Persephone is a fascinating and paradoxical character, serving both as a maidenly goddess of spring and as the queen of the underworld. These books are retellings of homers classic greek stories. I wanted more than an encyclopedic guide to these myths, a book like this one with lively and entertaining stories, retellings of the myths in much shorter. Read on for our edit of some of the best retellings of greek mythology that provide. Youll fall head over heels for these 50 classical myth retellings. 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. If you just cant get enough of feminist greek myth retellings like these. The 10 best greek mythology books norse mythology for smart. Many interesting ones have been derived from mythology. This buzzle article enlists some allusions to greek mythology. Best young adult persephone and hades retellings kaitlin bevis. Oct 05, 2018 if you like to read about vengeful gods, bloody battles, and deadly love affairs, then youll be delighted to know that there are several fiction books inspired by homers stories. Apr 09, 2017 check out my podcast thats ancient history.
Top ten retellings of greek myths and legends just browsing. We have added a few more titles to the lists below and they are. Oct 05, 2018 10 feminist retellings of greek myths to read if you loved circe by madeline miller the memoirs of helen of troy by amanda elyot. Greek mythology allusions in modern teen literature by. Usborne greek myths by heather amery 292 ame presents simplified retellings of sixteen greek myths, including the stories of king midas, pandoras box, and odysseus. It feels like reading a fireside story ive read a french translation ive found by chance at a library, and i assume the original to be at least as good. A novel of jason and the argonauts by emily hauser.
What are some examples of greek mythology in modern day times. Apr 01, 2019 this myth serves to explain why vegetation flourishes for half year but becomes dead and barren in the winter. Like other retellings and reinterpretations, books that use greek myths as their inspiration take an old and familiar story and update to be. Auden, yeats, wislawa szymborska, and rilke just to name a few. The cyclopes were the second and lowlier race of oneeyed giants to be born on the planet. Even though the worship died out more than 16 centuries ago, the stories of the greek gods, goddesses, and heroes remain a fixed part of western culture. Writers are coming up with new works of mythology often inspired by the classical myths all the time, and some are even good enough that school kids might be rolling their eyes at them in a thousand years. Contemporary retellings of myths and legends district of. I discussed this book in my phd dissertation because of the sophisticated way the east german author reanimates the myth of the greek prophetess cassandra, cursed by apollo never to be believed, as a way of talking about the imminent in the cold war 1980s danger of worldwide nuclear destruction. Elements of greek mythology appear many times in culture, including pop culture. Modern adaptations of greek mythology 309 books goodreads. To be truly familiar with greek mythology, you really should know a good portion of the allusions ovid makes. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your.
However the book was interesting and i learned a few new things, e. Its written in a style so simple and clear that children should have no problem understanding it, but the language is also very colorful and evocative. Also got margaret atwoods penelopiad on my reading list any other novels or audio books that follow. Childrens literature is one of the most visible contexts in which the myths of ancient greece are retold today. Nov 22, 2019 based on these ideas, here are my five favorite retellings of myths and legends. Read on for our edit of some of the best retellings of greek mythology that provide new insights into the stories we thought we knew so well. Rereading classical mythology is for me an exercise in surprise and recognition mixed together. Its a fairly short book that retells the main stories of, you guessed it, norse mythology mainly the prose edda, i believe in a modern, digestible way. Feb 26, 2014 presenting ya retellings an epic infographic brought to you by epic reads. While compiling this list of 50 classical mythology retellings, i found a link connecting many of the modern retellings a link that will be obvious if youve read margaret atwoods penelopiad or madeline millers circe. Ashton weaves in several myths in a modern day almost retelling. What are the best books on greek myths for young children. A modern retelling of greek and roman myths freeman, philip on. Fry transforms the adventures of zeus and the olympians into emotionally resonant and deeply funny stories, without losing any of their original wonder.
They spoke greek but that was the limit of their accomplishments. O my brother where are thou is a retelling of the odyssey, as is return to cold mountain both book an movie. Oct 25, 2011 most art around still owes a great debt to greek mythology. Skin retells the story of jason and medea possibly my favorite greek myth. Ive read a song of achilles, circe, stephen frys mythos and neil gaimans norse mythology absolutely loved them all, easy to understand and beautifully written retellings of greek norse myths. Read your way through this list of 162 young adult books that are all retellings or reimaginings of popular classic literature, myths, fairy tales and shakespearean plays. A child who shares her name with a greek god wants to learn more about the legends and history behind her name. Many things in the modern world trace their roots to ancient cultures and mythology. Apr 15, 2015 ya authors know that the gods provide plenty of material for some juicy stories, and these retellings are funny, dark, and sexy, covering everything from gorgons to muses to the gods themselves, with a few mythical heroes thrown in for variety. Eking out a living in modern london while living in a ramshackle.
Jul 27, 2017 ever since i read edith hamiltons mythology in middle school, ive loved classic myths and legends. In circe, madeline miller fleshes out the title character, who in. Watch video clips to identify how and why three modernday writers reinterpret myths to reflect contemporary themes and points of view. This years womens prize for fiction shortlist contains two books which reimagine the stories of women from greek myths. Pandora series pandora gets vain, etc by carolyn hennessy goddess girls series athena the brain, etc by joan holub and suzanne williams. Allusions to greek mythology in the modern world entertainism. What is the best book that has a complete collection of greek. Pandora series pandora gets vain, etc by carolyn hennessy goddess girls series athena the.
Retellings of homers classic greek stories list of best. Oct 14, 2014 top ten retellings of greek myths and legends october 14, 2014 by orem public library in top 10 tuesday. I read this book in high school and found lewis retelling of the cupid and psyche myth to be knockmedown. Buddhism, hinduism and greek rationalism arose to address these new anxieties. Ya books i love books good books books to read the book book 1 nex york mythology books greek mythology book. Plus, there are swoonworthy godly characters, aplenty. The 10 best greek mythology books norse mythology for. Some movies are an open homage and retelling of old stories, but most have some tidbits here and there alluding to the ancient stories. Here are some fascinating works of modern mythology that any tween or teen will enjoy. Our edit of the best books based on myths from ancient greece.
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. In this series, the persephone myth happened in the past, and now hades is searching for a new bride. Best books for kids and adults interested in greek mythology. If youre looking for a great book on greek mythology for kids, daulaires book of greek myths is easily the best one out there. Jul 29, 2016 a modern day retelling that reincarnates the persephone myth in a new generation. Mythos is a modern collection of greek myths, stylishly retold by legendary writer, actor, and comedian stephen fry. This collection of the bestknown of the greek myths has been carefully written to appeal to young children who will find these stories of gods, mortals and monsters irresistible. Below are a few of my favorite books that incorporate the myth of persephone in unique ways. Whether its adapted fairy tales, rewritten classic literature, updated fables, or modern greek mythology retellings, im a sucker for rereading tales ive already been told in new and exciting. These are the retellings that have taught me something new, not just about myths, but about what it means to be human. Modern poems on classical myths by nina kossman in this collection, nina kossman compiled poetry from the twentieth century that retold classic myths from around the world. Modern women are retelling classic tales through the voices of the women who. Whether youre obsessed with greek myths or intrigued by japanese folklore, this list is sure to have a title or two that can offer a great introduction to these beloved stories across the world.
The books in this list are the smartest, most beautifully wrought. So, i have to make a powerpoint which contains three modern day since 2000 versions of the epic of gilgamesh. His novels inspired by greek, roman, and norse mythology offer a contemporary spin on these timeless stories. Greek mythology allusions in modern literature and media. I picked this one up because i really enjoy reading greek mythology however i almost slammed it back down when i saw that the publisher was harlequin. Retellings of classic stories and folklore are easy to find no matter what genre you love to read, and the possibilities are endless. Kids books with modern mythology and legends middle grade. Take the names of companies, products, and even movie and book characters, for example. Talented author rick riordin writes fantastic books for kids based on classic mythology. Top ten retellings of greek myths and legends october 14, 2014 by orem public library in top 10 tuesday. Well, first of all, i am going to mention that i do not recommend robert gravess the greek myths 1955. From acclaimed writer and scholar philip freeman, a contemporary retelling of classic greek and roman mythology. Dec 08, 2017 hellenistic religion is the various systems of beliefs and practices of the people who lived under the influence of ancient greek culture during the hellenistic period and the roman empire.
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