Historian Honestly Reviews Stephen Fry's Mythology Books

[@danskihatch]

Literally what happened to me. Read Mythos, thought “omg”, and like 5 or 6 years later I have a massively library of myths and retellings. 👍🏽

[@MoAnInc]

As you should!!!

[@Enhancedlies]

SAME

[@jaymarshall845]

It was definitely a "re-jumping" start for me! Loved these stories as a kid, love all of Fry's books, and love this show. Keep going!

[@MoAnInc]

❤️🙏

[@nicole__toni]

I got the illustrated Mythos for Christmas! So excited to read it😍 it’s stunning xx

[@MoAnInc]

Isn’t it just!!!!

[@DANJEPO]

I’ve just recently finished listening to the series on Audible, Stephen Fry narrating his own work is brilliant, you get the humour and serious tones when necessary, making it, for me, a heightened experience than reading to yourself. All three are incredible so I had to have the hardcover physical copies too! 10/10 for me. Love your book reviews Erica, my audible is full of your recommendations

[@MoAnInc]

🥹❤️

[@Genethagenius]

I found out about these books from your channel! Being American I kind of knew who Stephen Fry was, but had no idea he was so knowledgeable about the Classics! And the books are amazing volumes. Everything from the art to the page layout is just so well done. (And the Footnotes! Oh, the lovely footnotes and Appendices). I really, really hope the public libraries and school libraries have tons of copies. I was lucky enough to find a copy of “Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of Greek Myth” by Bernard Evslin when I was 8, and Mr. Fry’s works were the first to capture that feeling of reading them again for the first time.

[@MoAnInc]

‼️‼️‼️

[@RobHinkforth]

11:35 you convinced me, I am getting a copy of mythos: thanks for the video, you’re enthusiastic mindset lit an intrinsic interest for Mythos. In the university, I was a religious studies major. It sounds all very familiar.

[@MoAnInc]

I hope you enjoy it!!!!

[@bleepods]

Oh my god I didn't know there's a pretty version of mythos!! Gonna have to get myself a copy, thanks for the vid! I love your videos so much and your whole channel is massively underrated

[@MoAnInc]

Thank you 🥹🙏

[@thomasmathieu4463]

I was looking for a book to get my second grader into reading. A coworker suggested Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. We got the first book The Lightning Thief and we enjoyed it very much. I knew Stephen wrote Heros but found Mythos in the public library, so I checked it out and fell in love with Greek mythology. Can’t wait to read Heros and Troy. Thanks for your review!

[@eric.aaron.castro]

Literary critic, Northrop Frye, has noted that 'The gods and heroes of the old myths fade away and give place to people like ourselves'.

[@PamelaContiGlass]

I learned most of these myths in school, in Italy, as a kid. I read Ovid. I read the Iliad and Odyssey in Latin and italian (for some reason, maybe to prepare us for the Aeneid?) I also read and listened to various translations in italian and English, but the Fry's books are in a class of their own. So simple, I feel comfortable suggesting them to my friends that know nothing about it, yet so beautifully written and researched to impress even jaded classicists. I can't wait for the Odyssey. I didn't know he was working on it (but I suspected as much) and I am really looking forward to it.

[@sheilashanti]

Stephen Fry is a personal hero of mine. Love his work, and yours! Keep it up Erica!

[@MoAnInc]

Thank you!

[@kbasco2000]

Ideal for the summer vacations, thanks!!!

[@MoAnInc]

You’re so welcome!

[@mystif1976]

I love Fry I have Mythos and Heroes, added to my Cambell collection but didn't know of an illustrated version, thanks ordering now ;)

[@JanHoos]

I read Mythos and Heroes but wanted to pick up the illustrated edition. Wanted to check out a review and then came across your channel. Subbed when I saw all those great video's! I need a few nights off to watch 'm al haha! Awesome to see that this is a nice starting point to deepen my knowledge about ancient history and greek mythology :D

[@Lumbeelegend]

I am a 35 year old, Native American from the southern American states who shares many of the typical political beliefs that would be expected. Stephen Fry is one of my heros. I love his story, his acting and comedic sketches from his show with Hugh Laurie, and most of all, his books and narrative works from the Harry Potter series. My little sister convinced me to listen to the Potter audio books and not having read many books my entire 29 years, I fell in love. It's childish, but I enjoyed them. Listening to his Mythos series got me into etymology, which then got me into attempting to learn greek. It's a beautiful language and many of our words are ancestors of theirs, obviously. He was a badass for not taking the Knighthood, but before his life ends, I hope he will be known as Sir Stephen Fry. Thank you for the review Erica and I'm ecstatic to learn of his new books on the Odyssey. You've made my week!

[@MoAnInc]

Thank you SO MUCH for watching! ✨

[@roadtoantiquity]

I have only read Mythos a couple of years ago and liked it - never got around to the rest. Now adding at least Troy to my reading list (while reading the Iliad atm)

[@MoAnInc]

Let us know how you find them!

[@atkinsj24]

Question: My desire is to read the classics in the original. I am currently learning latin with Wheelock and Lingua Latina. Does anyone know of a similar book like Lingua Latina for Ancient Greek? Thanks

[@cheetah_100]

Probably an important question: How does Fry's Mythos compare to the classic Edith Hamilton's Mythology??

[@SobekLOTFC]

Keep up the exceptional work, Erica 👍

[@MoAnInc]

Thank you :)

[@williamwhitla6406]

Hey, just came across your channel as i bought Mythos, half way through the first chapter. Already loving it! A question but, i wouldn't be a huge reader but have really gotten into it lately, just finished traitors gate from Jeffrey Archer (Was really good too), the issue with the likes of these Stephen Fry books is all the information that will be in them. Do you have any advice on how best to read and maximise the retention of all the facts. My memory is so bad!lol Thanks

[@osckarlaguna.]

Long ago when I started to read greek mithology I came across with thee books, Apollodorus´s library , Antoninus Liberalis Metamophoses and mitlogogia grecorromana of Jean humbert.

[@jesusdelcanto9715]

I would really like you to make a video about The Book of One Thousand and One/Arabian Nights. I know it's not in the themes of the channel but it's one of my favourite classics in universal literature. Besides, I've read it contains many elements of Odyssey, like Simbad's encounter with a cyclops-type monster and the structure of stories within stories. I've read somewhere that Penelope has also been compared to Scheherezade.

[@mervistoh2238]

How does the series by Stephen Fry compare to Classical Mythology by Annette Giesecke and Mythology by Edith Hamilton? Anyone has an opinion?

[@hippomancy]

I think an interesting contrast with Stephen Fry's "Mythos" was reading Neil Gaiman's "Norse Mythology"- Gaiman ended up with a dry structured framing of the stories as they have been told in past. unusually flat book for him. but Fry is lively and engaging; mostly because he is engaged by the subject; it is colourful and alive to him. this is story-telling, retold. Gaiman is involved in an exercise of pedagogy; Fry is entertaining himself by getting in touch with an early enthusiasm. Kudos to Fry, and to yourself by being engaging with your channel.

[@stuart1346]

Speaking of Bellerophon being unpronounceable The British had a ship during The Napoleonic Wars called HMS Bellerophon. The sailors couldn’t pronounce the name so instead referred to her as ‘Billy Ruffian.’ It was aboard this ship that Napoleon surrendered after his defeat at Waterloo. Hope you’ll be reviewing The Odyssey soon I’m half way through it.

[@jtaha1771]

Great video, very informative !

[@MoAnInc]

Thank you 🙏

[@285wilson]

I’m currently reading Mythos, about half way through after two weeks. The stories are so nicely contained that it doesn’t make me feel the need to rush. Also having heard or read 97% of these it’s great to see some sort of possible chronology thrown together for them. Funny enough I really started liking myths after reading Percy Jackson which is a book Stephen Fry makes reference to when speaking of the sons of Poseidon. So I now consider Percy Jackson as a true modern myth. 😂

[@MoAnInc]

Hahaha fair enough! Percy Jackson deserves it tbh 😂

[@DNS-FRANK09]

I picked up a dictionary from a thrift store and it was a dictionary of Greek mythological characters it was pretty cool❤ it was an old book but I loved it and I've actually found a lot of books at thrift stores like I found a copy of Sophocles Oedipus cycle ❤❤❤ maybe I'll look into Stephen fry

[@mustavogaia2655]

It would be nice to see a intrview with Victor Davis Hanson.

[@tylermileslockett]

Excellent review Erica! youre doing the lords (polytheistic lords) work! bless your heart! (texas slang)

[@MoAnInc]

Thank you, Tyler!!! ❤️✨

[@mugdhamandal4734]

What order did you read it in??..... Also can I read Troy and Odyssey first without reading Mythos and Heroes??

[@alpenjon]

Dammit I love Mythos, definitely a jumping off point for me!

[@MoAnInc]

💯💯💯

[@madeleinemagsano2543]

Can you suggest a good translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses?

[@MoAnInc]

The newest one (which I think is wonderful) is by Stephanie McCarter :)

[@Fledermausmann]

I actually don't recommend buying these books... because there're are the audiobooks! THAT HE READS! It's a 10 hour long bedtime story read to you by the author himself!! I'm personally waiting for the next amazon sale and am going to go ham and buy them all.

[@MoAnInc]

So many people seem to really LOVE the audiobooks!

[@joesdi]

Ovid didn't write the Metamorphoses to make the Empire laugh 😅

[@jacindamcclelland470]

He has the 4th book of this collection the odyssey coming out in about 6 weeks

[@MoAnInc]

It’ll be released the 26th of September ✨

[@Holmnielsen-]

i would cry if i stood in front of Stephen Fry too!

[@MoAnInc]

At least it’s not just me!!! 😂

[@JohnSaxon-vw5vi]

Thank you for three 3️⃣ more homework books 📚 miss teacher 👩‍🏫 here is a apple 🍏 lol 😂😂I can’t wait to read them all as I love ❤️ reading 📖 his work prayers and blessings to you and your family love your Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤

[@robertgerrity878]

What??? No mention of the base reference book, Robert Graves' The Greek Myths (post 2000 Peguin 1 vol, so physically readable). Dip in & out. Variants with the focused chapters.

[@johnmichaelarellano9162]

Hello, new subscriber here. I really like your reviews! Can you also do a review of Medusa's Sisters by Lauren J. A. Bear please?

[@MoAnInc]

I’ll add it to the list 🤓

[@beritbranch2436]

Thank You🌈

[@MoAnInc]

🫶🏼✨🖤

[@Thisandthat8908]

he didin't just take a early narrative of the greek myth and re-wrote them in a modern way. This waould be relatively easy and quick work. There is a lot more work going in this.

[@tylermileslockett]

Love Stephen fry! 🤘😁🤘❤️🏛

[@MoAnInc]

😄‼️

[@Charlottebaasmsb]

Would you say that they are easy to read? because english isn’t my native language😅

[@jaydee11.11]

Troy is a great example of SunTzu's element of surprise in Art of War!

[@torrentialrage]

Lol are those both a hardcover and a softcover of the same book? 😂 ❤

[@roadtoantiquity]

Yes, but one of them is the illustrated Mythos:D

[@MoAnInc]

^^^ 😏🤓

[@Bonkatsu12]

Holy hell!! You are insanely beautiful!! 😍😍

[@1thomson]

It's the overbite. Gets me every time.

[@khushikashyap9155]

I don't know about facts and truth but I know a absolute truth that you're pretty

[@Googleman81]

On the chance of sounding like an uninformed snob, wouldn't it be best, if historical research on say ancient Greek topics is conducted in ancient Greek, to get as close to the source material as possible. Not that Oxford curated books aren't great and all, just seems a little less committed. The Pantheon is really pretty btw, one can only imagine what it looked like before they filled the alcoves with Christian saints.