Most Popular Books by Joseph Campbell

Joseph Campbell, arguably the greatest mythologist of our time, was certainly one of our greatest storytellers.

This newly redesigned edition of Campbell''s seminal 1949 work combines the insights of modern psychology with the author''s revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology. Illustrated.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • An extraordinary book that reveals how the themes and symbols of ancient narratives continue to bring meaning to birth, death, love, and war. The Power of Myth launched an extraordinary resurgence of interest in Joseph Campbell and his work. A preeminent scholar, writer, and teacher, he has had a profound influence on millions of people—including Star Wars creator George Lucas. To Campbell, mythology was the “song of the universe, the music of the spheres.” With Bill Moyers, one of America’s most prominent journalists, as his thoughtful and engaging interviewer, The Power of Myth touches on subjects from modern marriage to virgin births, from Jesus to John Lennon, offering a brilliant combination of intelligence and wit. From stories of the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome to traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, a broad array of themes are considered that together identify the universality of human experience across time and culture. An impeccable match of interviewer and subject, a timeless distillation of Campbell’s work, The Power of Myth continues to exert a profound influence on our culture.

Joseph Campbell famously defined myth as ''''other people''s religion.'''' But he also said that one of the basic functions of myth is to help each individual through the journey of life, providing a sort of travel guide or map to reach fulfillment - or, as he called it, bliss. For Campbell, many of the world''s most powerful myths support the individual''s heroic path toward bliss. In Pathways to Bliss, Campbell examines this personal, psychological side of myth. Like his classic bestselling books Myths to Live By and The Power of Myth, Pathways to Bliss draws from Campbell''s popular lectures and dialogues, which highlight his remarkable storytelling and ability to apply the larger themes of world mythology to personal growth and the quest for transformation. Here he anchors mythology''s symbolic wisdom to the individual, applying the most poetic mythical metaphors to the challenges of our daily lives. Campbell dwells on life''s important questions. Combining cross-cultural stories with the teachings of modern psychology, he examines the ways in which our myths shape and enrich our lives. He explores the many insights of Carl Jung; the notion of self as the hero; and how East and West differ in their approaches to the ego. The book also includes an extensive question-and-answer session that ranges from mythological readings of the Bible to how the Hero''s Journey unfolds for women. With his usual wit and insight, Campbell draws connections between ancient symbols and modern art, schizophrenia and the Hero''s Journey. Along the way, he shows how myth can help each of us truly identify and follow our bliss.

Baksheesh & Brahman illustrates Campbell''s working method and grants an illuminating look at the thoughts and experiences of an incredible mind, as well as a revealing portrait of the roiling Indian subcontinent of fifty years ago."--BOOK JACKET.

"Myths, according to Freud''s view, are of the psychological order of dream. Myths, so to say, are public dreams; dreams are private myths. " "There is no one quite like Joseph Campbell. He knows the vast sweep of man''s panoramic past as few men have evern known it." -The Village Voice What is a properly functioning mythology and what are its functions? Can we use myths to help relieve our modern anxiety, or do they help foster it? In Myths to Live by, Joseph Campbell explores the enduring power of the universal myths that influence our lives daily and examines the myth-making process from the primitive past to the immediate present, retuning always to the source from which all mythology springs: the creative imagination. Campbell stresses that the borders dividing the Earth have been shattered; that myths and religions have always followed the certain basic archetypes and are no longer exclusive to a single people, region, or religion. He shows how we must recognize their common denominators and allow this knowledge to be of use in fulfilling human potential everywhere.

This previously unpublished title shows Campbell''s remarkable mind engaged with a favorite topic, the myths and metaphors of Asian religions. The book collects seven lectures and articles ranging from the ancient Hindu Vedas to Zen koans, Tantric yoga, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Campbell conveys complex insights through warm, accessible storytelling, revealing the intricacies and secrets of his subjects with his typical enthusiasm.--From publisher description.

This book presents approximately 450 illustrations of mythic art from Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Indian, Chinese, European, and Olmec cultures as a basis for an exploration into the relation of dreams to myth.

In this climax to his series of studies on world mythologies, the author examines a process he sees as beginning in the mid-twelfth century in the west - an accelerating disintegration of the orthodox tradition.

This volume is the first in a series of the collected works of comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell. Editor Eugene Kennedy, a psychologist and former Catholic priest, presents previously unavailable essays and lectures of Campbell''s which focus on the symbols and metaphors of the Judaeo-Christian tradition, including the virgin birth, the child as teacher, and the cross. Other topics include the purpose of myths, theological inquiry, and the experience of religious mystery. c. Book News Inc.

Rediscover the timeless story that shapes all of us in On the Hero’s Journey, an accessible introduction to one of the most influential ideas in storytelling, from world-renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell. This pocket-size gem of short quotations offers both a deeper understanding of how the stories we tell shape our lives and profound inspiration for your own personal journey.

These 12 eclectic essays explore the topic for which Campbell was best known: myth and its fascinating context within the human imagination in the arts, literature, and culture, as well as in everyday life.

Famed mythologist Joseph Campbell explores the form, function, and origin of myths

The mythographer who has command of scholarly literature, the analytic ability and the lucid prose and the staying power.

Renowned Mythologist Joseph Campbell’s beloved quote “follow your bliss” has guided generations of students and readers to heed their inner calling in pursuit of a life fully lived. Rooted in Campbell’s exploration of mythology, philosophy, and personal experience, and compiling passages from across his works, this volume reveals bliss not as fleeting pleasure, but as a profound, guiding energy that connects us to our true selves and the mysteries of the universe.

An updated edition of a beloved classic, Creative Mythology tells the inner story of humanity''s entire philosophical, spiritual, and artistic history since the Dark Ages, ultimately positioning each of us as the creator of our own mythology In this fourth and final volume in The Masks of God series -- Joseph Campbell''s major work of comparative mythology -- the preeminent mythologist looks at the birth of the modern, individualistic mythology as it developed in Europe beginning in the twelfth century. Tracing the disintegration of orthodox tradition up through the radical art and philosophies of the late twentieth century, Campbell arrives at an astonishing insight: modern humans are the first to witness the creation of myth and position themselves as the center of their own mythology. Presaging our current era of personal brands, curated feeds, and celebrity influence, he wrote upon completion of this final volume, "[The unity of humanity] has everywhere unfolded in the manner of a single symphony, with its themes announced, developed, amplified and turned about, distorted, reasserted, and today, in a grand fortissimo of all sections sounding together, irresistibly advancing to some kind of mighty climax, out of which the next great movement will emerge." Updated with recent findings from archeology, anthropology, and psychology that support his perceptive analysis of human cultural evolution, this new edition of Creative Mythology remains as vital, revelatory, and urgent as the original did upon publication more than half a century ago.

A selection of definitive short fiction by the influential teacher of mythology offers insight into the role of the Depression and other historical periods on his creative life, his evocative applications of symbolism, and the early literary achievementsthat shaped his subsequent writings.

The first volume in Joseph Campbell''s monumental four-volume Masks of God series, originally published in 1959 and revised with up-to-date science and new illustrations in this Collected Works of Joseph Campbell paperback edition In this first volume of The Masks of God, the world''s preeminent mythologist explores and illuminates the wellsprings of myth. Showing his exemplary combination of scholarly depth and popular enthusiasm, Joseph Campbell looks at the expressions of religious awe in early humans and their echoes in the rites of surviving primal tribes. Campbell shows how myth has informed our understanding of the world, seen and unseen, throughout time. As he explores and shares archetypal mythic images and practices, he also points to how these concepts inform our personal lives. Upon completing the Masks of God series, Campbell found that his work affirmed "the unity of the race of man, not only in its biology, but also in its spiritual history." He likened this unity to a symphony in which various parts create a "great movement." Perhaps more than ever before, Campbell''s insight is not only illuminating but also inspiring.

For contents, see Author Catalog.

In psychological terms, award-winning author Joseph Campbell explains how myths emerge from the unconscious of every culture and discusses the purpose of these myths. Full color.

Suggests that the laws of physics that govern the universe are also at play within the human consciousness.

In "The Mountainy Singer," Joseph Campbell delves into the rich tapestry of myth, exploring the connections between storytelling and the human experience. Written in a lyrical prose style that weaves together personal anecdote with philosophical reflection, the book transcends conventional narrative forms, inviting readers to engage deeply with the archetypes that define cultures across time and space. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Campbell examines the universal themes of heroism, transformation, and the search for meaning, set against the backdrop of various mythic traditions. Joseph Campbell, a preeminent scholar of mythology, synthesized his extensive knowledge of diverse cultural narratives into this profound work. Drawing from his early pursuits in comparative mythology and literature, Campbell sought to illuminate the timeless truths embedded in legends and tales. His experiential journey in the realm of myth informed his belief in their power to shape individual lives and societal frameworks, making "The Mountainy Singer" a crucial contribution to his legacy. I wholeheartedly recommend "The Mountainy Singer" to anyone interested in the profound impact of mythology on personal and collective identity. Campbell''s insights resonate with both the intellectual and the emotional, making this work an essential read for scholars and laypersons alike who seek to understand the deeper currents that guide human behavior and belief.

The first collection of Joseph Campbell''s writings and lectures on the Arthurian romances of the Middle Ages, a central focus of his celebrated scholarship, now in paperback Throughout his life, Joseph Campbell was deeply engaged in the study of the Grail Quests and Arthurian legends of the European Middle Ages. In this new paperback volume of the Collected Works of Joseph Campbell, editor Evans Lansing Smith collects Campbell''s writings and lectures on Arthurian legends, including his never-before-published master''s thesis on Arthurian myth, "A Study of the Dolorous Stroke." Campbell''s writing captures the incredible stories of such figures as Merlin, Gawain, and Guinevere as well as the larger patterns and meanings revealed in these myths. Merlin''s death and Arthur receiving Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake, for example, are not just vibrant stories but also central to the mythologist''s thinking. The Arthurian myths opened the world of comparative mythology to Campbell, turning his attention to the Near and Far Eastern roots of myth. Calling the Arthurian romances the world''s first "secular mythology," Campbell found metaphors in them for human stages of growth, development, and psychology. The myths exemplify the kind of love Campbell called amor, in which individuals become more fully themselves through connection. Campbell''s infectious delight in his discoveries makes this volume essential for anyone intrigued by the stories we tell--and the stories behind them.

Many of American journalism’s best-known and most cherished stories are exaggerated, dubious, or apocryphal. They are media-driven myths, and they attribute to the news media and their practitioners far more power and influence than they truly exert. In Getting It Wrong, writer and scholar W. Joseph Campbell confronts and dismantles prominent media-driven myths, describing how they can feed stereotypes, distort understanding about the news media, and deflect blame from policymakers. Campbell debunks the notions that the Washington Post’s Watergate reporting brought down Richard M. Nixon’s corrupt presidency, that Walter Cronkite’s characterization of the Vietnam War in 1968 shifted public opinion against the conflict, and that William Randolph Hearst vowed to “furnish the war” against Spain in 1898. This expanded second edition includes a new preface and new chapters about the first Kennedy-Nixon debate in 1960, the haunting Napalm Girl photograph of the Vietnam War, and bogus quotations driven by the Internet and social media.

This illustrated collection of thirteen lectures covering mythological development around the world-from the origins of myth in the distant past to familiar European medieval legends-captures Campbell''s special insights into how myths reconcile human beings to the mysteries of life. Here is Joseph Campbell at his warm, accessible, and brilliant best. Book jacket.