Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion

This book is perfect, from beginning to end. The mythological discussions, the life advice, the stories, they all flow together so beautifully. This book is helping me grow in deep ways. I’ll definitely be reading it again.

Joseph cambell said the world stays the same, but our consciousness changes. Brilliant. I have read parts of this book for years. And finally I got the chance to read it cover to cover and I am amazed. I could read it again and again. A true classic.

If you like Joseph Campbell (and, perhaps, have read some of his books), you will love this unique collection of his writings and thoughts. Personally taken by Diane Osborn from a series of lectures from his Easley Institute and supplemented by excerpts, this is an amazing overview of Joseph Campbell’s thoughts and ideas. Open to any page and be inspired and amazed!

I read this book while taking extended leave from work having previously read 'The hero with a thousand faces'. Oh my ..... right book, right time! A deeply mind bending, wonderful read. My copy is full of underlining, sticky notes and dog eared pages. I wanted to talk to everyone about this book and keep returning to it to reread sections. In life we come to crossroads and this book helped me to think through where I was and where I wanted to be. It provided a wonderful framework of philosophical ideas that resonated deeply. Campbell says 'We cannot cure the world of sorrows but we can choose to live in joy'. In transforming our own thinking we can 'rediscover the moving power of our lives'. A powerful message given the state of the world in current times. I don't necessarily agree with some of his views about women but they are of his time and can be reframed within the larger philosophical ideas expressed in the book. Challenging and deeply satisfying.

I read parts of this fantastic book many years ago and it left a lasting impression on me. I recently started to recall the great wise words from this book and decide to buy it. This is a kind of book that you would not read it cover to cover and to forget about it, rather it should be read slowly and parts at a time. There are messages and words of a wonderful man who knew humanity from it's mythology, the kind of wise old man that one would like to turn to in phases of one's life that is complicated. I find not necessarily answers to questions like "why we're here" or such like but rather, What one should consider to live a happy and content life. I am thinking of giving this book as presents to people I care about. Joseph Campbell was one of a kind and a rare human being a sage for the modern man.

In a nutshell, this was an exceptional book. I have always liked Joseph Campbell. One of my recent reviews went off on a tangent, so I will try and not do that this time. Mr. Campbell discusses a wide variety of topics in this book. He discusses the chakras of the human body; (of course)myths and symbols; art, music and writing; Gods and Goddesses, and other things. I really liked when he said that myths and symbols bypass the human mind and go directly to our feelings, and later our mind comes up with different interpretations. The only complaint I have with this book is his opinion about the concept of a cosmic Goddess. In the book he clearly says that Gods and Goddesses are in fact symbols for things that are found within human beings, but later in the book he seems to contradict himself when he says there is a cosmic Goddess in the Universe. He goes further and states that this Goddess is found inside of every woman and not inside of men. I found that to be hurtful and did not appreciate it. I believe the cosmic mystery, whatever it is, not only fills up the entire Universe, but is found inside of every living cell of both men and women. I think we should be very suspicious of anyone who declares that such things are only found inside of one sex. I would assume that when this book was written, it was a different social climate, and Mr. Campbell was probably influenced by a particular sub-group of society, perhaps. If Mr. Campbell had also argued that there is a God/Heavenly Father in the Universe, and that it is found inside of every man, I would not agree with that but at least such a view would not be so belittling and hurtful towards men. Nevertheless, this was a truly enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it to everyone.

I came to this book having read only The Power of Myth; a transcript of the great Campbell TV series of that name. It motivated me to go out and buy some twenty plus books of Joseph Campbell. Good? It's not good; it's wonderful. An elderly reverend gentleman's opinion however was "I prefer a linear narrative." It IS largely a book of Campbell's key aphorisms and stories. It is best appreciated as an aide memoire, when the unfortunate lack of an index is disappointing. "Now where did I read that line / story" provides hours of searching. The good news? After several years they are all internalised and like Brighton Rock they go all the way through; plus you can probably find them quicker. A negative comment below by Life Long Reader "LLR" is that this book is purely a mishmash of Diane Osbon's views on life. Wrong! The five page introduction could be unfairly said to be so. The other 306 pages are PURE CAMPBELL so don't be misled.

Excellent read!

Still working my way through the Joseph Campbell collection and this is yet another gospel for the soul. Peace out.

Una compagnia sempre presente. Ottimo la versione elettronica, da leggere non necessariamente dall,inizio alla fine. Inglese scorrevole, belle le citazioni.

This is one of my top 5 books in my life. I wish I could get a thank you to Diane Osbon.

Personas con tan amplio espectro de cultura y vivencias tienen mucho que ofrecer, que enseñar. A Carl G Jung lo admiro y sus reseñas son muy estimulantes. Es muy prolijo en su narrativa y a veces hay que ser paciente o saltarse algún párrafo . Altamente recomendable.

I open it at random and always find wisdom and entertainment.