Short review for this one.

I love mythology. I’d just like to start off by saying that. The Edith Hamilton edition was part of my assigned summer reading. I’d already read a great deal of the legends so I was looking forward to expanding my knowledge with what was hailed as the ultimate mythology source.

But this was just…a disappointment. Or pick any other adjective you like: dry, tedious, bland—they’re all applicable. Edith Hamilton does know her stuff, I won’t deny that. I did learn quite a few things, which is excellent, but throughout the reading I couldn’t help but feel that I would have had a more riveting time if I had just looked up the stories on Wikipedia.

I know that this book is essentially a reference book, and reference books aren’t traditional leisure reading for most. But mythological stories should never be yawn-inducing. I went into the book expecting to be excited by the adventures of the gods and heroes and instead, I couldn’t wait for it to be over.

And though I don’t doubt that Hamilton knows her stuff, I found that a few of the stories didn’t add up with my previous knowledge. For example, I had learned that the Gorgons were three beautiful sisters and that Medusa was cursed after she was caught having sex with Poseidon in Athena’s tower. (A much more exciting version of events, in my humble opinion.) Also, discussing Hephaestus, she briefly mentions that in some legends he was thrown off the side of Olympus after his birth—well, that was the way I learned it, and it was an interesting story. Aside from that, gods like Hephaestus (and Ares) are barely discussed at all.

The one entertaining thing was counting how many times people turned into trees or flowers.

If you’re looking for a book on mythology, the Edith Hamilton edition is informative but not very interesting. If I had an alternative recommendation I would name it, but I’m still searching, unfortunately. ( )

A classic used in classrooms. I use a variety of books teaching mythology, but I refer back to Edith fairly often. Very accessible for high school students.

In what is quite possibly one of the best, or at least, most renowned book on Greco-Roman mythology, Hamilton has presented here in an easy-to-digest format the high points of what happened on Mt. Olympus (and why it didn't stay on Mt. Olympus).

It's by no means exhaustive, but is otherwise a very informative source to get your feet wet in the world of Greco-Roman mythology. Additionally, it's a place to get your feet ever-so-slightly damp in the world of Norse mythology, as the section covering such seems more an afterthought than an appendix than an actual resource on the complex system that is Norse mythology.

If you're looking into the Greco-Roman, this is a great book to at least start, and at most, to complete that collection. If you're looking into the Norse, I'd recommend this book only if you can't manage to find any others about the topic. ( )

Classic mythology told as stories. Consider reading this as basic education to be able to recognize the infinite references to the ancient stories used in everyday life and modern story telling (including movies, tvs, plays, music, etc.) - though I am probably stating the obvious. This gives a solid grounding in the mythos of western civilizations. ( )

I first read this book in my highschool Latin class--long ago when I thought I might have made it through a 2nd year of Latin. The dumbed-down sheeple of my society don't put any value on myths, or much of anything but psychotropics and entertainment. Something priceless lays here. These stories are extremely important to understanding ourselves, our past, our planispheres, and the future. Without sounding too Sitchin-like, I will simply say that these are the rememberances of the b'nai Elohim, amongst other things. Ms. Hamilton provides us an excellent place to start to understand our (un)reality. Don't drink too much of the Eleusian blue potion, and enjoy the illustrations. The myths of other cultures, times, and places await you; all holding a golden thread of uniformity. ( )