Don't Know Much About Mythology - Kenneth C. Davis [251]
Sagan, Carl, and Ann Druyan. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors: A Search for Who We Are. New York: Random House, 1992. Better known for his writings about space (Cosmos), Sagan examines human experience in this wide-ranging, challenging, and fascinating book.
Seznec, Jean. The Survival of the Pagan Gods: The Mythological Tradition and Its Place in Renaissance Humanism and Art. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1981. A highly academic history of the revival of the Greek gods in art and literature during the European Renaissance.
Sowerby, Robin. The Greeks: An Introduction to Their Culture. London: Routledge, 1995. A concise, wide-ranging introduction to ancient Greece, from the age of Homer to the end of the classical period.
Stark, Rodney. The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1997. A sociological explanation of the rise of Christianity in a pagan world.
Tuchman, Barbara W. The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam. New York: Random House, 1984. Starting with the fatal mistake made by the Trojans, the Pulitzer Prize–winning and best-selling author catalogues a series of bad decisions made by governments in time of war. A largely ignored plea for applying the lessons of history.
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers (second edition). Studio City, Calif.: Michael Wiese Productions, 1998. A fascinating text-book that draws heavily on the work of Carl G. Jung and Joseph Campbell in utilizing myth for modern storytellers.
Voytilla, Stuart. Myth and the Movies: Discovering the Mythic Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films. Studio City, Calif.: Michael Wiese Productions, 1999. An interesting critical assessment of such classic films as The Godfather, Jaws, The African Queen, and Citizen Kane from a mythical perspective. Draws heavily on the themes laid out by Christopher Vogler (see above).
Wade, Nicholas. The New York Times Book of Archeology. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press, 2001. Collected articles from the newspaper’s Science Times section record some of the major recent discoveries in archaeology.
Warner, Marina. Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and the Cult of the Virgin Mary New York: Vintage, 1983. A scholarly but accessible account of the changing historical perspectives given to the mother of Jesus, including the influence of ancient mythical characters on the image of Mary, especially in the early Christian period.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Sometimes it is difficult to comprehend that this Don’t Know Much About series started nearly twenty years ago with the simple idea about writing a book about something I loved—American history. It has grown into a series of books for adults and children that has exceeded my wildest imaginings. That could only have happened with the hard work, support, and determination of a large supporting cast. A great many people have been part of the long journey I have been on, and I wish to thank and recognize some of them for their unique contributions to making my work possible.
I start with a teacher somewhere out there who once read Homer’s Odyssey to a group of fifth-graders in Mount Vernon, New York. To her, and the all the other teachers who inspire young minds every day in schools around America, I say thank you for doing what you do. It is the most important job in America, but is not usually seen that way. America owes an enormous debt of gratitude to the teachers who are so dedicated to the work of challenging young minds in difficult times.
For the past few years, it has been my great pleasure to work with an excellent group of committed, dedicated colleagues at HarperCollins, starting with Jane Friedman, who has been so supportive of my work. I would also like to especially thank Carrie