Myths are the greatest stories ever told. Passed down over millennia, the great myths are the templates for all our stories, with their eternal themes of creation and destruction, fate and cunning, heroism and cruelty, sensuality and war. Retold here are nearly 200 myths--from Prometheus defying Zeus to create man, to the destruction of Troy; from the reign of the sun god Ra in Egypt to the one-eyed, raven-flanked Odin of the icy North; and from valiant battles against Frost Giants and Cyclopes, to the heroic quests for the Golden Fleece and the Holy Grail--all accompanied by commentaries on their origins, common themes, and meanings. Compellingly written, concise, and with each myth illustrated with an iconic image, Myths in Minutes is the perfect way to understand and enjoy the world's great fables.

Author Biography

Neil Philip is a writer, folklorist and poet. Among his many books are The Penguin Book of English Folktales, Mythology (with Philip Wilkinson), Myths and Legends, The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales, the Illustrated Book of Myths, The Tale of Sir Gawain, and The Adventures of Odysseus. Neil has contributed to numerous journals and has written for stage, screen, and radio. His work has won many awards and honors, including the Aesop Award of the American Folklore Society.