Most Insightful Book
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I began to read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" without stopping and I could not put it down. It is a very intriguing and easy to read book, and I would strongly recommend this book to the general readers.
In this book, Campbell brought forth in a very insightful way about the journey of the 'archetypal hero' who can be found in almost all the mythologies and religions of every country. This is interesting for I never seen it before. The author has done so with a careful study of these mythologies, legends, and religions.
There was a mention of "Dark Night of the Soul" in this book, which I think is important for me personally. The fact that I have a journey and this book speak of great volume for me. Each of us has a road of trials, challenges and obstacles to face. But, not everyone has a destiny. There are many in our world who refuses to know one's own "dark night of the soul," who refuses to heed one's calling, and who desires to be 'safe' and 'asleep.' These people are ignorant of the fact that they are slaves to their own temptations and to the will of the psychopaths in power.
This book is one of the most important books. And, if you are a truth seeker, this is a book for you.
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The One.
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This was one of the most infuential works in modern day, presenting the answer to many questions of myth. It has also inspired many to construct better modern day stories; from books to films.
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Over hyped
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In many ways the reviews are more interesting than the book. I read this many years ago before it was either fashionable or tied to Stars Wars or how to structure novels. It's good however I don't think this is Prof Campbell's finest work. I much prefer and have reread more often his four volume set The Masks of God. The book is interesting however don't believe reviews that tell you there would be no Stars Wars, no Sandman, no Watership Down without Campbell's book. He only interpreted The Hero -he didn't invent him. Enkidu was a Hero several millennia before Campbell was born.
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A work of pure genius!
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The key to understanding this classic book, and getting the most from it, is to realise that it's actually all about YOU. Campbell wrote it for YOU. Just think about the title for a start. YOU are the hero and your hero's journey is all about finding your inner life, your divine spark, and being engulfed and re-born out of it. This is what all the world's great hero myths were really talking about, symbolically, and Campbell brilliantly draws together the universal themes and parallels running through all the world's mystical and religious traditions, all of which were concerned (when understood metaphorically instead of literally) with this marvellous "death and resurrection" of the human psyche - from human animal to divine incarnation. It's a heroic deed which we all have the potential to achieve, and this book vibrantly and beautifully recollects many anicent stories that have drawn Mankind's imagination toward this very real transformation, through the use of the oldest and best means at our disposal - symbolic storytelling. This book is not just for the student or teacher of mythology or comparative religion, it's for everyone on the spiritual path. In fact, this book speaks directly to you wherever you are right now in life, whether on that path or not. Simply brilliant, and possibly the most important book of the 20th century. Even the full five star rating is not enough!
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A work of Major Cultural Importance
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This is an academic text, albeit beautifully written, that considers a broad selection of the world's myths and demonstrates (quite conclusively) that there are common themes running through them and that common structures underpin many of the enduring myths of religions and cultures the world over.
So why is it still in print, and why should you care? Indeed, why should you bother reading it?
The reason lies in the understated conclusions that Campbell reaches when identifying these commonalities; actually conclusions that are never really made plain in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, but which come out more explicitly in his later works and lectures. These stories, the myths, the metaphors and the structures point to a set of underlying truths that are available to everyone (always have been) and are embedded not only in some religions, but in all religions. It is this set of inherent truths that unite Buddhism and Christianity to the degree that core elements of the metaphorical imagery of each religion are in some circumstances inseparable.
Campbell is erudite enough to explore both the reasons and the explanations for commonality; the reasons being the inherently useful messages behind such metaphorical structures, and the explanations being common historical heritages in some instances, common individual experiences in others.
What is meant by the Garden of Eden, and how does it relate to Nirvana? It is the place in which there is no knowledge of right and wrong, centered on the tree of knowledge. Buddhism teaches us to seek this place in our lives constantly; Christianity teaches us that it is forever lost. The myths of each culture point us in the same direction; that in the centre of the space where there is no awareness of right or wrong (what must or must not be done) there is a centre of wisdom.
Debating the accuracy of the mono-myth as a proposal is a somewhat crass and shallow misunderstanding of this book. Recognizing that there are commonalities to all spiritual and story-telling traditions, and that these commonalities hint towards an innate knowledge of a highly desirable state of being, elevates this book and the body of work that Campbell left behind to the position it deserves; one of the most important works of the twentieth century. Understand, through this book, that the story you hear repeated time after time by Hollywood film-makers is not random choice, nor is it a formula for the sake of making money; it is a theme; it is a repetition of undecipherable knowledge that has forever been slightly outside of our consciousness. No-one will ever tell you what it is; they can only show you the path, which, if you follow, will lead to understanding. Read this book and you will start to understand what following that path entails, and what the structure of that experience will be. It's a mystery.
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