A study of heroism in the myths of the world - an exploration of all the elements common to the great stories that have helped people make sense of their lives from the earliest times. It takes in Greek Apollo, Maori and Jewish rites, the Buddha, Wotan, and the bothers Grimm's Frog-King.
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.

Customer Rating:
Summary: it's all been done before, or, life's rich pageant
Comment: Campbell takes us through the tragedies, comedies, adventures and redemption that form a common thread through human stories. The archetypes have universal patterns to their struggles, and I began to see a reflection of the paths of Odysseus or Buddha or Jesus in my own life.

Every life is a hero's journey, or can be if we choose to see it that way.

However, while Campbell is obviously deep and brilliant, he can also be a bit wordy and dry.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Hard Reading
Comment: This should be the most interesting book ever written - after all, it purports to summarize myths across cultures with a mononmyth theory as the unifying force. The problem is in the execution, and probably the underlying theory, which is certainly out-dated. Campbell writes poorly. He is hard NOT to put down. And so, alas, as with earlier editions, I could not even plod through this tome. It is useless to my understanding of the world.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful
Comment: This book was very helpful in my own spiritual journey. It's worth all the time you'll spend reading it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A journey blending modern psychology with comparative mythology
Comment: The Collector's Edition of this keepsake represents a fine presentation of a classic first released in 1949. THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES is a journey blending modern psychology with comparative mythology, and this edition offers new audiences a fine hardcover packed with black and white illustration and detail.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

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Customer Rating:
Summary: The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Comment: The Hero with a Thousand Faces is the work that first introduced me to Joseph Campbell. It was then and continues to be one of my favorite books of all time. Each time I read this valuable resource, I uncover another layer of usefulness. This time, I was specifically looking at how the cycle of the Hero's Journey directly related to the cycle of healing.

The Hero with a Thousand Faces presents Campbell's Hero's Journey. By looking at mythology worldwide, he noticed some very significant similarities in the journeys taken by the hero or heroine of these stories, hence the cycle. In this work, Campbell presents a number of snippets from different myths showing that indeed such a pattern exists. Indeed, it is a template still used by the best pieces of fiction and some of the most memorable movies.

The Hero with a Thousand Faces is a must have for anyone the least bit interested in mythology as well as every psychologist, writer, and healer on the planet. This is one of those books that quickly becomes dog-eared with consistent reuse.

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