In all cultures and at all times, humans have told stories about where they came from, who they are and how they should live their lives. 'Myths and Mythologies' brings together the key classic and contemporary writings - philosophical, psychological, sociological, semiological and cognitivist - on myth. To the insider, myths contain truth, revelation and a 'history of ourselves'; to the outsider, a culture s myths can be seen as the product of foolish, infantile and wishful thinking. Myths tell us about specific cultures, about human creativity, and how narrative shapes and reflects understanding. The 'Reader' is an invaluable resource for students and scholars interested in the impact of narrative on human culture and the meaning of truth in religious language.

Sri Rama entered into a strategic alliance with Sugriva to recover Sita from the captivity of Ravana. Sugriva did not have any option but Rama had; he could have entered into an alliance with Bali. By using Ansoff Matrix, a standard analytical tool in strategy making, it can be readily shown that it would have been the optimal strategy for Rama! Valmiki wanted to find out a Purushattama (a perfect man) and he described 18 qualities in him. How many do you have? Want to be a leader? Do you speak more and listen less or not at all? Change the habit. Rama listened and became victorious; Ravana did not, and was vanquished. Do you know what body language is? About 80 percent of our communication is non- verbal. . Learn how to interpret body language. The Rama-Bhivisana alliance took place on the strength of the study of the body language of Bhivisana by none other than Hanumanji. These are modern management concepts and tools, but were prevalent and practised thousands of years ago. Read this book, internalize the lessons, and go up in your professional life.

This book surveys the important available books on mythologies of all parts of the globe and the cultural contexts from which the mythological traditions emerged. Written as a series of bibliographic essays, the guide opens with a description of major reference sources encompassing many cultures, as well as those tracing particular themes (such as that of the creation) across cultures. The other bibliographic essays discuss sources for studying prehistoric mythologies, the mythologies of West Asian peoples (Mesopotamian, Biblical, Islamic, and others), South and East Asian mythologies, European mythologies, American Indian mythologies (North, Central, and South American), African mythologies, and the mythologies of the Pacific and Australia. An appendix on contemporary mythology--mainly American--discusses a wide range of works that examine the beliefs, traditions, and dreams that manifest themselves in spectator sports, politics, advertising, and forms of popular culture in the United States. (RL)

In Chinese Mythology, Anne Birrell provides English translations of some 300 representative myth narratives selected from over 100 classical texts, many of which have never before been translated into any Western language. Organizing the narratives according to themes and motifs common to world mythology, Birrell addresses issues of source, dating, attribution, textural variants, multiforms, and context. Drawing on exhaustive work in comparative mythology, she surveys the development of Chinese myth studies, summarizes the contribution of Chinese and Japanese scholars to the study of Chinese myth since the 1920s, and examines special aspects of traditional approaches to Chinese myth. The result is an unprecedented guide to the study of Chinese myth for specialists and nonspecialists alike.

The author, a wordsmith of the English language, will demonstrate how these classical entities are actually steeped in the Greek or Latin languages. Armed with that knowledge, the reader will learn derivatives for English words in an easy and relateable fashion: learning vocabulary minus the rote memorization of vocabulary lists. This newly-gained knowledge of the power of words will increase with the recognition of the root words found in the names of of these gods, denigods, and heroes. Even the significance of our modern-day superheroes will also be scrutinized and so will the challenges of today's world of technology. Let the adventure begin with Neo-Mythology: 3001 Word Odyssey! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Born in 1943, JOHN SCHISSLER JR. and his family arrived in the USA in 1950. After learning the English language from childhood, Schissler went on to earn his post-secondary degree in Education at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He taught high school Latin, and English from 1968 to 2000. Since his retirement, Schissler has written four additional book: PASSAGE, IMMIGRANTS, FOUR_LEAF COVER, and I TEACH! Therefore, I Can.

"This book treats myths from all parts of the word, first from a cultural and then from a more comparative perspective. How do myths of the ancient Egyptians or Greeks, for instance, reflect the realities of the Egyptian and Greek cultures? When compared, how do they reveal certain universal themes or motifs that point to larger transcultural issues, such as the place of the human species in creation or the nature of deity as a concept? This book is organized around the universal or near universal motifs: deities, creation, the flood, the trickster, and the hero. Myths from Greek, Egyptian, Norse, Native American, African, Polynesian, Jewish, Christian, Hindu, and other cultures are retold and treated as reflections of the cultures that "dreamed" them and then are compared and discussed in such a way as to expose universal significance, creating a world mythology"--

Every culture and time has its myths. You might say that myths help us to understand people, since just like people they can be inspirational and beautiful, as well as cruel and violent. The main players in mythology are the original drama kings and queens — they hang themselves in shame, poke out their own eyes, rule cities, and marry their relatives — and the fun doesn’t stop there! If you want all the scoop on gods and goddesses, fates and furies, monsters and heroes from around the world, Mythology for Dummies is the Who’s Who of mythological figures that you can’t do without. It’s no secret that mythology can be confusing for anyone. From cultural hero Johnny Appleseed, to manly Odysseus, to femme fatale Aphrodite, and those pesky Cyclops running amuck on that faraway island, Mythology for Dummies covers all the bases, including information on: Greek mythology Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey Roman mythology Virgil’s Aeneid Beowulf Non-European mythology Also, this book will get you up to speed on the heavy stuff—like how mythology intersects with our lives, and explores the meaning of existence. Organized into chapters on specific topics, it breaks down the common types of myths and mythological figures, and offers plain-English explanations of how myths have appeared in cultures throughout the ages. You’ll find what you need to know on these topics and many more: What makes myths different from legends and fairy tales Greek creation myths and those really ancient Greek Gods The Olympian Gods (taller, younger, and better looking than you) The Greek goddesses (the fairest and the meanest of them all) Heroes — made, born, and re-born Mythological places from Elysium Fields, to Atlantis, and Xanadu Roman religion — how it was begged, borrowed, and stolen You’ll also enjoy helpful features like charts comparing major figures, and a tear-out tip-sheet with a timeline of world civilizations. Whether you want to dabble in the wonders of mythology or get serious, Mythology for Dummies will demystify the subject, and show you how important myths can be to a culture. You’ll never say, “It’s only a myth” again!

The social construction of crime is often out of proportion to the threat posed. The media and advocacy groups shine a spotlight on some crimes and ignore others. Street crime is highlighted as putting everyone at risk of victimization, while the greater social harms from corporate malfeasance receive far less attention. Social arrangements dictate what is defined as crime and the punishments for those who engage in the proscribed behavior. Interest groups promote their agendas by appealing to public fears. Justifications often have no basis in fact, but the public accepts the exaggerations and blames the targeted offenders. The net-widening effect of more laws and more punishment catches those least able to defend themselves. This innovative alternative to traditional textbooks provides insightful observations of myths and trends in criminal justice. Fourteen chapters challenge misconceptions about specific crimes or aspects of the criminal justice system. Kappeler and Potter dissect popular images of crimes and criminals in a cogent, compelling, and engaging manner. They trace the social construction of each issue and identify the misleading statistics and fears that form the basis of myths—and the collateral damage of basing policies on mythical beliefs. The authors encourage skepticism about commonly accepted beliefs, offer readers a fresh perspective, and urge them to analyze important issues from novel vantage points.