World of Myth, The

by David A. Leeming, Jeremy Arthur (Reading)

Hercules, Zeus, Thor, Gilgamesh—these are the figures that leap to mind when we think of myth. But to David Leeming, myths are more than stories of deities and fantastic beings from non-Christian cultures. Myth is at once the most particular and the most universal feature of civilization, representing common concerns that each society voices in its own idiom. Whether an Egyptian story of creation or the big-bang theory of modern physics, myth is metaphor, mirroring our deepest sense of ourselves in relation to existence itself.

Now, in The World of Myth, Leeming provides a sweeping anthology of myths, ranging from ancient Egypt and Greece to the Polynesian islands and modern science. We read stories of great floods from the ancient Babylonians, Hebrews, Chinese, and Mayans; tales of apocalypse from India, the Norse, Christianity, and modern science; myths of the mother goddess from Native American Hopi culture and James Lovelock's Gaia. Leeming has culled myths from Aztec, Greek, African, Australian Aboriginal, Japanese, Moslem, Hittite, Celtic, Chinese, and Persian cultures, offering one of the most wide-ranging collections of what he calls the collective dreams of humanity. More important, he has organized these myths according to a number of themes, comparing and contrasting how various societies have addressed similar concerns, or have told similar stories.

In the section on dying gods, for example, both Odin and Jesus sacrifice themselves to renew the world, each dying on a tree. Such traditions, he proposes, may have their roots in societies of the distant past, which would ritually sacrifice their kings to renew the tribe. In The World of Myth, David Leeming takes us on a journey "not through a maze of falsehood but through a marvellous world of metaphor," metaphor for "the story of the relationship between the known and the unknown, both around us and within us." Fantastic, tragic, bizarre, sometimes funny, the myths he presents speak of the most fundamental human experience, a part of what Joseph Campbell called "the wonderful song of the soul's high adventure."

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, History, Read For School, Folklore, Literature, Reference

MP3 CD

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

aka David Adams Leeming

Reviews

[Mark Adderley · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the criticisms I've read of this book is that it hammers you over the head with a single interpretation, the Joseph Campbell approach. While that's certainly true, I think it's still usable as a classroom text (which is why I'm reading it). I've done enough background reading on interpretations of mythology to be able to upset the dynamic of the book a little. My students won't read it cover-to-cover, for example. They'll read it in an entirely different order, and after having read Ovid's Metamorphoses and Crossley-Holland's Norse Myths in almost their entirety. So there are ways to use it that don't force you to take Leeming's interpretation as the sole way to interpret myth.

The other criticism I've read of this book is that it's dull and text-book like. Well, there's not much to say to that. It is a textbook, after all (and, I may say, a relatively cheap textbook). And although I'd generally rather read original sources than retellings, retellings of mythology tend to be much more reader-friendly than original sources. That might account for why some readers find this text boring: it's mainly original texts.

Its advantage is that, for a relatively low price, you get quite a diversity of tales--both tale types and cultures represented. Again, it's true that some cultures are under-represented, but that's really inevitable in such a text. Greek mythology has informed our own culture like no other, and therefore ought to receive pride of place. If I have a regret about it at all, it's that Norse and Celtic mythology are under-represented, and that's why I've also set my students Kevin Crossley-Holland's The Norse Myths and The Mabinogion, trans. Sioned Davies.

[Makiah]

I just want to make this clear, but I read this for school! I would never pick up this book for fun. I'm counting this towards my goal because we read the whole thing and I said so...

[Ed Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine collection and organization of representative myths from multiple traditions, but old translations and scant commentaries and footnotes keep this from being what it could be.

On the plus side, this text introduced me to the Persian myth of Mithra. Leeming cites Barbara Walker in explaining how this myth influenced Christianity until the fourth century C.E. She claims that according to the legends, Mithra... 1) was born on the 25th of December, 2) had his birth witnessed by shepherds and magi, 3) raised the dead, healed the sick, and cast out devils, 4) ascended into heaven, which was celebrated at the spring equinox, 5) celebrated a last supper with his twelve disciples.... And the similarities go on. Why had I never heard of this prior to chancing upon it in this text?

This text also deepened my exposure to and understanding of the Celtic Fisher King (or Sinner King) myth as well as the Greek story of Nemesis.

Worth the effort.

[Elisabeth M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great breakdown of the larger trends in mythology from a fairly global perspective. Of course, I notice that more time is devoted to Greece than to, say, the southern tip of Africa, but that's hard to get around in this field. Too, I notice more time is spent on gods rather than goddesses, but it's not excessive. Overall the focus is pretty even, the summaries are great, and the ratio of summaries to primary text is well balanced. Most importantly for my own work, it touches on the origins of various gods, where they were born, who they were before we got to know them. In other words, this book offers a terrific "big picture" from which to jump into further study. Thanks for lending it to me, Rose.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

a really good anthology of myths and folklore from around the world...special emphasis is placed on non-greco-roman stories and figures...lots of native american and pre-columbian references...
the only complaint i have is the lack of helpful explication in connection to the texts...he throws the stories at you and pretty much lets you go it alone from there...some of the narratives are deeply idio-symbolic and mired in cultural allusion that cannot be deciphered in isolation...

there are introductory statements at the beginning of each section, the myths are categorized by type, but they're not very detailed...

a good resource for translation of mythic obscurities, but that's about it...

[Sohail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a thematic study and anthology of world literature that discusses the major themes and provides multiple examples (from different cultures) in a clear and structured format. It is rich in content and packed with information. Sadly, it is rather limited in scope, since the author tends to stick with the more traditional hypotheses in the study of mythology. Nevertheless, one of its greatest strengths lies in it being religiously unbiased.

I felt that the book's final chapter was rushed. For instance, the parts about forests, caves, and labyrinths were too scanty.

[Marti (Letstalkaboutbooksbaybee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for class

This was a nice little bindup introduction to mythology, the different types of myths, and different origins of some popular myths

I liked how everything was split up and organized in this book, but I did wish it went into deeper details about some of the myths

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

It claims to be an anthology, but most of the selections are rewritten or interpretations of scholars just summarizing a myth. It makes it easier for the reader to understand, surely, but it takes away any ability to interpret the material on your own. The largest selections were from the Old Testament and Ovid, while lesser-known myths had only a paragraph story summary. An exception to that is that Jesus is alluded to throughout, but no actual presentation of him is in the selections other than summary. Grouping ten different cultural myths by subject, most with a page or less, in order to compare them seems interesting, but there's not a lot to work with.

The other problem I saw is that the only hermeneutic the author used was that of Jungian archetypes, mostly used to compare cultures by their being either patriarchal or matriarchal. Would this be of note? Certainly, but as an anthology book for Mythology 101 I think it narrows down all of human culture to one or fewer factors. Looking into the author's CV, it seems he has an interest in the "great goddess/earth mother" archetype, so that solves that particular question.

It's not opening up myths to be discovered/explored, but rather a limiting factor on exploration. I suppose this is a problem with most textbooks, though.

[Kathy Olivos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I liked it. It was very helpful for my research.

[Caitlin LaBreck · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this book for a college class I am taking. I feel that in the readings, the author is very biased against the Bible. Instead of suggesting things might be linked, he states " we find a flood story that is clearly the source for the Old Testament Noah story." He was stating that some Mesopotamia flood myth was the source of Noah's Ark story in the Bible. I find it disrespectful, as it is supposed to be learning/teaching about different myths. NOT disproving or disrespecting someone's religion/religious text. There is a better way to make the similarities known without being biased against the Bible. I will not read another one of his books, as he does this repeatedly stating "this is CLEARLY the source of this story in the Bible" instead of suggesting it could be. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL.

[T.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The reason is not to be told. Do not ask me to disclose it. The seed of woe and the fruit of wisdom are enclosed within this secret. It is the secret that smites with an ax the tree of worldly vanity, hews away its roots, and scatters its crown. This secret is a lamp to those groping in ignorance. This secret lies buried in the wisdom of the ages, and is rarely revealed even to saints. This secret is the living air of those ascetics who renounce and transcend mortal existence; but worldlings, deluded by desire and pride, it destroys.”

[Tahani Al Saadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book for readers who would like to view the variations in the world in many aspects for instance, beliefs. Because I'm not interested in myths across cultures and religions, I have found it a funny book! And I'm sorry!

[Shannon Bohnen · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's so deliciously fantastic. read it in college for mythology class and i'm revisiting. couldn't be happier. plus! keith is air and i'm water, which makes perfect sense! say thankya allah, er brahmā, or gaia, or whatever...

[meg (the.hidden.colophon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for Comparative Mythology in Spring ‘25.

A really cool book on world myth that provided alternate perspectives on myths when read in tandem with Ovid’s Metamorphoses (same class). Very cool.

[Isla]

Read for school

[Sabrina Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful reference book

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for a World Mythologies class. Very interesting. Recommend pairing it with discussions or critical thinking written assignments.

[shelby 🫶🏼 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a textbook for my World Mythologies class and I ended up keeping it from my university and annotating it.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love reading the stories, especially stories in original format. Although, I was doubtful some of the facts were accurate.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read but I’d like to see more diversity in approach when reading an anthology. Still helpful in my research.

[Kevin Nobel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful anthology for classroom use, though some of the translations need updating. Desperately. The editor's own introductions are often thoughtful, but also often decline into Campbell-like analysis, which certainly dates the work.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to read this book when I was 13 and remember it being horrendously dull. Maybe I would like it better now, who knows.

[Mert · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars (%76/100)

David A. Leeming’s The World of Myth is an accessible and thoughtfully organized exploration of myths from cultures around the globe, highlighting common themes like creation, heroism, and the quest for meaning. Leeming’s clear prose and comparative approach make complex ideas easy to grasp without oversimplifying their richness. Though some sections could go deeper into individual traditions, the book’s broad scope, clarity, and genuine appreciation for the power of myth make it a highly rewarding and insightful read. Recommended!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been teaching this class for the better part of a year. I figured it was time I actually read the book from cover to cover. Eh. It has some cool myths that I haven't frequently seen in other texts, but the critical essays before each section aren't really anything new. Still, it's good to get it all highlighted and underlined and such for faster reference in future classes.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read parts of this in my Approaches to Literature class, I think it was. I believe I later when back and read the whole thing as reading for my senior honor thesis. I was looking for myths that connected to my topic, but didn't find any.

[Shadow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to mythology. The topical explanations are clear and precise. The myths used are all familiar so it's a cinch to make connections. If you're trying to get your feet wet without some of the more cumbersome reads on mythology, then I highly recommend this one.

[Leland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many mythic traditions were omitted. Many were just cursorily mentioned. Too much emphasis on Jung. The most annoying thing...? The author repeatedly cited himself and his own works. Ego trip anyone? Could have been much better.

[Shay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surprisingly, I enjoyed reading this. So many fantastic myths to read about. I had to read this-over a semester-for a class. I fell in love with mythology and this book was unlike any textbook I had ever read.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good intro to mythology. However, most of the myths were either Greek or from the Bible. It needs to be more diverse.

[Megan Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic anthology! Lots of different myths from many different cultures.