- Myths to Live By
- Author: Joseph Campbell
- Copyright: 1972
- Publisher: Penguin Compass
- Pages: 266
- Rating: ***
- Part of my mythology reading series
October 15, 2009
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- Another part of my mythology / hero-journey series. I have a whole write-up on this mythic story back in October 2009.
- Hansel and Gretel (and other stories) .
- It's interesting how many stories, legends, fairy tales, and folk tales can be seen through the archetypal hero journey lens. They travel across water to an unnatural land where they battle a powerful force, then return home with riches to bestow boon on their family. Of course there are also psychological forces at play: the wicked step mother, who mysteriously is dead after they kill the witch.
October 31, 2009
- The Mysteries of Pittsburgh
- Author: Michael Chabon
- Copyright: 1988
- Publisher: Harper Collins
- Pages: 297
- Rating: ***
- Both my sons, but especially Andrew, really like Michael Chabon so I picked this up. It was a good story about growing up in the 80's with a young man finding himself.
December 5, 2009
- A Christmas Carol
- Author: Charles Dickens
- Copyright: 1843
- Publisher: Penguin Classics
- Pages: 75
- Rating: ****
- I love this book about redemption and try to read it every year around Christmas. I gave copies to my group this year as a Christmas present.
December 19, 2009
- A Briefer History of Time
- Author: Stephen Hawking. Editor: Leonard Mlodinow
- Copyright: 2005
- Publisher: Bantam Dell
- Pages: 146
- Take away: Gravity = Accelaration
