A Time magazine article this week notes that traditional ink-and-paper paper books are seeing a surprising spike in sales this year, as they did last year, despite the meteoric rise in popularity of ebook readers. The article flails for causes: “The holiday spike may reflect this year’s partial lifting of economic gloominess.” If that’s true, why was there one […]
Mythphile
all the myth that’s fit to print
Browsing the archives for the All Myth Posts category
29 Oct 11
The Meaning of Samhain/ Hallowe’en: Past and Future
I love both the old Celtic holiday of Samhain and the modern secular holiday of Hallowe’en, despite the over-commercialization of the latter. They are two different holidays. For me, they are both magical. Personally, I celebrate Samhain by honoring my ancestors: I light a candle and spend some time remembering my Nana, my other relatives, […]
19 Oct 11
“Midas Has Donkey Ears,” Whistleblowers and Wikileaks
You’ve heard of King Midas of the “Golden Touch,” monarch of ancient Phrygia (See theoi.com’s Midas entry for classical Greek and Roman sources.) Probably you’ve heard Nathaniel Hawthorne’s version, which makes Midas into a moralistic fable about gold-greed and appreciating the simple things in life. Hawthorne supplies King Midas with a daughter to drive the […]
8 Jun 11
Update: Volcano Mythology Has Moved
I maintain a microsite on volcanoes, and of course, I’ve got a page there devoted to volcano mythology. Thanks to my publisher restructuring how its platform works, I’ve had to rearrange everything. The URL of my volcano mythology article has changed. You will now find it here: Volcano Mythology Take a look if you haven’t […]
13 Mar 11
Namazu, Japan’s Quake Maker
I’ve been following the heartbreak in Japan along with everyone around the world. At such times, people often turn to art to express the unspeakable. One artist, @dosankodebbie on Twitter, has created a few collages of namazu, the mythical catfish that stirs in the mud and shakes their island chain. Recommended Link: “The Catfish Stirred“ by […]