Songs on Bronze: The Greek Myths Made Real
by Nigel Spivey, Nigel Spivey (Author)
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A vivid, uninhibited retelling of the classic Greek stories Songs on Bronze is the first major retelling of Greek mythology in half a century; a set of lively, racy, dramatic versions of the great myths, which, in a multicultural society, are recognized more than ever as stories without equal. Most of us would like to know the Greek myths better than we do, and books like Seamus Heaney's Beowulf have demonstrated the power of ancient texts to enchant and enthrall us. And yet the modern show more translations of the Greek myths have sought to instruct, to edify, or to impart a personal philosophy. Songs on Bronze is different. With this book, Nigel Spivey--a young Cambridge classicist and rising star as a documentary host--gives us the Greek myths as the spellbinding stories they are. In bold, sensuous prose, he tells of Demeter and Persephone, of Jason and the Argonauts, of the wrath of Achilles and the travels of Odysseus, of Oedipus's crime and Orpheus's excursion into the underworld. In his hands, these stories are revealed anew as outsize tales of love and strife, of secret compacts and open rivalries, of lust and desire. Songs on Bronze is a fresh revision of the classics that is likely to become a classic in its own right. show lessTags
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These myths were a lot of fun to read. The title of this book was a fairly accurate one. Lots of little details are added to the Greek myths to give them more dimension, making for more memorable and enjoyable myths. It's a great starter book for anybody interested in mythology, but be forewarned, there are mentions of homosexuality (Zeus and Gnaymede, for example) as well as incest and rape. But all of these things existed in the original myths) so people familiar with these myths should not be surprised. All in all enjoyable book, my favorites were the Demeter and Persephone one as well as the Hercules one. 4.5/5 stars for enjoyable and memorable stories.
This was an excellent book. It makes the Greek myths accessible to the average American and shows them for the awesome stories that they are. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know about the myths but hasn't the fortitude to wade through Homer's version.
This is a great read -- both for people new to Greek mythology and those who already know and love the myths. If you're familiar with Greek mythology, there isn't really anything new here, but the stories are written well and are worth repeated. As for readers less versed in mythology, this is a very accessible book that captures the many of the best qualities of the myths.
Greek myths made real
Very interesting retelling of well-known Greek myths.
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23+ Works 1,275 Members
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- Members
- 213
- Popularity
- 152,772
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.63)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 2
