| PRODUCT DETAILS | | The Hero with a Thousand Faces |  | |
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Joseph Cambell transformed forever the way we view mythology, as he wove traditional wisdom together with the modern struggle for identity and spiritual depth. This adaptation of his all-time bestseller gives new life to his brilliant poetic vision.The Adventure of the Hero, part one, describes the universal image of the hero and shows that folklore and myth can serve as potent spiritual and psychological metaphors for modern man. This part of the program follows the mythological path from immaturity to freedom -- the heroic inner struggle that leads from birth to spiritual rebirth -- to help us understand ourselves and the essence of what it means to be human beings.The Cosmogonic Cycle, part two, explores the global legends of the origins and creation of the universe and studies the hero in his various guises, including those of warrior, love, world redeemer and saint. The saga leads us to the culmination of the cycle, the dissolution of the universe and the passing of the hero to other realms -- a metaphor for the dissolution and resurrection of ourselves, and the hero that lives within us all.This program is read by renowned author and cultural anthropologist Ralph Blum, who brings a special sensitivity and power to Joseph Campbell's magical portrayal of our struggle to comprehend the timeless mysteries of our physical and spiritual worlds.
Manufacturer: Macmillan Audio
Price Range: $17.04 - $29.95
 The Hero with a Thousand Faces
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| User Reviews |  | Very Helpful
rating: 5
This book was very helpful in my own spiritual journey. It's worth all the time you'll spend reading it.
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A journey blending modern psychology with comparative mythology
rating: 5
The Collector's Edition of this keepsake represents a fine presentation of a classic first released in 1949. THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES is a journey blending modern psychology with comparative mythology, and this edition offers new audiences a fine hardcover packed with black and white illustration and detail.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
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The Hero with a Thousand Faces
rating: 5
The Hero with a Thousand Faces is the work that first introduced me to Joseph Campbell. It was then and continues to be one of my favorite books of all time. Each time I read this valuable resource, I uncover another layer of usefulness. This time, I was specifically looking at how the cycle of the Hero's Journey directly related to the cycle of healing.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces presents Campbell's Hero's Journey. By looking at mythology worldwide, he noticed some very significant similarities in the journeys taken by the hero or heroine of these stories, hence the cycle. In this work, Campbell presents a number of snippets from different myths showing that indeed such a pattern exists. Indeed, it is a template still used by the best pieces of fiction and some of the most memorable movies.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces is a must have for anyone the least bit interested in mythology as well as every psychologist, writer, and healer on the planet. This is one of those books that quickly becomes dog-eared with consistent reuse.
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A must read for everyone
rating: 5
This book is one of the most important works of the 20th century. Inspiration to countless writers, it clearly illustrates the common narrative of the worlds mythology and religions; the common threads of the human unconcious.
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A Book with a capital "B."
rating: 5
First of all, I feel inadequate and unworthy to review this book, but since Amazon has given me the chance, all I can say is that this is one of the greatest Books (with a capital "B") of my experience. I suspect that it shall be recognised as one of the single greatest products to come out of 20th century American letters.
No, I'm not setting Campbell up as a prophet or anything like that, indeed, I suspect that this book's greatness lies in the eternal truths that transcend Campbell's individual personality. He just managed to tap into them- thank God.
The entire book deals with the hero's journey. This is the Monomyth shared by all cultures- and indeed seems to be a direct inspiration from the cosmos itself by way of the collective unconscious. Here we have the eternal cycle of 1) the call to adventure; 2) the crossing of the threshold; 3) the tests, trials, and helpers; 4) the sacred marriage, apotheosis (becoming one with god), or elixir theft; 5)the flight 6) recrossing/ressurection; and 7) the return to society with hard won gifts. He examines all of these elements in depth with a wealth of cross-cultural examples. The first half of the book deals with this cycle on a more individual and personal level (the microcosm), while the second half deals with the greater cosmogonic importance (the macrocosm.)
Now, the really amazing part of all this is that virtually all of it comes across as meaningful, interesting, and totally nonacademic. That's why academic types hate Campbell, and his mentor Jung,- they know that Campbell's and Jung's works will endure and be read a thousand years from now, while their own monographs will be justly forgotten. There are a lot of mediocre Ph.D's out there that can never forget that Campbell never bothered to get a doctorate, because he considered such degrees to be a worthless and meaningless waste of time....
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The Hero with a Thousand Faces
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