Good book on greek gods

More than any other book on greek mythology, it dissects the language of the myths uncovers hidden meanings that modern readers especi. This genre includes books varying from nonfiction to fiction. Portrayed as both insatiable and unattainable, aphrodite was born near the coast of cythera out of the foam aphros uranus castrated genitals created when they. Apr 07, 2014 most of us have heard of famous greek gods such as zeus and apollo a well as demi gods such as heracles and perseus and many others from myths and legends. Whats so fascinating about the greek myths in particular is that the gods are terribly human.

My favorite book about greek mythology is the ancient greek hero in 24 hours by harvard professor gregory nagy. Basically, im sick of scouring through wikipedia to get information on the background stories of all the gods and goddesses. In this book, youll meet all the major gods in greek mythology and youll even see how these stories affect us today. If youre still fascinated with greek mythology books, or looking for percy jackson or circe readalikes, youll find the best of them here for adults, teens, and kids alike. Greek gods are given a beautiful, perfect physical appearance while roman gods are not given physical form and represented only in the imagination of the people. The greek mythology names of the gods and goddesses varied from the roman names, although each culture ascribed to deities with comparable powers and spheres of influence.

The best books on greek myths five books expert recommendations. Actaeons crime varies depending on the source, but his ultimate fate remained constant. She is regularly attended by few of her children, the erotes, who are capable of stirring up passion in both mortals and gods at the goddess will. The immortals include gods deities, spirits and giants. I set the kids to doing this with our friends from the e family while i got groceries, so the pictures are all taken by the kids. What are some good titles for a book about greek mythology. Their stories move the imagination and have captivated people for thousands of years. Well, first of all, i am going to mention that i do not recommend robert gravess the greek myths 1955. Aug 25, 2014 the barefoot book of greek gods and goddesses mentions eris and the role she plays in mythology. A young boy learns that he is the son of a greek god in this clever and amusing young adult series. Zeus a greek god is depicted here throwing lightning. During that time, odysseus and his men faced numerous challenges, including being kidnapped by a cyclops, menaced by sirens, and finally shipwrecked. These gods were not only significant in their own realms and mythological paradigms, but they also had a noteworthy impact on the civilizations that succeeded the ancient greeks.

From the olympian gods and goddesses right down to the many minor gods and goddesses found in greek literature, youll find quick and fun information on many gods and goddesses. This classic introduction to greek mythology for children. Rick riordan goodreads author shelved 948 times as greekmythology. He is the god of music, so i kind of like his music. The following table shows those areas and the names of the important deities in each. Edith hamiltons book, mythology, is the best book on mythology besides classic textbooks. However, the romans would assume this was a depiction of jupiter, the king of gods. Two percy jackson films bring the books to life 2010 and 20. Rick riordan this book from the percy jackson novel series is a fantasy novel for young adults, which is based on greek mythology. The complete world of greek mythology by richard buxton. Join national geographic kids as we meet some of them it was believed that the family of greek gods lived in a cloud palace above mount olympus the highest mountain in greece.

Zeus was the first of the gods and a very imposing figure. They expected respect and honor but coud act contrary to human needs and desires. Another deservedly popular and impeccably newbiefriendly. Hercules is overrated to be honest but he is still good but he is a weak god compared to ares hermes and any around that area he wouldnt even stand a chance against any gods he should just stay a hero. They have a lot of quirks and foibles and they do all the things that humans do. Together they presided over every aspect of human life. Greek mytholgy are books about or based on the ancient greek myths as well as gods and goddesses. Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. The barefoot book of greek gods and goddesses mentions eris and the role she plays in mythology. Nice story, learned alot of good things in those books. In the first book of the iliad, the son of zeus and leto apollo, line 9 is as instantly identifiable to the greek reader by his. The norse gods thor and loki are major hollywood hunks, neil gaimans american gods is coming. Along the way, countless lavish illustrations help to bring the stories and characters to life.

What are the best books on greek myths for young children. The twelve great gods of the greeks were known as the olympians. The gods and goddesses of greek mythology by patrick auerbach was a quick but very interesting and informative read about the greek gods and the most known mythologies surrounding them. Its a very raw form of introducing the novelty reader to the material and meets that need well. Whether on mythology in general or particular branches, what are the best books you have read on the subject. From aphrodite to zeus, if you need concise facts on a greek god or. Among these, youll find close historical retellings as well as texts that read like spiritual descendants of the original myths in a completely new setting. This is a list of gods, goddesses, people and other figures from greek mythology. List of 10 best books to read about greek mythology penlighten. The 5thcenturybce greek historian herodotus remarked that homer and hesiod gave to the olympian gods their familiar characteristics.

Percy jacksons greek gods is thorough, easy to read, and high on entertainment value. The essential olympians names are given in bold font. The aim of the project is to provide a comprehensive, free reference guide to the gods theoi, spirits daimones, fabulous creatures theres and heroes of ancient greek mythology and religion. The book starts with the greek origin myth and goes on to give a pretty good summary of most of the major greek gods. A painting of dionysus and satyrs by the brygos painter 5th century bce.

Ares is the unpopular and feared greek god of war and his roman counterpart is mars who is the revered martial. The writing style was simple and easy to read but also unique in its own way. His exploits in the trojan war were documented by homer in the iliad and further in the odyssey, which chronicled odysseus 10year struggle to return home. Greek gods vs roman gods difference and comparison diffen. The 10 best norse mythology books norse mythology for. The following is a family tree of gods, goddesses and many other divine and semidivine figures from ancient greek mythology and ancient greek religion. It uses some parts of greek mythology, but in a modern way. The list does not include creatures these figures are described by ancient writers, the oldest of which are homer. The 10 best greek mythology books norse mythology for. In ancient greek mythology, actaeon was a prince of thebes and famed hunter. The characters, stories, themes and lessons of greek mythology have shaped art and literature for thousands of years. Best books for kids and adults interested in greek mythology.

For more great fantasy reads, check out our fantasy books for kids and 10 thrilling books for teens who love fantasy. The book is as comprehensive as you could wish for in a book of this sort, and gives accounts of the personalities of the gods and most of the heroes, as well as retellings of most of the major myths themselves. The lightning thief by rick riordan, the sea of monsters by rick riordan, the battle of the labyrinth by rick riordan, the t. The greeks created images of their deities for many purposes. This wiki has been updated 12 times since it was first published in february of 2018. It provides a detailed description and history of the greek myth and has had a great impact on many writers. If ever wanting to read a good book on mythology go to the library and ask for the book the lightening thief. Mythology retells ancient myths youre familiar with, like hercules, or. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the above. Though many of the more wellknown myths jason and the argonauts, hercules, etc are only mentioned in passing, youre given a run down of the pantheon with stories that most people havent heard of. Hermes goes to juvie and ares, the manly mans manly man are two greats. Greek mythology, body of stories concerning the gods, heroes, and rituals of the ancient greeks.

But if it helps you to know your greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then i guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week. Greek mythology are books about or based on the ancient greek myths as well as. If i wanted to learn about greek mythology, what would be the. A complete and enjoyable text which ive read since i was 8 and never stopped. For adults with more advanced knowledge for those already familiar with bulfinch, the next book to pick up is timothy gantz early greek myths, although this is a 2volume reference work, rather than a book to read. Apollo belvedere, restored roman copy of the greek original attributed to leochares, 4th century bc. I know that i havent heard it, but i can tell it is probably pretty good. Athena poseidon hermes ares zeus aphrodite hera artemis hades apollo hephaestus hestia welcome to our greek gods and goddesses page here on history for kids. The following is a list of gods, goddesses and many other divine and semidivine figures from ancient greek mythology and ancient greek religion. What is the best book that has a complete collection of. Son of zeus, he disseminated the will of his divine compatriots through various means, notably oracles. Though she is often depicted as reserved and austere, she was mercilessly vindictive. Like all greek myths, these fictionalized retellings contain love and sex, poetry and passion, and.

Although greek gods are arguably better known, greek and roman mythology often have the same gods with different names because many roman gods are borrowed from greek mythology, often with different traits. The greek gods and goddess were like humans in almost every way. I agree with a previous commenter who stated its great for kids and teens. It is a classic book that has dense writings about greek mythology, from the origin of the universe to the trojan war. Olympus, some of the major olympians spent most of their time elsewhere. A crafty and capable warrior, odysseus was the king of ithaca. Readers get to enjoy percys sardonic and somewhat goofy voice, and, as with all percy books, the humor in the chapter titles alone draws you in.

The greek gods had personalities like those of humans and struggled with one another for position and power. The text is very easy to read and understand as the author robert graves has written the book in extremely prosaic way. The goddess hestia listed here in the second rank was sometimes included amongst the twelve. Head south several hundred miles and youll find egyptian sculpture. Why are good looking men often described as greek gods. Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world. The queen goddess of olympus, hera was both sister and wife to zeus. The best books on greek myths, as recommended by author lucy coats. Could you recommend a good book on greek mythology.

The theban hero was trained by the centaur chiron and eventually slain by artemis, the goddess of the hunt, the moon, the forest, and archery. We have some fun facts and pictures for you to color. Ever since its original publication in 1942, edith hamiltons mythology has. The fantastic in every sense of the word books on this list draw from indian, norse, japanese, chinese, and korean myths. Though many of the more wellknown myths jason and the argonauts, hercules, etc are only mentioned in passing, youre given a run down of. This website is an easytofollow overview of the many greek gods and goddesses of greek mythology. These gods were thought to have special powers, and each had control over a different aspect of life. Click on the god or goddess to learn more about their individual myths and stories. It is also the religion of ancient greece as the greeks built temples and offered sacrifices to their major gods.

The ancient greek gods listed here laid the very foundation of greek mythology that keeps on enchanting readers, writers, and storytellers to this day. The patron god of the silverswirling achelous river. The reason is because, while graves is truly an excellent storyteller, the vast majority of the time he has literally no idea what he is talk. Indeed, there are far more similarities than differences. Zeus is king of mount olympus, the home of greek gods, where he rules the world and imposes his will onto gods. The following list of greek gods and goddesses is a complete list of the major and minor deities of greek mythology.

What are some good greek mythology book titles answers. However, there are many lesserknown greek gods that are just as interesting, sometimes even more so, than the popular kids. Ancient greek myths for kids thousands of years ago, the ancient greeks told wonderful stories about their many gods, goddesses and magical beings. These and many other familiar questions will be answered in greek gods and heroes laurelleaf books pocket book. You will learn some interesting facts about each god as you read down the page. Theoi greek mythology exploring mythology in classical. For adults with more advanced knowledge for those already familiar with bulfinch, the next book to pick up is timothy gantz early greek myths, although this is a 2volume reference work, rather than a book. Greek mythology consists of all the stories and tales about the greek gods, goddesses, and heroes. Popular greek gods books meet your next favorite book. The gods of the ancient greek pantheon are divided into various categories on the following pages. The greeks were the first civilisation to master both stoneworking and the aesthetic behind the human physique. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.

Often referred to as the father of gods and men, he is a sky god who controls lightning often using it as a weapon and thunder. That the myths contained a considerable element of fiction was recognized by the more critical greeks, such as the philosopher plato in the 5th4th century bce. The twin brother of artemis, apollo was among the most important read. Its a mystery why ancient greeks worshipped their gods, because their gods were all complete dickheads. It was easy to make a myth about it, and to say that it was down to the gods. Like all greek myths, these fictionalized retellings contain love and sex, poetry and passion, and often buckets of blood. Thesetwelve gods were the principal characters in many of the greek myths and they all played important roles in everyday classical greek life. It will be continually updated with additions, corrections and more information on each of the gods. In the table below is a list of the greek gods and heroes and their roman equivalents. The iliad the odyssey edith hamiltons mythology those are all good books that are valid sources for facts on greek mythology. Of all the ancient greek facts, their stories of the gods have to be one of the most fascinating.

Here are the best greek mythology books by the experts. Most of these were functionaries or minions of the twelve. The first of thesethe olympian gods, titan gods, and primordial gods represent the three generations of deities to rule the cosmos. Jul 22, 2019 greek mythology books retellings, translations, and commentary continue to be some of my favorite reads. Books like the percy jackson and the olympians series are good. The 12 olympians were the major gods and goddesses with prominent roles in greek mythology. Aphrodite is the olympian goddess of love, beauty, sexual pleasure, and fertility. The mortals include heroes, kings, amazons and other people. The odyssey by homer, the song of achilles by madeline miller, the iliad by homer, bulfinchs mythology by. Im looking for a good book full of information on greek gods and goddesses, and general greek mythology.

This page is a list of the names of greek gods in ancient mythology and their roles. The greatest of the greek heroes, he became god of heroes, sports, athletes, health, agriculture, fertility, trade, oracles and divine protector of mankind. The 10 best greek mythology books norse mythology for smart. I dont find many textbooks approachable and sort of gave up on finding an understanding of classical greek stories. Greek gods are mainly based on human personality traits likes love, hate, honor and dignity, and myths related to them are shaped by these traits.

Theres more than just greek and roman mythology, too. To be truly familiar with greek mythology, you really should know a good portion of the allusions ovid makes. The gods are immortal and have magical, though limited, powers. For example, cupid is the roman god of love and eros is the greek god of love. Timeless tales of gods and heroes by edith hamilton. Zeus cheats and lies and he is the most appalling serial adulterer. I want a book with information on each of the greek gods. Poseidon lived in the sea and hades in the underworld. List of greek gods and goddesses gods and monsters. The first covers the beginnings of the world and the stories of the olympian gods and goddesses. List of 10 best books to read about greek mythology.

Welcome to the theoi project, a site exploring greek mythology and the gods in classical literature and art. Mar 08, 2010 im looking for a good book full of information on greek gods and goddesses, and general greek mythology. Greek gods and goddesses are highlighted in this illustrated primer on greek mythology. Heroes, gods and monsters of the greek myths offers easytoread, easytounderstand stories about the great greek myths. They did not love humans although some had favorites and did not ask to be loved by them. The gods used their powers for good, for trickery, and for adventure.