by Thomas Bulfinch ~
The single most useful and concise guide to mythology, Bulfinch's Mythology is a collection of timeless tales from around the world. Written not for scholars but for the common reader, Bulfinch's commentary is fascinating, a series of notes to himself that grew into this highly readable collection. For the Greek myths, Bulfinch drew on Ovid and Virgil, providing lively versions of the myths of Zeus and Hera, Venus and Adonis, Daphne and Apollo, and their cohorts on Mount Olympus; the love story of Pygmalion and Galatea; the legends of the Trojan War; and the epic wanderings of Ulysses and Aeneas. For the sagas of the North, he drew on Mallet's Northern Antiquities, depicting the joys of Valhalla, the furies of Thor, and the tales of Beowulf. The book also includes mythology from the East, stories of Zoroaster, Buddha, and the Hindus. This sterling collection belongs in the libary of every serious reader. Newly designed and typeset in a modern 6-by-9-inch format by Waking Lion Press.