New Book: Gods and Mortals:
Ancient Greek Myths for Modern Readers
An enticing and entrancing new telling of ancient Greek myths
Gripping tales that abound with fantastic characters and astonishing twists and turns, Greek myths confront what it means to be mortal in a world of powerful forces beyond human control. Little wonder that they continue to fascinate readers thousands of years after they were first told. Gods and Mortals is a major new telling of ancient Greek myths by one of the world’s preeminent experts. In a fresh, vibrant, and compelling style that draws readers into the lives of the characters, Sarah Iles Johnston offers new narrations of all the best-known tales as well as others that are seldom told, taking readers on an enthralling journey from the origin of the cosmos to the aftermath of the Trojan War.
Some of the mortals in these stories are cursed by the gods, while luckier ones are blessed with resourcefulness and resilience. Gods turn themselves into animals, humans, and shimmering gold to visit the earth in disguise—where they sometimes transform offending mortals into new forms, too: a wolf, a spider, a craggy rock. Other mortals use their wits and strength to conquer the monsters created by the gods—gorgons, dragons, fire-breathing bulls.
Featuring captivating original illustrations, Gods and Mortals highlights the rich connections between the different characters and stories, draws attention to the often-overlooked perspectives of female characters, and stays true both to the tales and to the world in which ancient people lived.
From Princeton University Press
“This book is a triumph! All of human nature is beautifully and strikingly portrayed in this magnificent retelling of the Greek myths. Readers will find here everything they could possibly want—intrigue, love, lust, revenge, and every sort of behavior, both good and bad. It would be hard to find a better introduction to that vast body of tales or a better written one.”
“Move over, Edith Hamilton! Sarah Iles Johnston has hit the magical refresh button on Greek myths. Presto, the tales sparkle and shine for a new generation of readers. Like the poets, bards, and rhapsodes of ancient times, Johnston reminds us that there is no single, authoritative version of a myth and that stories are kept alive by adding new ingredients to the old, improving their flavor, zest, and aroma.
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“In the venerable tradition of Edith Hamilton, Sarah Iles Johnston retells the classical tales of ancient Greek mythology with verve and a storyteller’s passion. This is a book readers should turn to- and return to often to appreciate anew these myths in all their grandeur and
complexity.”
“Gods and Mortals is a remarkable achievement, a rare combination of great storytelling and deft scholarship. It reads like a novel, with many nested plots, but it is suffused with deep knowledge of the texts. You can read it front to back as a single story, or you can dip in to check what the ancients really wrote about the Titans or that Trojan horse. Johnston has become our best guide to these myths to what they are and how their characters come to feel alive to people.”
“Gods and Mortals is a brilliantly executed narration of ancient Greek myth. Johnston outdoes her predecessors, like Bulfinch, Hamilton, and Graves, in the unadorned clarity of her presentation. The book is masterful and promises to help steer a widening interest in this precious body of terrifically good stories.”