Top products from r/GreekMythology

I always recommend this each time this question is asked:

d'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths

https://www.amazon.com/Daulaires-Greek-Myths-Ingri-dAulaire/dp/0385015836/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

It’s sumptuously illustrated, comprehensive but not exhaustive, barely sanitized but reasonably adapted for younger readers while still being thorough and honest with its treatment of the characters for adults, weaving everything logically and chronologically from the creation myths all the way through the Trojan War.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It’s great for kids, and great on a coffee table, and it’s great on a night stand. Do yourself and spend the $20 for the hardback and enjoy the ever loving heck out this perfect introduction to Greek mythology.

If you’d like a slightly more comprehensive set of recommendations for primary tests (such as the partial lists recommended elsewhere in this thread) I’d be happy to do that too!

If you're interested in the 'rarer' and more obscure Greek myths, try to find copies of The God of the Greeks and The Heroes of the Greeks both by Karl Kerenyi. He does an amazing job pulling many of the Greek myths into a very good narrative and really focuses on a lot of the lesser known stories or versions of stories, many which I've not seen referenced outside the source material.

I think it’s out of print now, but this book introduced me to all the major myths in the most beautiful way. It’s a children’s book in comic book format

Link: https://www.biblio.com/book/greek-myths-young-children-williams-marcia/d/1043236771?aid=frg&utm_source=google&utm_medium=product&utm_campaign=feed-details&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-dSBzc7H2gIVVrjACh27GwV9EAQYBSABEgLqC_D_BwE

EDIT: THANK ZEUS! It is STILL in print! Here’s the paperback on amazon Greek Myths https://www.amazon.com/dp/0763653845/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8Dt2AbM25K073

This Greek Myths compendium by Olivia Coolidge is a great starter. Decent translation, good variety. Easy read!

Edit: Also, Stephen Fry’s Mythos. I’m about 1/4 in and it’s a fun read so far.

This is the book I bought not so long ago. Great introduction, wonderful translation, thoroughly enjoyable.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0520292863/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_yS-XDb345S71P

I find Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes to be a good read for a more summary-based approach. HERE

Beyond that, I would suggest the Iliad and the Odyssey as good starting points. Personally, I find the Odyssey to be a much better read, so I'd start with the and then read the Iliad to fill in the larger scope of information.

Look at Gods and Heroes, by Gustav Shwab.

A compilation of many small myths and a few bigger myths. GREAT background reading.

Here's a link to the Amazon Version.

Kinda expensive, but it's a very long book with a TON of different myths, well worth the money.

My favorite is Karl Kerenyi: The Gods of the Greeks and The Heroes of the Greeks.

Edith Hamilton's "Mythology" is pretty good.

This is one of the most copied stories there is. There are dozens and dozens of versions of it.

As someone else said, "O brother where art thou" is a retelling of the Odyssey, but it is fairly abstracted away. For someone who didn't already know the story of the Odyssey, many of the allusions and "retelling" you might not be able to notice.

There is also the classic Joyce novel Ulysses, now a classic of English literature on its own.

Walcott's Omeros

Marget Atwood wrote the "Penelopiad" which retells the story from the wife's perspective.

A few others : Cold Mountain, Big Fish (both the book and the movie), Ice Age : Continental Drift, Ulysses 31 (Anime),


There are also more straight "updated translations"
https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Dramatic-Retelling-Homers-Epic/dp/0393330818

I started reading this book series (https://www.amazon.com/Have-Time-Hades-Myth-Mania/dp/1434234371) when I was assigned it in 4th or 5th grade and I loved it. I believe it is targeted at people that age and is a comical retelling of greek myths.

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton

This one is good: https://www.amazon.com/Mythology-Timeless-Tales-Gods-Heroes/dp/0446574759/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484152400&sr=8-1&keywords=greek+mythology

and so is this one: https://www.amazon.com/Greek-Mythology-featuring-Hercules-Goddesses-ebook/dp/B01IL28N5C/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1484152441&sr=1-3&keywords=greek+mythology
for the basic myths. I also like "The Greek Myths" by Robert Graves, although a lot of folks didn't, but I didn't expect it to be in comic-book form....people did, but it wasn't. Huge book of myths.

I think this one

The Dictionary of Classical Mythology: The Indispensable Guide for All Students and Readers of Ancient and Modern Literature and Art https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553257765/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vqP0BbNYMEKX0

I suggest [The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony] (https://www.amazon.com/Marriage-Cadmus-Harmony-Roberto-Calasso/dp/0679733485)

UK Link:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Greek-Mythology-Ancient-Achilles-Egyptian-ebook/dp/B01D4YU19S

The Greek Myths by Robert Graves: https://www.amazon.com/Greek-Myths-Complete-Definitive/dp/0241982359/ref=pd_sbs_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0241982359&pd_rd_r=871caeef-b031-11e8-97de-971d4c54e3db&pd_rd_w=mIMg9&pd_rd_wg=kMZJJ&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=0bb14103-7f67-4c21-9b0b-31f42dc047e7&pf_rd_r=QHD7RDTEQ4PDEYP474C9&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=QHD7RDTEQ4PDEYP474C9

i'd say start w robert graves. this is a fun edition of his classic: https://www.amazon.com/Greek-Myths-Penguin-Classics-Deluxe/dp/0143106716/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526608880&sr=1-1&keywords=robert+graves+greek+myths

then read the "primary" sources

the homeric hymns

hesiod

hyginus

ovid

apollodorus