UKC

Please can you recommend me a Greek mythology book that has all the classic tales with some illustrations.

Not a kiddies book but not suitable for a phd either.

Browsing on Amazon at the moment and none are jumping out at me and most lack a detailed description & reviews.

Thank you

In reply to Adders:

Most comprehensive retelling of 'The Greek Myths' I've so far found are the Pelican volumes by Robert Graves. You may well have to search the booksellers - or raid the libraries, as they first appeared in the 1950's.
But worth the search, I promise.

In reply to Adders: have a look for Usbourne books. They have lots of illustrations and are generally aimed at the younger reader.

In reply to RockAngel: http://www.usborneonline.org/catalogue/browse.asp?org=BUC09163&css=1&am...

In reply to RockAngel:

They're for kids though...

Adders, might not be quite what you're looking for, but the Penguin Classics edition of Ovid's Metamorphoses is very readable.

In reply to Adders: Illustrations is a difficult one. Without illustrations the best known work is probably Robert Graves' The Greek Myths - possibly a little heavier than you're looking for, but pretty well respected in its telling of the myths. Its interpetations of the myths are controversial, but interesting.

In reply to bergalia: Another recommendation for this book.....tis worth getting

In reply to Adders:

I browsed amazon briefly. I have not read this one so it's not a personal recommendation, and I doubt that it (nor any other non-children-specific books) has illustrations, but this might be worth a look
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Universe-Gods-Mortals-Ancient-Greek/dp/1861973993/r...

In reply to Adders: Let me have a rummage around, I may have something for you.

In reply to Blue Straggler: A more obscure but very good alternative is the Loeb edition of Apollodorus' The Library, with original Greek and English translation on facing pages.

In reply to Removed User:
The Ted Hughes translations of the Metamorphoses is exceedingly readable as are his other translations of Greek works.

In reply to Adders:

Possibly this one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Myths-Legends-Ancient-Greece-Rome/dp/0554104377/ref...

It's an old book, you can look at the text on Project Gutenberg, here:

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22381

||-)

In reply to Adders:

Ted Hughes - Tales from Ovid.

Modern Translation, absolutely epic piece of work.

No piccies, but it makes your hair stand on end.

And I think Ovid might have been a Roman, so not much if he is. But a cracker of a book.

In reply to anonymouse:

Agreed, if you are going to read Metamorphoses, do go for the Ted Hughes translations. The penguin classic version is for those who wish to appear well read, but actually aren't, whereas the Ted Hughes version is for the more scholarly reader.

The Tale of Troy is very good. Remember reading that when I was about 11.

In reply to Chariots:

What if you just picked up the penguin classics version because you thought it was interesting, and read it on that basis? Always a bit curious when people read books based on what others might think of them and their reading habits.

That said, I'm adding the Ted Hughes to my list.

In reply to Adders:

Bullfinch Guide to Mythology is pretty good. A nice wide range of things...

You could always try 'Tales of Greek Heroes' by Roger Lancelyn Green. Not sure whether it is a kiddies book or not, though it was given to me as a child, but it still readable as an adult.

In reply to Removed User:

That would be fine, but making recommendations based on the reading of a penguin classic alone puts one on dodgy ground,imho.

Do, it really is a vastly superior read - if you enjoyed the penguin classics version,you should love Ted Hughes' works.

In reply to Adders:

I always recommend H A Guerber's 'The Myths of Greece and Rome'; it's accessible and slightly less esoteric in its layout than the Graves. It's not so comprehensive but more readable. The link below should take you to it on Amazon, where it seems to be available.

Matthew

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Myths-Greece-Rome-Anthropology-Folklore/dp/04862758...

In reply to Chariots:

eh? I don't have any great anxiety about what I do and don't read. It's nice to know that others do, though



I like some of his other work so I'll look it out.

In reply to Adders:
I ploughed my way through the Robert Graves version and really enjoyed it, though it took ages (lots of notes at the back). I thought it would allow me to recognise allusions to the myths, nod knowingly, and even throw a few of my own into general conversation... but of course I've forgotten everything.

In reply to all:

Thank you very much for your input. I appreciate it.
I'll let you know how I get along.

In reply to Adders: ps. just looked at Ted Hughes recommendations but it sounds more like poetry than the story telling style of novel im looking for... i'm not a fan of poetry at all.

In reply to Adders:

If you can afford it, the Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology is excellent. Grrek and Roman mythology is the largest section but other world mythologies are dealt with pretty comprehensively.

Highly recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Larousse-Encyclopedia-Mythology-Robert-Graves/dp/0765...

In reply to Adders:
Lots of old stories blur that line. I'm not a huge fan of stories told in poetry, but I do like the Ted Hughes stuff. Possibly the only translation of greek/roman mythology that slips in nuclear annihilation.

In reply to Adders:

Don't rule out e-books if she is not a keen reader, it may allow here to enjoy them more and you can get them that will read it to you too.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/ebook/cmr1_cmp2786_cm.html?srcid=198&mc...

http://pdfdatabase.com/index.php?q=e+books+on+greek+myth

You have got to buy the e-reader though (great present idea if you are stuck)

In reply to Adders: David Bellingham's 'An Introduction to Greek Mythology' is very accessible and nicely illustrated - I got it from the local garden centre at a very cheap price.

In reply to Chariots:

>The penguin classic version is for those who wish to appear well read, but actually aren't,

Eh? What about reading it *without* caring about appearing well-read?


I liked Ovid's Metamorphoses. I have not read Ted Hughes' versions. Robert Graves' books I and II are on a shelf somewhere, flicked through many years ago.Seamus Heaney's 'Burial at Thebes' is good, but I think his 'Beowulf' translation is a better read if you want a great Anglo-Saxon story for winter evenings instead of Greek.

In reply to Jim C:

For online reading here is some;
http://www.greekmythology.com/Books/Bulfinch/bulfinch.html