mythology unique compares to other books on world Mythology. Beyond that, the book does a great job examining lesser-known mythologies from the Himalayas and South America. For example, it one of the few books that discuss syncretic folk religion in Mexico.
3. Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology
While thanks to Marvel, many people are familiar with some of the deities of Norse Mythology. However, many people are still not familiar with the myths that spawned characters like Thor and Loki. A great introduction to Norse Mythology is in the book of the same name by Neil Gaiman.
While the book's goal is to retell the Norse myths, The retelling features the prose and style of one of the great writers of the 21st century. That fact alone is worth the price of admission.
4. Creation Myths of the World: An Encyclopedia
For those looking for a more kitchen-sink approach for their mythology, you can't go wrong with Creation Myths of the World. A two-volume Encyclopedia, Creation Myths of the World, covers over 200 different mythologies' creation stories.
This book not only collects various creation myths, but it also includes several essays that discuss these myths' theme. Another praiseworthy element within this book is that it features several myths retold by people from its original culture.
5. Kalevala
The Kalevala stands out for attempting to reconstruct a people's lost myths. Based on Elias Lönnrot's collection of Finnish and Estonia legends and folktales, Kalevala is viewed as the national epic of the Finnish people.
The Kalevala is a collection of 50 poems that focus on the lives of Väinämöinen and his companion. These poems are worth a read not just out of interest in lesser-known mythologies but also that these poems were a significant influence on J.R.R Tolkein and his Legendarium.
6. The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Speaking of books on mythology that had a huge cultural impact, the definitive example would be Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The book examines a shared structure seen in myths around the world called the universal monomyth or Hero's Journey.
The book gives some unique focus to Australian and Asian mythology and features a good deal of retelling the myths that Campbell used to shape his argument about the monomyth. Beyond that, this book's idea of the monomyth influenced a great deal of work 20th century works like the original Star Wars trilogy.
7. Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology
Speaking of mythology and science fiction, Gods and Robots examine various mythologies for the theme of advanced technology. Primarily the book examines how ancient people's myths reflect their views toward technology and its potential advancement.
While the book spends its first part focus on Greek mythology, its second half focuses on Chinese and Indian mythology. Particularly of interest is the book retelling of an Indian myth that depicts Rome as a technologically advanced city that protects its technology through robot-like assassins.
8. Comparative Mythology
While The Hero with a Thousand Faces explains myth comparatively to find thematic connections, this book seeks to do it from a cultural perspective. This book examines common themes and archetypes of the mythologies of the Indo-European people.
While Jaan Puvhel deals with familiar myths and gods from Greek and Norse Mythology, he also discusses more obscure Slavic and Baltic myths. He even attempts to use these myths' common themes to reconstruct a prehistoric Proto-Indo European Mythology.
9. The Masks of God
An expansion of Joseph Campbell's monomyth theory, The Masks of God, examines how different cultural contexts led the monomyth to evolve into distinct mythologies. The book is a bit long, published originally as four books, but provides an in-depth examination of how culture shapes mythology.
Throughout The Masks of God, Campbell examines a wide range of mythology from various tribal mythologies to ones created by contemporary fiction. The book provides myths from a variety of cultures and challenges our definition of the term.
10. The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across the Ancient World
From the author of Gods and Robots, The Amazons examine the recurring mythical theme of the female warrior tribe. Starting with the well-known Greek myth of the Amazons, Mayor examines various legends around the world about warrior women to determine their historical origin.
What makes this book noteworthy is its examination of the thin line between myth and ancient history by examining the overlap seen in how the Amazons reflected encounters between the Greek and the nomadic people of Central Asia. The book also includes a comparative examination of how Central Asian mythology depicts warrior women.
Conclusion
These ten books represent a small part of the works that discuss mythology beyond just Greek Mythology, representing a great gateway to understanding the variety of mythologies from around the world. These books range from in-depth scholarly text to illustrated young-adult fiction, which shows they're books on mythology for everyone.
It should how Greek Mythology has unfairly overshadowed other mythologies.
Opinions and Perspectives
The way Mayor analyzes the Amazon myths in historical context is really enlightening.
Reading these has made me appreciate how rich and diverse world mythology really is.
The variety of perspectives in these books really helps paint a complete picture of world mythology.
The analysis in The Masks of God really shows how mythology evolves with culture.
Started reading about Finnish myths in the Kalevala and now I'm hooked on exploring lesser-known mythologies.
The scholarly approach of Comparative Mythology balanced with actual myth tellings works really well.
Fascinating how these books reveal connections between myths from different parts of the world.
The Creation Myths encyclopedia's global scope is impressive. Really shows the universality of origin stories.
Never realized how many different approaches there were to studying mythology until seeing this list.
Reading The Hero with a Thousand Faces changed how I watch movies and read books.
Love how Gods and Robots shows ancient peoples were just as imaginative as we are today.
Found myself completely absorbed in the Kalevala. The poetic structure adds another layer of beauty.
The cultural context provided in Mythology of the World really helps understand the stories better.
Started with Norse Mythology and now working through the rest. Each book offers something unique.
The way The Amazons connects myths to historical evidence is really eye-opening.
I appreciate how these books treat all mythologies with equal respect and importance.
The Illustrated Book of Myths would make a great gift for my nephew who loves mythology.
Never thought about how technology appears in ancient myths before reading about Gods and Robots.
Just finished the Creation Myths encyclopedia. The essays really help put everything in context.
Comparative Mythology's approach to finding common threads across cultures is really intriguing.
Yes, it's dense but worth it! The cultural analysis is incredible once you get into it.
The Masks of God seems challenging but rewarding. Anyone have experience with it?
Reading about mythologies from around the world really shows how creative humans can be.
Love that these books approach mythology from different angles: historical, cultural, comparative.
These books make me realize how much mythology influences modern storytelling without us noticing.
Can't believe I never knew about that Indian myth with robot assassins! Definitely getting Gods and Robots.
The section about warrior women across cultures in The Amazons sounds fascinating.
I've been teaching mythology for years and still found new perspectives in some of these books.
Learning about different mythologies helps us understand how people around the world make sense of life.
The variety in this list is great. Something for both casual readers and serious scholars.
Anyone else surprised by how recent some of these books are? Shows mythology studies are still evolving.
Interesting how Gods and Robots shows that sci-fi concepts existed even in ancient myths.
The Kalevala's influence on Tolkien makes me want to read both again and spot the connections.
Wonder what Campbell would think about modern superhero movies following his monomyth pattern.
These books seem to complement each other well. Each offers a different approach to understanding world mythology.
Started reading Norse Mythology yesterday and can't put it down. Gaiman really knows how to tell a story.
The Creation Myths encyclopedia having stories told by people from the original cultures makes such a difference.
Never realized how many books there were about non-Greek mythology. This list is eye-opening.
The artwork in The Illustrated Book of Myths respecting each culture's artistic style is such a thoughtful touch.
I'm particularly drawn to the Mexican folk religion section in Mythology of the World. Sounds like a unique perspective.
True about Greek myths overshadowing others, but at least these books are helping preserve and share other cultural stories.
The way Mayor connects myths to historical events in The Amazons is exactly the kind of analysis I love.
Does anyone know if these books come in audiobook format? I'd love to listen during my commute.
The Comparative Mythology book's attempt to reconstruct Proto-Indo-European mythology sounds ambitious but interesting.
I find it fascinating how Campbell's monomyth theory influenced Star Wars. Really shows how ancient storytelling patterns still work today.
The description of that Indian myth about Rome in Gods and Robots sounds incredible. Never heard anything like it before.
These books show how mythology isn't just about stories, but about understanding different cultures and ways of thinking.
Just ordered Mythology of the World. Really excited to learn about those Himalayan myths they mentioned.
The Amazons book really challenges our assumptions about gender roles in ancient societies.
Reading about these books makes me realize how much Western education focuses on Greek mythology at the expense of others.
I started with Norse Mythology because of Marvel movies, but the real myths are so much more interesting!
The Masks of God seems like it would be perfect for my dissertation on cultural evolution of myths.
Anyone else find it interesting how many creation myths share similar elements despite coming from completely different parts of the world?
What fascinates me most about Comparative Mythology is how it traces common themes across different cultures.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces is brilliant but dense. Took me three attempts to finish it.
I appreciate that these books include perspectives from people within the cultures they're discussing. Makes it more authentic.
Not really surprised about ancient civilizations imagining advanced technology. Humans have always dreamed big.
The Gods and Robots book seems ahead of its time. Ancient people thinking about artificial beings is mind-blowing.
I love how the Kalevala influenced Tolkien. You can really see the Finnish influence in his work once you know about it.
The Illustrated Book of Myths would be perfect for beginners. The visuals help you remember the stories and characters better.
Honestly, I feel overwhelmed by where to start with world mythology. Which of these books would you recommend for a complete beginner?
I wish more people knew about non-Western mythology. There are so many incredible stories from Asia and Africa that deserve attention.
You'd be surprised how quickly you can get through it! I started just browsing specific myths I was interested in and ended up reading much more.
The Creation Myths encyclopedia sounds comprehensive, but two volumes? That's quite a commitment for a casual reader like me.
Has anyone read Mythology of the World? I'm particularly interested in the Mexican folk religion part they mentioned.
The section about The Amazons book really caught my attention. I'm intrigued by how it connects myths to historical events.
Actually, I disagree. I think Greek myths seem more relatable because we're more exposed to them. The Finnish Kalevala has equally compelling characters and themes.
While these books look interesting, I still think Greek mythology is popular for good reason. The stories are just more compelling and relatable.
I found the Gods and Robots book fascinating. Never thought ancient cultures had stories about artificial beings and advanced technology.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces completely changed how I view storytelling. It's amazing how Campbell found these universal patterns across different cultures.
Just finished Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology and I have to say his writing style really captures the epic nature of these tales. Anyone else read it?
I love how The Illustrated Book of Myths makes mythology accessible to everyone. The artwork really helps bring these ancient stories to life.