First published in three separate volumes from 1855 to 1863, Bulfinch's Mythology quickly became the standard source of classic tales from ancient Greece and Rome, the Norse tradition, and beyond. This edition contains the full text of The Age of Fable, or Stories of Gods and Heroes, the first volume of Bulfinch's seminal work. From stories of the Greek gods of Mt. Olympus to retellings of the Iliad and the Odyssey, from descriptions of mythological monsters to tales of Hindu and Egyptian deities, Bulfinch's versions of these classic stories bring their characters to life. Throughout the text, Bulfinch includes examples of literary interpretations of and allusions to the various stories and points out proverbial expressions that have their origins in the mythology he relates, making this a vital reference for students of literature as well as a delightfully vibrant collection of the stories that form our cultural heritage.
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"I love Mythology so this was a great book. It was also interesting because much of the "history" - like King Aurthur's time - was written from Bulfinch's extremely Christian perspective. This inadvertently gave some insight to that particular point of view and the origin of some of the tales. It's a lot to take in and remember, though - I could read it three times and still not retain it all..."
— Diana (4 out of 5 stars)
" The copy I read belonged to my great aunt and was published in 1913. "
— Steve, 2/10/2014" i liked it, but i prefer edith hamilton for greco-roman mythology, which is what most of the book is. "
— Reedz0r, 2/5/2014" A little off because it lacks a tone of authority about the characters is defines and describes. "
— Jessica, 2/2/2014" I found this book in a used bookstore and for weeks I was immersed in this book and revisiting familiar myths and learning new ones. Every now and then I take down from the shelve and browse. "
— L, 1/27/2014" read in elementary school and junior high as part of my greek roman phaze!! "
— Kolan, 1/23/2014" I love this old friend...we go wayyyyy back! "
— Laura, 1/15/2014" An excellent reference for what it is concerned with. Almost exclusively focused on the Western (e.g. Hellenic and Roman) lineage of mythology, so do not expect a comprehensive overview of world mythology. "
— Nalin, 1/15/2014" I enjoy mythology and read these stories from time to time. A good escape. "
— Kim, 1/14/2014" A delightful and easy to read introduction to mythology for anyone. It gives a thorough basis for students and newbies and makes a very nice reading even for those who know their myths. "
— Rozonda, 1/9/2014" im always picking this up to read random stories "
— Melissa, 12/23/2013" This is more of reference book than a book of leisure but good to have in a library. It is nice to have for those times when one has 10-15 to kill so can read a couple stories. The detail is very impressive and I could see this book being used in a classroom. "
— John, 12/22/2013" Bulfinch's Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch (1988) "
— Billydinpvd, 12/15/2013" nearly killed myself reading this for the latin competition. "
— Profanityprayers, 11/25/2013" A very good research book for Greek mythology. I really enjoyed it. "
— Ashley, 8/11/2013" I read this a whole bunch of times when I was a kid. A neighbor (Mr. Schultz) gave it to me. "
— Paul, 7/28/2013" Essential for any understanding of classical literature of art. "
— Robert, 7/6/2013" This book gives the stories of most of the important stories in Greek and Roman mythology. It was very entertaining. "
— Wachlin007, 6/1/2013" As far as authorities on the subject of Greek Mythology, he sort of doesn't know what the heck he's talking about. He can't even figure out to call the Greek gods by their Greek names... Plus, he makes all of that sex and violence sound rather dry and dull. "
— Alyssa, 3/12/2013" I remember reading this book and it launching a love of mythology. It's approachable, but probably best digested in doses. The names are tough to remember. "
— Magila, 12/5/2012" a great reference for all kinds of Greek, Roman, and -- in this edition -- even a few Norse and Egyptian -- mythological tales. Bulfinch does a superb job of quoting passages from literature (LOTS of Byron) where such references crop up, which is lovely. definitely a good investment for the library! "
— Barrett, 11/29/2012" It was for school. Duh, it was boring!! "
— Pippa, 9/17/2012" Another must-read for mythology buffs, with this one including Greek, Roman, Norse, and more. "
— Lori, 8/22/2012" Any questions you've ever had about mythology are all answered in this book in a relatively easy and readable format. Bullfinch's is the bible of mythology, lain out in short-story form. Always interesting, and easy to set aside for later as well if something more intriguing comes along. "
— Jamie, 8/20/2012" He focuses on Greece and Briton, mostly, throwing in a little Beowulf here and there. Basically just stuff we studied in school, and a little something extra for special interest folks. All in all, it wasn't informative enough to keep me hooked. "
— Elise, 8/13/2012" I finished it at 10:00. I got sidetracked watching t.v. and legit lost track of time. "
— Frenchhornbook, 6/24/2012" Fun, but not too fun. "
— Aneece, 5/31/2012" I have read the Roman and the Greek sections. Still need to work on the others! "
— Natalie, 12/13/2011" Read this after college. Kind of reminds me of reading the Bible with all the complicated names & bizarre, jaw-dropping events. "
— Lara, 11/6/2011" For all those times when you're reading and the author references Greek mythology, everyone should have their Bulfinch's handy!! "
— Marion, 11/2/2011" Lacked a bit A LOT on anything not Greek... "
— Elaine, 10/10/2011" My parents gave me this for my 12th birthday. I have read it many times since. I'm sure this book is to thank for my continuing love of myths and legends. "
— Addie, 9/4/2011" Read in grade school and was captivated by the fabulous characters, exotic settings, and bizarre things they did. It provided me with an invaluable background to understanding allusions to the Greek myths, gods, and goddesses in novels, poetry, nonfiction, etc. "
— Page, 4/27/2011" Any book that has to do with mythology always entertains me. One of the classics in the field too. "
— Kaitlin, 4/12/2011" It was ok, but some of the stories were quite bland... "
— Zengfer, 4/10/2011" I have had this book present in my home for many years. I use it frequently as a reference book to help me recall gods and tales which have become "rusty" in my mind. As always, these fables are fascinating. "
— Barbara, 3/27/2011" It was ok, but some of the stories were quite bland... "
— Zengfer, 3/15/2011" This was great to get a very straightforward idea of mythology. Used it for research mostly. "
— Jena, 3/10/2011" I had forgotten alot of my mythology. I truly love many of these stories, so I am having fun getting reacquainted with them. "
— Diana, 2/25/2011" A very good research book for Greek mythology. I really enjoyed it. "
— Ashley, 8/31/2010" Bulfinch's Greek and Roman Mythology: The Age of Fable (Dover Thrift Editions) by Thomas Bulfinch (2000) "
— Laura, 7/29/2010" I grew up on this - fabulous snippets of myths coupled with images from art, lines from poems & plays - love it. "
— Nonsequiteuse, 7/6/2010" What I especially like about this old book is the way in which the author basically paraphrases Ovid throughout. In many of the stories, such as Daphne and Apollo, Bulfinch reads as if he is translating Ovid verbatim. A nice complement to Hamilton. "
— max, 6/13/2010" I haven't gotten around to reading all of it. "
— Callista, 3/15/2010" more of a 4.5. the quintessential book on mythology, the stories are organized in a logical fashion and are retold in an accurate and interesting way. it's like getting textbook-like knowledge from something with a way better format. "
— Magila, 2/25/2010" One of my favorite books ever. <br/> <br/>I guess the first I bought in the US. "
— Erick, 11/22/2009" Couldn't find the exact edition I have, went with date. <br/> <br/>This is a good intro to the classical myths of Greek and Roman lenage. It's possible some of this may be familiar to some and some will be new. Nice book. "
— Mike, 11/21/2009" Full of myths and legends involoving our favorite classic heroes: a great book to keep on the shelves for late night reading. "
— Katie, 7/24/2009" Haven't read this edition, but the one I have is pretty good. The best part is when he says about Pygmalion, "his art was so perfect that it concealed itself". "
— John, 5/29/2009" Bulfinch's Greek and Roman Mythology: The Age of Fable (Dover Thrift Editions) by Thomas Bulfinch (2000) "
— Laura, 5/29/2009" We have been referring to this book all year in English. I can't exactly say I've read the whole thing, but pretty close. "
— Sydney, 5/26/2009Thomas Bulfinch (1796–1867) was educated at Boston Latin, Phillips Exeter, and Harvard. A clerk in the Merchant’s Bank of Boston who wrote books in his spare time, he was the first to create a popular compendium of ancient myths and legends.
Jonathan Cowley, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, is a British actor hailing from Eastbourne, East Sussex, but he currently calls Los Angeles home. He has narrated many audiobooks and can also be heard on both sides of the Atlantic narrating film trailers and documentaries. He is also an active television and film actor who has appeared in Grey’s Anatomy, Veep, and WestWorld.