The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Bollingen Series, No. 17)

A thoroughly intense and all-embracing read. In the 2-page preface written in 1948, he states such ground-shakingly obvious facts about the human psyche, that you'll wonder why these ideas had never dawned on you before. Then, into the main text of the book, and you're spirited away into an adventure that explores all forms of mythology and their importance in founding different cultures all around the world. But it goes much further than simply reciting tales from the past. The narrative (thoroughly annotated with references to other works) is so reassuring and worldly-wise, that the book is almost impossible to put down. Yet, this author seems to be humble and meek, despite the cavalcade of knowledge and calmly-considered conclusions. At one point, he claims that Buddhism and Hinduism are the best religions because they do not preach that a single figurehead is the goal of your worship, but that these religions simply suggest pathways to enlightenment. Compare Islam, Judaism and Christianity, where a single God is the end to all means. The latter religions are also represented by the most warlike countries! Both authoritative and speculative, this book is the work of a genius. This man really understood how the human mind works. First published 1949.