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Heroes: From Hercules to Superman
What makes the heroes of literature―Gilgamesh, Jesus, Beowulf, Hamlet, even Superman―so intriguing and enduring? Do they grasp and fire our imaginations because they’re larger than life or because they’re more human than we might imagine?
Bestselling author and broadcaster Bruce Meyer unmasks the greatest heroes of literature, showing what makes them heroic as well as what makes them human. Ultimately, he demonstrates, heroes reflect the best of humanity. What Meyer’s bestselling book The Golden Thread did for the touchstone works of Western literature, Heroes does for our rich canon of flawed yet powerful characters. Whether tragic and epic, divine or infernal, Meyer ushers us into the company of extraordinary figures and guides us through some of the greatest stories ever told.
Bestselling author and broadcaster Bruce Meyer unmasks the greatest heroes of literature, showing what makes them heroic as well as what makes them human. Ultimately, he demonstrates, heroes reflect the best of humanity. What Meyer’s bestselling book The Golden Thread did for the touchstone works of Western literature, Heroes does for our rich canon of flawed yet powerful characters. Whether tragic and epic, divine or infernal, Meyer ushers us into the company of extraordinary figures and guides us through some of the greatest stories ever told.
- GenresNonfiction
273 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
3 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Meyer
80 books21 followersDr. Bruce Meyer is an author of more than 45 books of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, literary journalism, scholarship, and pedagogy, and is a professor of English at Georgian College.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 16, 2014
The most beautiful aspect of Bruce Meyer's writing is the way he convey his love of literature to the reader. This is the second book that I have read by Meyer. In this book, Meyer presents the different types of heroes that reside in Literature. If you are a comic fan, you should know that the only comic book character that he mention is Superman, which he links to the myth surrounding the creation of baseball. The book really focuses on heroes in literature.
Meyer focuses mainly on Western Literature, and on Dante and Shakespeare, his reading of Hamlet and Richard III are very insightful. Meyer also goes into great depth by looking at the connection between Homer and the WWI poetry of Owen. What I found the most fascinating, however, was the discussion of the Gospels and heroic (epic) heroes. This idea Meyer also applies to saint stories, such as The Golden Legend. If you study the Bible, you should, at the very least, read these two chapters.
Despite the book's description, Meyers applies the word hero to both man and women. In fact, during his first chapter, Meyers writes that part of his fascination with heroes developed because of a story his grandmother told him about three of her Sunday School students. All three are heroes, two of the three are women. In fact, the stories about all three children are fascinating.
Meyer focuses mainly on Western Literature, and on Dante and Shakespeare, his reading of Hamlet and Richard III are very insightful. Meyer also goes into great depth by looking at the connection between Homer and the WWI poetry of Owen. What I found the most fascinating, however, was the discussion of the Gospels and heroic (epic) heroes. This idea Meyer also applies to saint stories, such as The Golden Legend. If you study the Bible, you should, at the very least, read these two chapters.
Despite the book's description, Meyers applies the word hero to both man and women. In fact, during his first chapter, Meyers writes that part of his fascination with heroes developed because of a story his grandmother told him about three of her Sunday School students. All three are heroes, two of the three are women. In fact, the stories about all three children are fascinating.
April 7, 2022
Clever, well-read, thoughtful analysis that only very rarely meanders into 'clearly written by an older white guy or he would have recognized this particular glaring flaw' territory. This book was good company.
November 8, 2008
Heroes - The Champions of our Literary Imagination by Bruce Meyer
This book deals with how literature has played a role in our perception of what comprises a hero. The many examples are historical and diverse. Although the book is interesting it certainly isn't one I could read all in one go, although it is not a large book, but that was partly due to personal interruptions outside of the book. It did remind me of reading material for a literature, historical, or classical course. I liked the flow from truly ancient views of heroes to relatively more recent versions and how our perceptions and expectations evolved.
I did learn something from the book, but would have liked to see it proceed to today's world. Heroes and anti-heroes abound in our times and it would be of interest to make the comparisons and to learn how this has developed. I found it quite literary and even flowing regardless.
This book deals with how literature has played a role in our perception of what comprises a hero. The many examples are historical and diverse. Although the book is interesting it certainly isn't one I could read all in one go, although it is not a large book, but that was partly due to personal interruptions outside of the book. It did remind me of reading material for a literature, historical, or classical course. I liked the flow from truly ancient views of heroes to relatively more recent versions and how our perceptions and expectations evolved.
I did learn something from the book, but would have liked to see it proceed to today's world. Heroes and anti-heroes abound in our times and it would be of interest to make the comparisons and to learn how this has developed. I found it quite literary and even flowing regardless.
January 27, 2024
Este libro fue muy grato de leer y bastante ameno, considerando que es un libro de teoría, Meyer logra mezclar con gran precisión la explicación teórica con fragmentos literarios que enriquecen bastante el panorama. Muchas veces dentro de los círculos literarios se mezcla la figura del héroe con el del protagonista, casi siempre sin explicar los motivos para esta clasificación. Este libro da precisamente las razones por las que los protagonistas suelen ser héroes y también da parámetros que agrupan y clasifican a cada tipo de héroe.
Añadido a lo anterior, fue también muy grato que se incluyera a Superman dentro del análisis, dejando totalmente claro que los héroes no sólo se encontraban en las historias del pasado y que la literatura se mueve entre soportes sin problema.
Añadido a lo anterior, fue también muy grato que se incluyera a Superman dentro del análisis, dejando totalmente claro que los héroes no sólo se encontraban en las historias del pasado y que la literatura se mueve entre soportes sin problema.
April 16, 2025
Muy buen libro para entender los diferentes arquetipos de héroes que han ido apareciendo en epopeyas, relatos religiosos, poesías, novelas, películas... ameno, didáctico, escritores con sencillez y elegancia. No faltan consideraciones filosóficas muy interesantes. Recomendable. Ed. Española en Siruela.
September 10, 2025
Muy buen libro para entender los diferentes arquetipos de héroes que han ido apareciendo en epopeyas, relatos religiosos, poesías, novelas, películas... ameno, didáctico, escrito con sencillez y elegancia. No faltan consideraciones filosóficas muy interesantes. Recomendable. Ed. Española en Siruela.
June 19, 2011
Another cleverly written Bruce Meyer investigation of myths and mythology.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews