Historical Book Review a Short History of Myth
World history book review assignment
Bibliographical citation: Armstrong, Karen
A short history of myth
Published: Canada, by vintage Canada a division of random house Canada limited, Toronto, Ontario in 2006
Summary: What are myths? How have they evolved? And why do we still so desperately need them? These are the questions that are being answered in Karen Armstrong’s a short history of myth. The book takes you on an adventure throughout time all the way back to the paleolithic period and there myths all the way to the great western transformation. Armstrong describes human beings as “meaning-seeking creatures” (pg.2) meaning that we as humans need to create myths and rituals so that we can better understand why things happen and why we are here. Throughout the book Ms. Armstrong is showing us how myth has influenced society and human way of life. Also how the modern day world is without myth making us more scientific minded than spiritual we are more closed minded. Armstrong also shows us the transition from simple creatures in hunter gatherer societies to a complex society. Armstrong explains why we as humans in the past needed myth to understand more about how we should live and why things happen. They also used myth to justify what they do for example the book she describes in hunter gatherer tribes how they created myth of hunting gods or goddesses so that they don’t feel bad that they are just killing animals for their own gain now they are killing for a divine purpose as well as creating rituals to justify killing animals.
Overview of purpose and intended audience:
A Short History of Myths purpose is to tell you what a myth is why it was created and how it evolved and influenced later civilizations it is also trying to prove that myths were only created because we as human beings long for the understanding of the unknown. The intended audience for this book would have to be someone with an open mind and willing to hear Armstrong’s opinion and
Bibliographical citation: Armstrong, Karen
A short history of myth
Published: Canada, by vintage Canada a division of random house Canada limited, Toronto, Ontario in 2006
Summary: What are myths? How have they evolved? And why do we still so desperately need them? These are the questions that are being answered in Karen Armstrong’s a short history of myth. The book takes you on an adventure throughout time all the way back to the paleolithic period and there myths all the way to the great western transformation. Armstrong describes human beings as “meaning-seeking creatures” (pg.2) meaning that we as humans need to create myths and rituals so that we can better understand why things happen and why we are here. Throughout the book Ms. Armstrong is showing us how myth has influenced society and human way of life. Also how the modern day world is without myth making us more scientific minded than spiritual we are more closed minded. Armstrong also shows us the transition from simple creatures in hunter gatherer societies to a complex society. Armstrong explains why we as humans in the past needed myth to understand more about how we should live and why things happen. They also used myth to justify what they do for example the book she describes in hunter gatherer tribes how they created myth of hunting gods or goddesses so that they don’t feel bad that they are just killing animals for their own gain now they are killing for a divine purpose as well as creating rituals to justify killing animals.
Overview of purpose and intended audience:
A Short History of Myths purpose is to tell you what a myth is why it was created and how it evolved and influenced later civilizations it is also trying to prove that myths were only created because we as human beings long for the understanding of the unknown. The intended audience for this book would have to be someone with an open mind and willing to hear Armstrong’s opinion and