The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life \u0026 Work (Works) by Joseph Campbell

The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life \u0026 Work (Works) Reviews

• 
  Barnaby Thieme

  Having listened to dozens of hours of Campbell lectures in addition to reading several of his books, it's clear to me that Campbell is a much more effective speaker than writer. It may not be clear to audiences chiefly familiar with Campbell through the PBS series "The Power of Myth" but he is a prodigious scholar of immense learning and insight.
  
  This book is a delightful and fascinating collection of interview excerpts strung together to tell his biography, illuminated with the occasional digression into comparative religions, storytelling, or depth psychology. It's a fabulous way to get to know the man and his ideas, and an excellent introduction to his system of thought. It's very entertaining and deeply rewarding. Probably my favorite Campbell book.
• 
  Deirdre

  There are some great bits in this but there is also some appallingly sexist moments.
  
  He did some great work looking at the Hero's journey from the point of view of a man, and what he wrote was seminal, but he just didn't see stories that had women's journeys, maybe because they weren't recorded, maybe because, in the past, it was more important for a woman to remain at home and keep the next generation stable and continuing than go on a journey.
  
  The biggest problem is that now, this is the monomyth, the core that many writers can't see beyond, inversion of roles, changes of roles, he did say that there would be new myths built of our culture, I haven't seen many more than the ones he was starting to identify that centred around money.
  
  Interesting look at some of his ideas.
• 
  Michaela

  Sexism can really kill a mood. I used to respect this guy somewhat, but if he couldn't shake the most basic of social constructs, after having clearly stated that he knew otherwise, then I can't help but to doubt the validity of all else he has interpreted. I'm not saying there's nothing of value in there. I'm saying that after a certain number of pages thinking surely they are done with this old-school sexist crap now, only to turn into yet another freaking page of the shite, I was disgusted & (quite literally) tossed it the hell away from me. So, I guess one could say I've lost faith in his interpretations, which is a shame, for he quite clearly knew better, but went on w/ that nonsense anyway. Take it for what it is, but that was my experience here. *sigh.* So utterly disappointed.

  (Side note: I'm not a stranger to the male/female, positive/negative, polarities often set up in reading of a so-called mystical, or even magickal, orientation. That type of arrangement I have the background context for understanding.....and as such that is not what set me off in the reading of this book. I just wanted to be clear about that.)
• 
  Jeffrey Howard

  This book is largely a collection of transcribed interviews with Joseph Campbell. This is a benefit given that he is so much more affecting as a speaker than he is as a writer. He gets to the heart of the matter in spoken word while his writing can be a bit opaque and scholastic. This volume attempts to map out Campbells life according the monomyth, or hero's journey, formally dividing the chapters into each major step of the way: the call to adventure, the road of trials, etc. It was a clever thought but poorly delivered. The interviews felt scattered, disjointed. The attempt to aling it with the hero's journey felt more like an afterthought.
  
  Most of Campbell's greatest wisdom is captured within these covers and made more poignant by anecdotes from his life (his wife Jean was a huge impact on his thinking). I wouldn't give this book to a friend as an introduction to Campbell's work. Appropriately, it is a summation of his work, in bits and pieces. I enjoyed it but look forward to a more tradition biography.
• 
  Saiisha

  I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, and I wasn't disappointed! True to Campbell's other works, the depth of discussion about various topics that his life's work was involved in - myth, mythologies, stories, roles, rituals, etc. was outstanding.
  
  But the formatting of the book threw me - it's a collection of snippets of conversations between Campbell and the many poets and psychiatrists and even filmmakers who he inspired with his extensive work on the world's mythologies. I'm not sure I got used to the format even by the end of the book, but the topics of conversations were certainly enlightening.
  
  If you're interested in spirituality, philosophy, yoga, etc., join my Old Souls Book Club (
  https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...) for other recommendations and thought-provoking conversations!
• 
  Stephen Huntley

  Disjointed and self-congratulatory. Lots of fawning and name dropping. Rambling explanations and poor writing.
• 
  Claire

  Excerpts from interviews have Joseph Campbell in conversation with others inspired by him.
  Read in preparation for a course I'm doing in 'spiritual phyto'essencing' based on the theme of the hero's journey.
  Will follow up with The Hero with a Thousand Faces, his theory of the archetypal hero in ancient mythology.
• 
  Jason Meuschke

  I got this on an audible sale for cheap and jumped when I saw it as I love his Hero with a Thousand Faces.
  But this ain’t that.
  I didn’t read the description, perhaps at all? Imagine my surprise (after the first hour of listening) to find it to be a collection of interviews put together about Campbell’s life and his critical thinking POV.
  Still, I finished with an open mind and found many thought provoking, interesting tidbits.
  Overall, it’s not really my thing but it was done decently well. I’d rate it 3.5 if I could.
• 
  Gay

  More inspiration for writers. Also Star Wars source. Note: I'm pretty sure Asimov's Foundation series was also a huge influence to GL.
• 
  Jessica Schad Manuel

  Joseph Campbell had a remarkable mind that is evident in every answer he gives in these conversations. I elaborate on this in the following article:
  https://bookoblivion.com/2019/10/21/j...
• 
  Daniel

  If like me you are not familiar with the work of Joseph Campbell, this is a great way to dive right in. It's not only a look at this contributions to the world but also his life story that led to all those contributions. Through reading this I am much more closely connected to mythology and am assured that the work I've been doing over the past few years of looking inward is not for nothing and is core to my experience as a human. The sad thing is that I don't recall who handed me this book, still I will transmit my gratitude to the world and hope it will be felt by the gifter when desired.
• 
  Nikki

  A wonderful collection of interview with Campbell. Organized by the motif of the hero's journey. Reveals personal history of Campbell, as well as his attitude toward his experiences and his continual mythological understanding of all around him. Additionally, the epilogue contains a priceless tale.
• 
  Laline Paull

  Included because I'm a writer, so I need to know everything I can about the meaning, the origin, the potential of story. I was about to say, 'and this is a seminal work', but I realised there is no female parallel. 'This is an ovate work'. Just doesn't work.
  
  OK. It's a seminal work, but I'm not sure I like that phrase.
• 
  Judith Ann Kohnen

  Another good book I've read a couple of times. It names common structural elements found universally in myths, fairy tales, dreams, and movies. The author uses movies to defend his philosophy. A must in a writer's library.
• 
  داوود قنبری

  به نظر من این اثر بیشتر به درد کسانی می خوره که با کمپل آشنایی کافی دارند. و آثارش رو پیش از این خوانده اند. اما باز هم در همین کتاب مطالب بسیاری برای یادگیری وجود داره. اصولا جوزف کمپل به عنوان یک معلم انسان اثر بخشی در بین دانشجویانش، جامعه اش و حتی کل دنیا است.
• 
  Richelle

  Read this in college. It was very inspiring to me at the time. Still is in many ways. The video series by Bill Moyers is fascinating as well.
• 
  Melanie

  I've just re-read this book for the umpteenth time - a real classic that would definitely be on my desert island list.
• 
  Susan Reynolds

  I consider Joseph Cambelll one of my "spiritual fathers." I've read or watched everything he wrote or videotaped. ADORE.
• 
  Daniel Petra

  Sooner or later all of us will have to face and go through our own :Hero' Journey" ... whether we like it or not! We may try to avoid it as long as we can. I did!
• 
  Tore

  Some parts have not aged well, some parts are gems, some parts repeat themselves since the book is just a collection of short dialogues from different times and places.
  
  Part biography, part wisdom, part rants.
  Learn how to think about and recognize myths, use myths that are useful to you, live an authentic life.
  
  I will have to read The Hero with a Thousand Faces soon.
• 
  Tom Walsh

  Poorly organized hodge-podge.
  
  There’s an amazing amount of information in this book because Campbell has accumulated amount of knowledge of Mythology over the course of his life. Unfortunately, it comes at the reader like a barrage of names, traditions, and stories addressing multiple themes that only Campbell can keep straight.
  
  The lame questions fired at this fountain of knowledge follow no coherent thread and add nothing to the story he’s trying to tell, resulting in a stream of consciousness catalogue resembling a dramatic reading of a phone book.
  
  Please read Campbell’s own writings and leave this book alone.
  
  Three stars for his knowledge. Minus 6 for this book.
• 
  Sabby

  Joseph Campell is darn good in making me understand Mythology. Fascinating, brilliant in comparative religion and comparing mythology. He is pure love.
• 
  Madhur Ahuja

  Not as good as I was expecting. It's mostly collection of his interviews.
• 
  John Fredrickson

  One has to love Campbell. This book informs about his personal life, not as a biography, but more about what has mattered to him in his own journey. The book consists of a lot of interview segments with a wide variety of interviewers.
  
  I definitely enjoyed getting a sense for "the man behind the curtain", as it were, but overall the book felt a bit too meandering for me. I prefer his other books, which are much more focused.
• 
  Czarny Pies

  I bought this extremely handsome volume at the Salvation Army for $4.00 which is slightly over priced. At $2.00 it would have been a true bargain.
  
  The book is a compilation of transcripts of interviews done for a PBS documentary on Joseph Campbell that aired in 1988. In other words it is a gift item rather than a true book. As such, however, it is very well done. The photographs of Campbell taken at various stages in his life will please any Campbell. The selection of illustrations showing art objects related to the myths analyzed by Campbell in his writings is outstanding.
  
  This is a book for fan's so Campbell is not challenged anywhere. However, what is well done, is that Campbell's ideas are very well presented and explained. In particular, the book provides a succinct statement of one Campbell's major theses which is that: "God is a metaphor for a mystery that absolutely transcends all human categories of thought. ... A mythology is an organization of symbolic narratives and images that are metaphorical possibilities of human experience and fulfilment in a society at a given time."
  
  This book has its charms if you are a Campbell fan and occasionally rises above the level that is typical of spin-offs from TV series. Most readers, however, would be well advised to devote their time to other books.
• 
  Brian Eshleman

  So close, but yet so far. CS Lewis looks at myth and, by the grace of God, has his heart prepared for the Gospel by some of its patterns. Joseph Campbell is just as intrigued and perceptive but expresses himself throughout his post-Catholic life as an adversary of the Gospel's exclusive claims. As Elton Trueblood wrote, the same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay.
  
  As much of this work takes place before the end of Joseph Campbell's life after he has experienced much acclaim for his viewpoint, the quality of his heart is very hard indeed, and that impacts the quality of this work. As a Christian reader, I think I could have seen my way past some condescension, some expressed notion on Campbell's part that he had graduated from Christianity and was hoping others would do the same. Instead, he seems to be actively and distractingly hostile to the Christian viewpoint, taking a swipe at it anytime he can remotely associate his topic with what's wrong with traditional Christianity.
  
  When not protesting too much, though, he is a perceptive student of the human condition who ably phrases his observations. I gained a lot, although I think I would have gained more from his own writing rather than a hodgepodge of leftovers from the documentary.