Greek Mythology: Gilded Pocket Edition

by Nathaniel Hawthorne, V.C. Turnbull

Genres: Mythology

192 pages, Hardcover

Published June 1, 2025

About the author

Nathaniel Hawthorne was a 19th century American novelist and short story writer. He is seen as a key figure in the development of American literature for his tales of the nation's colonial history.

Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.

Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.

Reviews

[Kyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw this at Indigo for $10 with the most beautiful gold sprayed edges. My Greek mythology heart couldn’t so no so ofc had to buy.

So so amazing! A really great concise and simple read for the basics behind understanding Greek Mythology. Would totally recommend !

[Chloe Bragança · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read overall, interesting and well-rounded selection of myths. I guess my issues were that there were a couple of instances where in one myth they repeated (not just a reference but fully retold the same story) a myth that was already in the book, which I think could’ve been avoided with a little editing; I felt it withdrew from the mythology world a little. Additionally the language and style were a little archaic for my taste (weird syntax and ‘art thou’s floating around), which I wasn’t expecting from a brand new book and I personally don’t like. I think the thing that took it from 4 to 3 stars is just that it wasn’t as exciting as other Greek mythology collections I’ve read; it was quite descriptive and narrative with a lack of personality compared to others I’ve read. A decent read though, and a very pretty cover!