Jean Lang’s A Book of Myths is a foundational work of modern anthropology covering in breathless style a pantheon of Western mythological figures, ranging from ancient Greece to medieval Scandinavia. In a relaxed, easily readable style, Lang re-tells the big familiar stories and several lesser-known ones. A look at the diverse chapter heading reveals the breadth of subjects covered:
Prometheus and Pandora, Pygmalion, Phaeton, Endymion, Orpheus, Apollo and Daphne, Psyche, The Calydonian Hunt, Atalanta, Arachne, Idas and Marpessa, Arethusa, Perseus the Hero, Niobe, Hyacinthus, King Midas of the Golden Touch, Ceyx and Halcyone, Aristaeus the Bee-keeper, Proserpine, Latona and the Rustics, Echo and Narcissus, Icarus, Clytie, The Cranes of Ibycus, Syrinx, The death of Adonis, Pan, Lorelei, Freya, Queen of the Northern Gods, The Death of Baldur, Beowulf, Roland the Paladin, The Children of lîr, Deirdrê.
