For a Kinder, Gentler Society
Orion's Guiding Stars
The Myth of the Hero and the Human Instinct for Story
  • Marc Ladewig
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Orion's Guiding Stars. The Myth of the Hero and the Human Instinct for Story
Sound Bite
The myth of the hero, the grand motif of folklore, is a three-part story that is found in human cultures across time and terrain, ever since we were hunter-foragers. Here, a veteran teacher shows that "The myth of the hero best reveals itself through a jewel of many facets rather than a single clear lens. You have to stand back at the proper distance from the painting in order to see the myth of the hero pop out." He explores the essential features of the myth, where these stories came from and what they are really about and analyzes how regular people see these stories, revealing an unexamined dimension.

About the Author

Marc Ladewig is an explorer, an adventurer who goes far afield and manages to send back news of his discoveries to those who remained behind. He set out long ago to find the root of these myths, consulting the impressive work of Campbell and other experts but taking a broader approach to the investigation, examining particulars but taking in the whole sweep, and asking at the same time how the great human pre-occupation with storytelling was merged with the quintessential plot line of our foundational tales. Ladewig is a veteran teacher of foreign languages and international studies; his passion for anthropology infuses the illustrated text.

About the Book
Combining science, history and literature, this information-packed book presents a wide-ranging tour from the pygmies to the Eskimo to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to explore the roots and the meanings of humanity's universal myth. The author...
Combining science, history and literature, this information-packed book presents a wide-ranging tour from the pygmies to the Eskimo to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to explore the roots and the meanings of humanity's universal myth. The author explores the essential features of the myth and how it aligns with life in traditional societies and even in baboon tribes, and goes on to speculate about what these stories reveal about humanity.

Pages 254
Year: 2017
BISAC: SOC002010 SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social
BISAC: HIS037000 HISTORY / World
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ISBN: 978-1-62894-276-7
Price: USD 22.95
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