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Feb 04, 2018dnk rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I developed a passion for- some might even say obession with- Greek Mythology when I was nine. By the age of 10 I had graduated from Bulfinch's and D'Aulaire's to the big kid reference section. This was one of the references I used pretty often to try and piece together the larger story of the gods, heroes and kings. I remember frequently starting out on one topic and spending the next two hours jumping from one related topic to another- some of the best memories of my childhood. Although not a story but an encyclopedic guide, this gives a pretty good feel for the history of the period, from the period of the Titans (pre-Achaean history?) to the war in Troy to Rome. Any questions about Theseus, Perseus or Heracles? You'll find an answer. This guide was published for the first time in 1973, and it shows. The discussion of goddesses and female figures are given a much shorter shrift here than their male counterparts. I don't think anyone would argue that this period didn't define patriarchy, but the stories of Demeter, Persephone and even Hera have been elucidated elsewhere in greater detail, and it would be informative to mention the early mysteries that predate Olympian worship. I also scratch my head at some of the things they removed- they can define Hemera, but not Aether?