30 Second Mythology (Hardback) /anglais

by SEGAL ROBERT ALAN

What did Hercules do to deserve his twelve labors? How did Narcissus find the love of his life? And why did Odysseus take ten years to travel 500 miles? You might recall such epic events, but do you know them well enough to brighten up dinner party discussions with tales of gods and monsters?

30-Second Mythology sets out the most significant details and unravels the underlying meaning of the greatest classical myths. Revealing the origins of the gods, heroes, and monsters of ancient Greece and Rome, the book outlines the key aspects of their stories for the general reader in half a minute, using nothing more than two pages, 300 words, and one picture. Featuring detailed biographies of the seven greatest poets and playwrights of the ancient world, 30-Second Mythology explains the enduring influence of ancient myth in the blink of a Cyclops' eye.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, History, Reference, Religion, Greek Mythology, Philosophy

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Rainy Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! I love reading about myths and legends from ancient worlds such as Rome, Egypt, Greek and others since I was a child, so when I found this book, I'm quite excited and it's just like what I'm hoping for. 30-Second Mythology compiled most of ancient Greece/Rome deities, heroes and others. Each one in a one-page detail with an illustration in the next page, which make them simple and enjoyable. Seriously, this book is quite enjoyable! Maybe I should buy more books from 30-Second series hehe.

[Juan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book easy to read and quick for while shitting in the bathrooms and it's perfect, instead of smartphone in front of a screen or a shitty magazine this book is perfect.

[Maran · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dit was echt heel erg slecht. Als je iets wilt leren over mythologie ga dit níét lezen: het is niet te volgen en de vertaling uit het Engels naar het Nederlands maakt het er niet beter op.

[Luz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Authoritative guide for quick access to seminal myths. Excellent for those who are just beginning to study mythology and who are concentrating on Greek and Roman myths. Also useful for others looking for a handy and quick reference guide.

[Nessa [October Tune] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this review, and many more on my blog October Tune!

30 Second Mythology is exactly what it says, a book where you can learn about Greek and Roman mythology in under thirty seconds (per page/paragraph of course, you won’t get through the entire book in thirty seconds). I got a similar book last year for Christmas, 30 Second J.R.R. Tolkien, and though I liked it, I wouldn’t say it was the best biography I read about the author. Same with 30 Second Mythology.

What I liked:
Everything was divided neatly. There was a section where they talked about how the whole mythology thing happened in the first place, the ‘Creation’. Then there was a section about the Olympians; Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, etc. A section about their enemies, the monsters, like Medusa, the Minotaur and Polyphemus. There was also a part about how the world looked like, with Olympus, the Underworld, Tartarus, and so forth. A part about the heroes; Hercules, Odysseus; and a part about the ‘tragic figures’, like Oedipus, Jason, Icarus.

I liked reading about everything, but I did find the little pieces – one page per subject – a bit too short. Of course, a book like this is not the best way of learning more about mythology, but hey, I couldn’t help it. I love mythology and I would love to read every book about it (it would probably take me years and years though). My favourite parts was reading about how everyone cheated on everyone. I think almost every God and Goddess had children with either mortals, other Gods (than the ones they were married to) and even other creatures.

What I didn’t like:
Like I said before, the passages per subject were in my opinion too short. They could have easily explained it a bit more, like in the Tolkien book, and added only small pictures. Now, there was one page where you could read about the subject, and one page filled with a large picture (of a painting, a statue, etc). That was a bit of a shame.

And also my biggest dislike about this book, is that it’s only about Greek and Roman mythology. Since I’ve watched Thor, I have been a huge fan of the Norse Mythology, and I would just love to read a book like this completely about that. Unfortunately, Norse Mythology is not as popular as Greek or Roman is, but I just hope that some day people will realise that it is awesome!

Conclusion:
I liked 30 Second Mythology. It’s a good way of learning about the most important parts of Greek and Roman mythology. Of course, it’s not the best book to be learning about the Mythologies, but it gives you a good insight of what it’s like. If you want to learn more about mythologies, and you don’t know where to start (or you don’t feel like reading a big book about it), I’d suggest you pick up 30 Second Mythology!

[Jb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The moment I picked up 30-second Mythology, edited by Robert A. Segal I knew I had to read it. It was the perfect opportunity to read about Greek heroes, gods, myths and monsters in under a minute! Rather than being an endless encyclopedia, this book provides a quick fun and entertaining summary of everything you need to know when one has a free minute. The tone of this book is light and casual as the author briefly describes the subject of the page. For all those who have busy schedules but like to learn a new thing every day or are young readers, Thirty Second Mythology provides a nonfiction, informative yet entertaining way to learn Greek mythology.

This book is written by multiple contributors being Viv Croot, Susan Deacy, Emma Griffiths, William Hansen, Geoffrey Miles. Barry B. Powell and editor Robert A.Segal. All of them are well-trusted authors and professors- making this book very credible with well-trusted facts. For example, one of the contributors, Viv Croot is also known as the author of Vampire Diaries as well as eight other books (Goodreads). Susan Deacy is a principal lecturer at the University of Roehampton as well as an author of three other books (Higher Education Academy). Emma Griffiths is a lecturer in Greek classics at the University of Manchester (University of Manchester). William Hansen as Oxford University Reports “William Hansen is the professor of Classical Studies and Folklore as well as co-director in Mythology Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington”(Oxford University Press). All these minds coming together make an excellent educational guide to Greek mythology that pops out on every page.

As said. Thirty Second Mythology is a book with the goal to educate their audience in an engaging way. The way the authors achieve this is through a color scheme, the layout (structure) of their information and imagery. To keep the reader be engaged for thirty seconds reading the page, the author employs color scheme and layout of his information. The book is divided into several parts: Creation, Olympians, Monsters, Geography, Heroes, Tragic figures, and Legacy. Each section is color coded for example Creation is yellow ochre, Olympians is an olive green, monsters are a Naples yellow, monsters is a dusty rose pink etc. By doing so, the colors contrast with the white and black writing which serves to make the information pop out. Though it is used to make the information pop out, the author is careful to not make them too bright but rather dull muted colors so as not to distract the reader. The information is also chopped up. The summary is placed in the middle as the focus of the page detailing the story of the subject. Then after one reads the summary, other snit-bits of information are available for the reader such as a 30-second muse, 3-minute odyssey, related myth, 30-second biographies and thirty-second text. All information presents itself as ‘did you know facts’. This serves the purpose to be a short reading to educate in an interesting way. Lastly, the author covers the entire right side of the book with imagery of the subject being detailed which is perfect for any young audience for them to glance at the information and the pictures.

The second way that the authors achieve their goal of making an informative yet entertaining guide to Greek mythology is by their writer’s tone. Rather than simply report the facts, the authors tell a story, and the way they do that is through a humorous and casual tone. For example, the author says, “Cerberus had an impressive pedigree. He as the offspring of two of the most feared monsters in myth”(Segal). As Cerberus- the monstrous dog that guarded the dead is described, the author starts out with a hook that draws the audience in. It is almost humorous that the author would describe such a dog as ‘having an impressive pedigree’. This casual calm tone keeps the reader flowing by each sentence- acquiring the main message or idea of the subject without having to stop and reread all the details like a textbook would. Another example can be seen in their description of Icarus in the three-second muse. It says, “The Icarian Sea probably got its name from the nearby island of Icaria, but how Icaria acquired its name is anybody’s guess”(Segal). Rather than say, something uninteresting like ‘how Icaria got its name has no documentation to lead to a clear answer’, the author’s tone is humorous and casual which is applied for the intended audience which is the young or those who want a quick and easy guide to mythology. Lastly, the authors’ tone captivated the reader in the summary on the Harpies as the authors say, “For Hesiod, they are goddesses of the scudding storm clouds, “lovely-haired, “keeping pace” on their swift wings with the blasts of the winds and the birds.” Later the nastier implications of the name “Snatchers” take over” (Segal). Just one word, nasty, a word almost on the verge of being slang for its informal connotation. The author’s diction is hardly upkeeping with any traditional, factual book but yet it is those words that keep the reader engaged and laughing. The contrast between the beauty and the ‘nastiness’ certainly emphasizes the authors’ humorous tone.
The last way the author makes their book intriguing and still yet educational is through its glossary, introduction, and appendix. At the beginning of the book; specifically on page 12 the book provides a glossary which the reader can refer back to when encountering specific references in the text such as the adamantine sickle or woods like cosmogony. Each of the references listed includes where to find more information such as when the author says, “The most commonly referred to adamantine sickle in classical mythology is that made by Gaia and given to Cronus…”(Segal 12). By mentioning Gaia and Cronus, the reader can easily infer where the terminology will be found in the text which provides more clarity for the reader to learn with ease. For when the reader wants more detailed information, the author provides background information in the introduction. The introduction goes into detail about the meaning of the word myth, key questions, theoretical shifts and enduring appeals which all detail the influences that surround the creation of myth. This helps the reader keep in mind how every story relates back to some meaning, moral or explanation of creation. Lastly, the appendices add to the overall credibility of the book. The author’s section out what books, websites, and library collections they have and every citation involve trusty sources like The Cambridge Companion to Greek Mythology by Roger D. Woodward. The authors also include a page detailing their credentials which shows the reader that the information provided is trustworthy. All this contributes to the overall clarity and credibility of the book which is necessary for any reader wanting to learn quickly.

This book is a perfect opportunity to learn Greek mythology on the fly while still being educational and entertaining. The way the author achieves this goal is through how he structures the book by managing color, layout, and placing of information. The contributors also use a humorous and calm tone to engage their reader and lastly, the glossary, introduction, and appendix provide exceptional clarity, background, and credibility to the novel. For audiences who are either young or those who really don’t have a lot of time, 30 Second Mythology allows all to learn mythology with plenty of time to spare while also being so entertaining and educational that you might want to spend a little more than 30 seconds reading it.





Works Cited:
Segal, Robert Alan, et al. 30-Second Mythology: the 50 Most Important Classical Myths, Monsters, Heroes & Gods, Each Explained in Half a Minute. Ivy Press, 2017.
“Books by Viv Croot (Author of The Original Vampire Diaries).” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/author/list/249954.....
“Dr Susan Deacy.” Higher Education Academy, www.heacademy.ac.uk/person/dr-susan-d....
“Dr Emma Griffiths.” Standing out as One of the Crowd - Citation Formats | Research Explorer | The University of Manchester, V&A Publishing, www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/....

[Sjors · Rating 1 out of 5]

Een hele mythe uitleggen op 1 pagina in fors lettertype werkt niet. Daarbij heeft dit boek een obsessie met Oedipus, maar blijven andere personages soms wel heel erg op de vlakte. Zonder voorkennis is dit een onbegrijpelijk boek, en met voorkennis een overbodig boek.

[Hong Yee Ting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for someone new to Greek mythology and only know the basics!

[Mathieu Thibault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ce livre a changé ma vie!

[Norman S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good quick overview of a selection of key deities and places, nice coffee table book to have lying around. The last section on psychological concepts seemed pretty weak, but it just made me want to read more in the field of psychology.

[William Schram · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book on a whim, without checking the contents within. Now that I have looked at the contents, I am slightly disappointed. My first impression was that this book would cover all myths in general. However, now that I think about it, that would be a daunting undertaking. The editor says as much, discussing the meaning of a belief system that no one believes in. Furthermore, the editor mentions how these myths expanded into our lexicon.

There are seven chapters divided into categories. The book focuses on the Greco-Roman pantheon, but it mentions other faith systems and parallels between them. For example, while the book tells the reader about Chaos, the primordial state of the Universe before creation, it also mentions Tiamat and Ginnungagap.

30 Second Mythology works as a coffee table book, something you use to start a conversation or participate in one. It does not go in-depth on anything, but it is not meant to. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.

[Danielle Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 - I bought this book primarily to read about the Myth of Orpheus and Erydice and ended up reading it as a companion book as I read Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. I liked how accessible the book was and, it did exactly what it says in the title, providing very short fact file esque profiles of each Myth which could potentially form as the base for further reading and research. I also loved each of the illustrations that accompanied each story, bringing each short Myth to life.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was exactly what I was expecting and what I was looking for. If you are interested in getting a brief overview of Greek and Roman mythology then this is the perfect book.

Sharing short stories, discriptions, and information about the most well known and important gods and goddesses in Greek mythology. It is entertaining as educational with being dry or overly wordy.

[Emma Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. I didn’t realize until after I started it that it only dearth with classical myths (Roman and Greek) and it would’ve been nice to have some Norse, Egyptian, etc myths as well, but overall it was a very interesting look into common myths and historical figures I didn’t know much about.

[John Dolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking to do a quick swotting up on (primarily Greek) mythology for a pub quiz or whatever, then '30-Secong Mythology' does exactly what it says on the tin. It is, however - and counter-intuitively - somewhat repetitive in places. If you want to know more about the subject, though, you will need to look elsewhere.

[Oscar Lilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the 30 second book series. I think with internet resources the reference book altogether is an endangered species. But for this series I really enjoy the concept of having at least a surface understanding of any given topic.

[Dida · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is so easy to read with its bite-size information and pretty illustrations. it serves as a good reference to complement other mythological sources, including Ovid’s Metamorphosis—which i’ve been reading for half a year already but i still get nowhere and keep forgetting what i’ve read 😂

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro se merece un 3’75 ya que, aún siendo una guía bastante breve de los mitos griegos, los explica de manera bastante buena y añade términos específicos relacionados con estos mitos para mejor entendimiento del lector.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un libro corto, se lee muy rápido y cumple la función que esperaba: Conocer los mitos resumidos para poder estudiarlos a fondo en un futuro.
Libro recomendable pra aquellos que quieran empezar a estudiar sobre mitología griega básica.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

“ Athena turned Medusa from a beautiful-haired, young woman into a serpent-haired monster with boar's tusks, a beard, a protruding tongue, wings, and a gaze so horrible that it could turn onlookers to stone. “

Mainly Greek/Roman mythology. I wanted more Egyptian mythology.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geweldig boekje. Ik vind dat het er nog best wel diep op in gaat. En leuk voor als je wilt weten in welke Griekse mythologieën of helden je je wilt verdiepen. Soms wel een beetje pittig omdat je vaak terug bladert om weer een naam of plaats die je vergeten bent te lezen.

[Yara Tammar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short Precise to the point. I really like these 30 Second Books!

Priceless Information all shortened in 1 page only!

This book included Gods, Heroes, Monsters, Tragic Figures, and a lot of other topics from Greek Mythology.

[Book Shark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, and fairly easy to understand book that gives a quick glimpse into Greek mythos. Worth a read!

[Phil Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good introduction to mythology.

[Sara y Miguel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mitos cortos. Se lee fácil y está bien la estructura

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not intended to be an in-depth look at Greco-Roman mythology, this is a handy and accessible reference guide - and an easy entry point.

[Kerem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book, intriguing, and cool.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good starter material for reference use. I have not read it in its entirety.

[jeow]

quick easy read. and very informative

[Povilas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of the most important heroes and gods of Greece and Rome.