Synopses & Reviews
The Greek and Roman myths have never died out; in fact they are as relevant today as ever. For thousands of years these myths have inspired plays, operas, paintings, movies, and television programs. They are fascinating tales that tell us about ourselves—about our hopes, fears, and desires, which are as ancient as mankind. Many of these myths are deeply disturbing; others are sublimely beautiful. All of them move us still, as they did the Greeks and Romans hundreds of generations ago.
Oh My Gods is a retelling of some of the most popular myths by a gifted scholar and writer. These tales of errant gods, fantastic creatures, and human heroes are brought to life in fresh and contemporary versions.
Have there ever been stories to rival the myths about the creation of the universe and the wars among the earliest gods? Or about the Olympian gods themselves: powerful Zeus, king of the gods, possessed of a wandering eye; his wife, Hera, queen of marriage and childbirth, perpetually outraged by her husbands many affairs; Poseidon, god of the sea, brother of Zeus; their other brother, Hades, god of the underworld; and all the other gods and goddesses—talented Apollo, beautiful Aphrodite, fierce Athena, swift Hermes, and many more. And the dauntless heroes Theseus and Hercules, the doomed lovers Hero and Leander or Orpheus and Eurydice, whose stories can still break our hearts. From the astonishing tales of the Argonauts to the immortal narrative of the Battle of Troy, these ancient myths have inspired writers from Shakespeare to J. K. Rowling.
Philip Freemans vibrant, contemporary retelling makes us appreciate again why these wonderful tales have lasted thousands of years and charmed young and old readers alike.
Review
"Electrifying. . . . Freeman brings the contentious, devious, shape-shifting, revengeful gods and goddesses, from Zeus and Hera on down, to towering life, recounting their violent exploits with verve and clarity."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Booklistandlt;BRandgt; andlt;/iandgt;
Review
"A thoroughly delightful book."
--Jules Wagman, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Review
"Each story is written eloquently and with sincere enthusiasm for the narration of these myths. . . . Highly accessible."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Library Journalandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Philip Freeman must be thanked for his contribution to the process of keeping the Classics alive in the modern world. . . . andlt;Iandgt;Oh My Godsandlt;/Iandgt; is another contribution to the enlivening of antiquity and like his other works this collection is a thoughtful and essentially well-written work.and#8221;
Review
"A thoroughly delightful book."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Jules Wagman, andlt;iandgt;The St. Louis Post-Dispatchandlt;BRandgt; andlt;/iandgt;
Synopsis
From acclaimed writer and scholar Philip Freeman, a contemporary retelling of classic Greek and Roman mythology.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;The myths of Greece and Rome have never died out; in fact they are as popular today as ever. For thousands of years, these myths have been the basis for plays, operas, paintings, and movies. Freemanand#8217;s version of the myths will appeal to the many people who are unsure about some mythological references, and to everyone who enjoys reading stories about errant gods, fantastic creatures, and human heroes. Whether it is Zeusand#8217;s wandering eye, Theseusand#8217;s battle with the half-human, half-bull Minotaur, or the tribulations of lovers, such as Pyramus and Thisbe or Hero and Leander, these tales never fail to entertain. They are by turns sublimely beautiful and deeply disturbing; they provide valuable insights into the Greek and Roman imagination. They speak to fundamental aspects of human natureand#8212;our hopes, fears, desiresand#8212;that have not changed.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; Freemanand#8217;s version is contemporary and accessible. It reflects no school of critical interpretation, just a wish to share these stories in a version that is faithful to the originals. (Sometimes variations in the myths have been combined; sometimes one version has been chosen in preference to the others.)
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;Philip Freemanandlt;/bandgt; is Qualley Professor of Classics at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and a former professor of classics at Washington University in St. Louis. He was selected as a visiting fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton for January 2012. He earned the first joint Ph.D. in classics and Celtic studies from Harvard University, and has been a visiting scholar at the Harvard Divinity School, the American Academy in Rome, and the Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, D.C.andnbsp;The author of several previous books including andlt;iandgt;Alexander the Great,andlt;/iandgt;andnbsp;andlt;iandgt;St. Patrick of Ireland andlt;/iandgt;and andlt;iandgt;Julius Caesar, andlt;/iandgt;he lives with his family in Decorah, Iowa. Visit him at PhilipFreemanBooks.com.