Description
Book SynopsisThe Masks of God is the summation of Joseph Campbell's lifelong study of the origins and function of myth. In this volume, Oriental Mythology, Campbell examines Eastern mythology as it developed in the distinctive religions of Egypt, India, China and Japan. While Western religions dwell on good and evil, Eastern religions focus on the promise of eternal life. Oriental Mythology explores how Eastern religions came to manifest their varying modes of thought and expression.The Masks of God traces mankind's history as a search for meaning through ideas, themes and quests of culture and religion.
Trade ReviewCampbell's masterwork... has inspired passages connecting with the luminously permanent, beyond gender, beyond time. -- Guardian * . *
Campbell's words carry extraordinary weight, not only among scholars but among a wide range of other people who find his research down mythical pathways relevant to their lives today. -- Time * . *
Looks at the myths, rituals and legends of the Western world... The human race is united not just biologically but also spiritually, by ... continually recurring themes, subjects and stories... It is an extremely thorough contribution to our knowledge of the origins of the legends, themes and symbols which are integral to modern culture, both Eastern and Western. -- Tribune * . *
One cannot but admire the width and diversity of Joseph Campbell's scholarship. Campbell's great gift is for fluent and engaging exposition. -- 'New Society * . *
Campbell has become the rarest of intellectuals... a serious thinker who has been embraced by popular culture. -- Newsweek * . *
