Six Myths of Our Time: Little Angels, Little Monsters, Beautiful Beasts, and More

I was assigned this book for a mythologies course in college, and normally I don't like assigned reading, but this was actually really well written and brought up very interesting topics. I would recommend this book even outside of school as it modernized mythology in a cool way.

I loved Marina Warner's _Monuments and Maidens: The Allegory of the Female Form_, so when I saw this book, I had to have it. I have to say that I'm a little bit disappointed after _Monuments and Maidens_. I expected a more in-depth study. Instead, these six essays barely seem to scratch the surface of the topics. These essays are basically transcripts of six lectures Warner gave for BBC radio, which explains their brevity, but it's a shame she didn't expand upon them when she decided to publish them in print.Still, there are some very interesting things here. I would definitely recommend it if you're interested in folklore and are just starting your studies. For the advanced student, the book just leaves you wanting more.

This was purchased for class professional reading and was an interesting title that provided many insightful ideas about the area of study.

While I would've loved to LOVE this book...I just couldn't. Marina Warner has barely scraped the surface of all there is to be said about myth and legend in connection with societal thinking in this little book (originally six essays for BBC radio). Each chapter undertakes a different aspect of society from women, to cannibalism, to our idealization of childhood. In all honesty, each one could've been a book in itself if expanded and pondered over. Due to the fact that each essay was relatively short it felt as if Warner's points were rushed and ill-researched. While I would put this book above some others that connect modern examples with myth, I still think that Warner could've done a more in-depth job and added more focus to individual chapters. They each seem to skip around a bit and lack effective organization.Don't get me wrong, there are a number of gems in the pages of this work. Warner draws interesting parallels between myth and folklore and how it continues to resurface in modern times whether it be film, writing, television, etc. She also cites numerous outside sources that sound fascinating and that inspired her work. In a way, this work is a jumping-off point into a throng of directions into cultural criticism.

Slim volume, quick read, and beautiful essays that have stood the test of time. I will now be searching out other works by this writer.

I really love reading Warner's work. Her analyses are sometimes surprising and often brilliant, the writing beautiful. I use this book in teaching Gender Psychology and when I wrote The Secret Lives of Girls (Free Press, 2002).

If nothing else this collection of essays, originally broadcasted over the radio acts as a culturally diverse and aware reference guide; so much is covered coherently and originally by Warner that the extent of her research is clear and noteworthy.Many Greek myths are drawn upon and myriad others from differing times and cultures to illustrate Warner's belief of the importance of such stories to understanding current and past issues, she draws links between behaviours expressed then and what their meanings and relevance are now. Six essays are contained in a small volume, making them to the point but in no way limited. Warner's writing is witty, intelligent and valuable to read if you are interested in the re-evaluation of myths or any of the individual subjects she discusses:1. Monstrous Motherswomen over the top2. Boys Will Be Boysthe making of the male3. Little Angels, little Monsterskeeping childhood innocent4. Beautiful Beaststhe call of the wild5. Cannibal Talesthe hunger for conquest6. Homeour famous island raceAll of which are interesting, enlightening and poignant.