Jenny March’s acclaimed Dictionary of Classical Mythology; first published in 1998 but long out of print; has been extensively revised and expanded including a completely new set of beautiful line-drawing illustrations for this Oxbow edition. It is a comprehensive A – Z guide to Greek and Roman mythology. All major myths; legends and fables are here; including gods and goddesses; heroes and villains; dangerous women; legendary creatures and monsters. Characters such as Achilles and Odysseus have extensive entries; as do epic journeys and heroic quests; like that of Jason and the Argonauts to win the Golden Fleece; all alongside a plethora of information on the creation of the cosmos; the many metamorphoses of gods and humans; and the Trojan War; plus more minor figures – nymphs; seers; kings; rivers; to name but a few.In this superbly authoritative work the myths are brilliantly retold; along with any major variants; and with extensive translations from ancient authors that give life to the narratives and a sense of the vibrant cultures that shaped the development of classical myth. The 172 illustrations give visual immediacy to the words; by showing how ancient artists perceived their gods and heroes. The impact of myths on ancient art is also explored; as is and their influence in the post-classical arts; emphasising the ongoing inspiration afforded by the ancient myths.Also included are two maps of the ancient world; a list of the ancient sources and their chronology; the more important genealogies; and an index of recurrent mythical motifs.Praise for the first edition:“… the Dictionary of Classical Mythology is exemplary; indeed the best I have consulted … clearly and engagingly written …it not only gives reliable answers but also encourages reading on.†Simon Goldhill; Times Literary Supplement“a prodigious; authoritative gazetteer; each entry both typographically and stylistically readable; and if you know more than is contained in these pages then you have no need of it.†Nicholas Lezard; Guardian Book of the Week“Greek myths pervade our own art and literature almost as much as they influenced that of classical times; and this will be an invaluable guide.†The Good Book Guide“… a modern encyclopaedia of myth and legend which is user-friendly in layout; presentation and style … vivid and readable.†Paula James; The Classical Review“These stories are frequently the spark that ignites a wider interest in the classical world; and March provides a wealth of inflammatory material.†Charles Paterson; JACT Review“This dictionary will still be valuable all through the next century.†Sir Hugh Lloyd-Jones“… vivid; detailed where it matters; yet concise; accurate; no padding; always to the point – it’s a joy to read.†Herwig Maehler
#1189774 in Books 2015-03-19 2015-03-19Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 12.30 x 1.00 x 9.80l; 3.70 #File Name: 1781550395240 pages
Review
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful. A Worthwhile Addition to the Bismarck CanonBy Max PrendergastThis abundantly illustrated book is definitely a worthwhile addition to the Bismarck canon. Here’s what you get:First; 40 pages covering historic background through commissioning.Next; 60 pages covering the famous sortie into the Atlantic.These historic sections are heavily photo illustrated; which is both good; but also bad. The photos; while including all the famous ones; do have many not seen in other Bismarck histories. However; the text is actually fairly brief; and while it covers all the essentials; there is not in-depth operational coverage.Next comes roughly 50 technical pages subdivided into topics like armament; fire control; and boats; and on to topics like anchors and chains; smoke generators; and sound locators (these last are representative of an interesting level of technical detail not easily found elsewhere).Roughly 10 pages on “Paint Schemes†have nice color profile drawings of Bismarck as painted during all phases of its short career. Elsewhere in the book are color profiles of the Prinz Eugen and even of each of the German destroyers that escorted Bismarck as far as Norway. The Arado floatplanes get color profiles as well. Plus there are a couple of pages capturing the few photos that exist of Bismarck in color.There is then a short section on James Cameron’s Bismarck diving expedition (in which the author participated) accompanied by eerie underwater color photographs of the wreck (as usual; due to lighting limitations these are always tight shots of fairly small areas).Twenty pages then offer photos of a couple of outstanding Bismarck models; one in 1:100 scale. Such hyper-detailed models are often the easiest way to visualize key design details; since the photography is inevitably better than it is ever possible to get of an actual ship. (The book is on high quality; but not high gloss; paper; so while photographic fidelity is very good; it is not of the absolute highest possible range.)Lastly; 40 pages of appendices cover things like ranks; flags; survivors’ names; and other pertinent miscellany.Overall; a very good book. The huge number of illustrations and level of detail in certain areas make this book well worth a look by modelers and by those fascinated with the dramatic story of this particular ship. Those whose interests are more oriented towards naval or military history may find it just a bit light on substance; hence four stars rather than five.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A good book for Bismarck history buffsBy Goat_WhispererThe first half of the book is devoted to the Bismarck's history from the laying of the keel to the final battle. While the battle narratives do not cover any new ground; they are very detailed. Salvo by salvo detailed. You have to be familiar with the account of the hunt for the Bismarck since that background story is not the focus of this book.The second half describes everything you could want to know about the ship; such as a range and penetration table for her main guns; which way the propellers rotated (2 counterclockwise; 1 clockwise); even the types of anchors. This book is filled with photographs and drawings - paint schemes; boat layouts; fire control radars; and rangefinders. There are photographs taken during the Battle of the Denmark strait which I doubt have ever been published.There are also chapters devoted to the discovery and exploration of the wreck. This is the weakest part of the book. The photos are of poor quality; some so muddy and low contrast that you have to take the author's word for what you see. If you are looking for a Robert Ballard style photographic wreck exploration; look elsewhere.Overall though; a good book filled with minutia that will make any Bismarck history fan happy.12 of 13 people found the following review helpful. Diffinative - not quite - but dang closeBy W. PollockA wonderfully put together book. Contains all that you can find on his website plus a few extras. If you can own Classic warships 19 and Skwiot's German Capital ships you will have nearly the majority of photos of Bismarck. Line drawings and maps are well presented and of high quality. Colour photos and black and white are clear. It does have some errors; like the colour photos on page 170 reverse imaged of port and starboard; but the same photos are also reproduced exactly the same in Siegried Breyer and Gerhard Koops book "The German Navy at war 1935-1945" on page 99 - so what; Beyer is an authority and if he can get it wrong then Asmussen is in the same league of peers. A book like this will always have some debate; the detractors should have better references than to open mouth before extracting feet. Yes there may be mistakes; so what ; others have done the same on a first publish; but theses errors do not detract from the value and worth of this piece. A wonderfully set out book full of information and in all in one place - what more can you ask for. it is not the ultimate definitive work - it does come oh so close . Yes there are lots of books on Bismarck - Garzke; Battleships - Axis and Neutral Battleships in world war II; those mentioned above etc etc; but none of these give a better overall picture and history and look at the Bismarck. Full of photos; details on the armour and guns; 3D models; data. Its a one stop shop book and one well worth having on ones book shelf as reference and reading material. Yes; very highly recommended - you can't go wrong.
