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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Classical Mythology, 2nd Edition (The Complete Idiot's Guide) | 
| Authors: Kevin Osborn, Ph.d., Dana L. Burgess
Publisher: Alpha
Category: Book
List Price: $18.95
Buy New: $10.54
You Save: $8.41 (44%)
New (36) Used (16) from $8.79
Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 155824
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 7.3 x 1
ISBN: 1592572898
Dewey Decimal Number: 292.13
EAN: 9781592572892
ASIN: 1592572898
Publication Date: November 2, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
There are scads of reasons why The Complete Idiot's Guide to Classical Mythology is a great reference text and a worthwhile addition to your home, but its primary appeal lies in its accessible tone. The legends of mythology are fascinating and fun--they wouldn't have lasted this long if they weren't high in entertainment value--but that sometimes gets lost in the drive to be "educated" and the fear of appearing ignorant. When folks allude to Phaedra, does your brain draw a blank? When conversation turns to the works of Pindar, do you wax noncommittal while waiting for a clue? That kind of trepidation puts a real pall on enjoying the humanity, magic, and humor of classic myths; taking you past that is what the Idiot's Guide series does best. They explore the roots of mythology, introduce the Greek and Roman gods and heroes, and tell a lot of great stories. A nonthreatening introduction for students, it renews a love of a tale well told, revitalizes an interest in reading stories aloud, and dusts off some lively yarns. And if reading up on Theseus and Heracles makes you better educated and more conversationally versatile, that's just icing on the cake. --Stephanie Gold
Product Description
An exploration of timeless legends. First told centuries ago, the ancient myths of the Greeks and Romans continue to fascinate and influence the world today. The expanded edition of this popular guide examines why these legends remain an integral part of human history, citing their literary value, and their presence throughout popular culture in such works as J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter novels, and the Coen brothers film O Brother, Where Art Thou?.
Features a 50-page whos who glossary of classical mythological characters from both the Greek and Roman versions
An updated look at recent movies and television series based on mythology, including Helen of Troy, HBOs animated Odyssey, and the Disney Channels Hercules
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 very nice September 8, 2008
Very nice and useful refrances. I do wish there were more pictures and varieations of the myths. But it dose have everything you want to know about Myhtology.
No pictures?! August 22, 2008
Maybe I'm just a dummy for saying this but I would have enjoyed some images. This book is all text and though it can be quirky in its delivery, I would have liked some visual references to go along with the sorted tales.
 Fantastic guide for those new to myths, or wanting an easy fun version of events June 2, 2006
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
When I bought this book I had no idea what classical mythology was. I was writing a novel about Hercules though, and needed some mythological help, so I bought the book. Luckily for me, Classical mythology is the myths of ancient Greece and Rome.
This book has perfect, easy to read break-downs of even the most complicated myths. Often funny and always a pleasure to study, I found myself reading this at bedtime instead of a novel. It's almost a perfect work on the Greek Myths.
I had two problems with this book. One, I had no idea of the time line of the myths. Like, Hercules married Creon's daughter, but Creon's sister was married to Oedipus-so did Hercules grow up in a Thebes ruled by Oedipus or was that later on? I had no idea at all. Also a more complete family tree for the gods, sprites, titans and nymphs would have been good, but probably would have had to come in a form like a fold out map.
In short, fabulous book to get started on Greek and Roman myths, though more detailed study may be needed later on for clarification.
Excellent resource for classical mythology fans. May 24, 2004
21 out of 21 found this review helpful
Like most books in the "Idiot's Guide" series, this guide to classical mythology is an excellent and comprehensive resource book for fans of Greek and Roman mythology.There are several mythology reference books available in the market today but more serious and 'seasoned' fans and scholars will likely prefer THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY by Kevin Osborn. We're not idiots, of course, but this book is meaty, entertaining and has more background information on the various gods/goddesses, heroes and stories. At over 350 pages, it has loads of information on various topics and stories in mythology. For instance, an entire chapter is dedicated to the Trojan War and Achilles and Odysseus also have their own chapters. With other mythology books, you would be lucky to have a few pages dedicated to Achilles alone. Fans who want more than classical mythology will want to explore MYTHOLOGY FOR DUMMIES by Christopher Blackwell. This book also delves into the Arthurian legend, Norse myths, Beowulf, as well as world mythology in general (Chinese, Jewish, Hindu, etc). These 2 books are all excellent. The choice lies on the readers' level of interests. I would recommend the "Complete Idiot's Guide" to those who enjoy Roman and Greek mythology or those who want to learn more about the Trojan War, Perseus, Jason and the Argonauts, Zeus, Hercules and the many other fascinating gods/goddesses and heroes of classical mythology.
A Skeptic No More June 19, 2000
41 out of 42 found this review helpful
I was a bit skeptical about purchasing my first "Complete Idiot's Guide," but this work won me over completely. It covers all the major aspects of Greek myth in a well-organized, easily understandable fashion. Authors Osborn and Burgess were not content with merely giving the "greatest hits" of myth, they include a wealth of detail and helpful historical/cultural notes. The "Least You Need to Know" sections at the end of each chapter are particularly nice. As a teacher of Classics I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who need an intro to Greek myth or anyone (like myself) who needs a handy reference.
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