15 Best Books on Mythology

 15 Best Books on Mythology

Introduction

Today we're diving deep into the realm of imagination and sharing with you guys the best books on mythology.Mythology is pretty much a collection of myths that belong to a specific religion or cultural tradition.While some people are fascinated by the larger than life characters from Greek mythology such as Heracles and Zeus,others intrigued by the mystery of the Egyptians and this list has books that cover both of them in great detail along with other mythologies.But let's cut to the chase.Here are the best books on mythology.                                   

1)Norse Mythology:-(By Neil Gaiman):-Starting off  with a fantastic book that retells the most incredible & captivating stories from the northern germantic civilizations.Usually,when people hear about Norse mythology they think either Thor or Loki! Thanks Marvel...No Odin,no Freya or any other gods,creatures & mythical characters.However,Gaiman has brought everything together in this book which will keep you excited with every page you turn.Through Gaiman's deft & clever prose you'll learn the genesis of legendary nine world's,while delving into the exploits of deities,dwarfs and giants.

2) Children of Blood and Bone:-(By Tomi Adeyemi):-Here's a book that follows the story of Ze'lie Adebola who is desperately trying to restore magic back to her people and defeat an oppressive monarchy that's trying to stifle her freedom.Children of blood & bone draws from  African mythology & will take you on a journey that is a little different from those based on other mythologies.It's a fierce tale of dividend love,belief& legacy that ripples  with magic & will linger in your mind long after you finished it.

3)The Egyptian Book of the Dead:-(By Karl Richard Lepisus):-Also, known as the Book of Going Forth by Day, this is a key read for those who are Egyptian culture buffs & want to study Egyptian mythology, philosophy & religion.This book is the top choice when it comes to Egyptian spiritual literature.It's an integral part of the entire genre that depicts the mysteries of life and death.Not to mention that it has some really nice ,detailed images.

4)The Hero with a Thousand Faces:-(By Joseph Campbell):-This is a book in which the author thoughtfully mixes insights of modern psychology with his own  revolutionary understanding of a comparative mythology.Campbell  also emphasizes the hero's  journey with a general motif of adventure and change that runs through virtually all of the world's mythic traditions .The Hero with a thousand faces is as relevant today as it was decades ago,when it was published,and it's still inspiring people to tell wonderful stories& to create art.

5)The Complete World of Greek Mythology (by Richard Buxton):-Ahh! Greek Mythology.Who doesn't love a good story with a hero battling a minotaur,or a flock of voracious Stymphalian birds and saving a princess  or a beautiful nymph from the clutches of evil?Well,rather than a collection of stories Buxton chooses the path of emphasizing the historical & geographical contexts within which the myths were told.This is a great introduction to the world of Greek Mythology,beginner- friendly that's written in a comprehensive style which you will surely enjoy,also complemented by fantastic illustrations,maps and other features.

6)Women Who Runs With the Wolves(By Clarissa Pinkola Estes):-Now, let's take a moment and appreciate this NY Times  bestseller that unfolds rich intercultural myths,fairy tales,folk tales & stories that revolve around women so that we can better understand society,along with ourselves as a   spiritual,and daring species.In this remarkable book,Estes provides with a gift of deep insight,wisdom & love into the psychology of women in the truest sense,a knowing of the soul.

7) American Gods(By Neil Gaiman):-This is such a well- written book that captures the American spirit in such a vivid & spectacular way like no other, however,the weird thing about it is that it was written by someone of British origins,not American.As a modern book, American Gods has been lauded for its brilliant synthesis of " mystery,satire,sex, horror & poetic prose". It's a remarkable work of literary imagination that will endure for generations.

8)Boxers& Saints(By Gene Luen Yang):-Here's a marvelous book that's all about Chinese mythology and how little Bao,a young boy from a small village is aided by Chinese god's,in order to protect his homeland.Yang provides a great story with compelling insight  into one of the most significant episodes of modern Chinese history,while also revealing the very depths of human nature.All the action and character development are all wrapped up in a plot that will make a instant admirer of Chinese mythology instantly.

9)The Immortals Of Meluha(By Amish Tripathi):-After being dissuaded by family members from writing a book on the philosophy of evil, Tripathi decided instead to write about the Hindu god Shiva.He based his whole book on the idea that all gods were once human & that their actions as human created their reputation as a god.The Immortals Of Meluha offers an epic story about how evil can reach great proportions and even when everything seems lost one hero will emerge as the one who will save the world.

10)The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun(ByJ.R.R. Tolkien):-In case you're completely in the dark about this pick,you should know that Tolkien was a great fan of Norse Mythology.Actually,his biggest passion wasn't even writing fiction,it was translating Norse & Anglo-Saxon stories into English.Sigurd& Gudrun consists of 2 epic, narrative poems,along  with a handful of related texts that tell the story of the great hero Sigurd,who slayed the mighty dragon Fafnir, the mightiest of dragons,and the princess Gudrun,who was tricked into marrying him.It's a great book that is packed with intense drama,thwrated passion, jealousy,strife& plenty of tragedy.You're going to love it!

11)The Book of Yokai (By Michael Foster):-Drawing on years of  research in Japan ,the author reveals a curious history and cultural significance of yokai,tracing their roots ,interpreting their meanings & presenting people that have been on their trail through the centuries.The word Yokai encompasses a multitude of beings such as ghosts,monsters,fantastic beings& supernatural phenomena of all kinds that are part of Japanese folkfore& culture.The book of Yokai provides a lively itinerary to a world of folkfore that's ever -expanding its influence on global pop culture.

12)Jaya(By Devdutt Pattanaik):-Devdutt Pattanaik is also called as a Free encyclopaedia of Mythology where he has an ability to prove and answer all the questions related to different religions and its mythologies& this book is the best example of his great knowledge on mythology.This book describes the thunderous journey of mankind,along with the struggles of Mahabharata,which is considered to be one of the most ancient beings in history.The contents of Jaya offers a different perspective on life in a very meaningful, yet elusive way.Jaya is written in 108 chapters with an abundance of little known facts about the epic myths that have lived on through the ages.

13)Voices of the Winds(By Margot Edmonds& Ella E.Clark):-Here's something that brings to life more than 100 legends from the native Americans that have been passed down through the ages,which have been meticulously gathered from tribal elders& historians.Voices of the winds paints a colourful scenery of myth & legend that aims to give you a better understanding of this population as a whole.

14)The Song of Achilles (By Madeline Miller):-There are some stories so unique,so thrilling and profound that you cannot help but to be moved by them.And this book tells of one such story.The Song of Achilles is a tale of gods,kings, immortality and the human heart that brilliantly retells Homer's enduring masterwork,The LLIAD.It's an action-packed adventure,an epic love story & a remarkable book with a great execution that will keep you turning page after page .The age of heroes is not forgotten!. 

15)The Iliad(By Homer,translated by Robert Fagles):-Speaking of greek myths&legends.If you missed this ancient greek epic poem during your high school years there's no time like the present to hop on that horse and delve into this great tale.It follows the violence,the political tensions,the drama surrounding the decade long Trojan war, and it also features the likes of Achilles, Agamemnon,Paris and Odysseus.A story must have to read in the lifetime.