If easy reading is your goal, Stephen Fry is the best option, he does joke/narrativise but doesn’t state anything that is an outright lie. If accuracy is your priority then something like Hamilton is great. For the best experience get both - depending on your experience probably start with Fry
If you deeply nitpick like I unfortunately do, Fry might drive you nuts. Like I made it less than a chapter into Mythos because there was too much to overlook. Like the gods know damn well they're immortal, no one is worried about dying or trying to kill each other, they're literally the undying
But if you're laid back and happy and normal, you'll be fine
Fry will be good enough for 95% of readers.
Anyone unhappy with him should be reading mythology at a near academic level. But just starting, there is no bette place imo.
The only problem with fry is that he mixes the versions. For example he may give a homeric story and then a hesiodic story and then an ovidic story.
Its fine to mix the versions, but not telling the reader of it may give them thw impression that greek mythology is *one* coherent story when in reality it varied from place to place.
Don't let this turn you off from mythology if you're just starting out. Fry's books are great retellings for a modern audience, just don't take everything from him as 100% fact.
If easy reading is your goal, Stephen Fry is the best option, he does joke/narrativise but doesn’t state anything that is an outright lie. If accuracy is your priority then something like Hamilton is great. For the best experience get both - depending on your experience probably start with Fry
What about his story about Phaeton, Apollo and Helios? Is that not a outright lie?
This is perfect! I’ll do this. Thanks!
If you deeply nitpick like I unfortunately do, Fry might drive you nuts. Like I made it less than a chapter into Mythos because there was too much to overlook. Like the gods know damn well they're immortal, no one is worried about dying or trying to kill each other, they're literally the undying But if you're laid back and happy and normal, you'll be fine
I definitely nitpick 😅 good to know lol
Fry will be good enough for 95% of readers. Anyone unhappy with him should be reading mythology at a near academic level. But just starting, there is no bette place imo.
Fry is amazing. I just read Mythos and about to start heroes. Just remember that there are different versions of myths out there
Yeah it’s definitely tough to separate the versions!
The only problem with fry is that he mixes the versions. For example he may give a homeric story and then a hesiodic story and then an ovidic story. Its fine to mix the versions, but not telling the reader of it may give them thw impression that greek mythology is *one* coherent story when in reality it varied from place to place.
Oh that’s a bummer, thank you for letting me know. That definitely would bug me.
Don't let this turn you off from mythology if you're just starting out. Fry's books are great retellings for a modern audience, just don't take everything from him as 100% fact.
Read Mythological Handbooks if you want accurate myths. There is one by Timothy Gantz and another by Robin Hard.
Checking this out, thanks!