More Mythic Mindfulness

Salon.com takes a look at myth and the new series of books “The Myths” focusing on modern retellings of myths by popular authors. The series is published by Cannongate press.

“So the “Myths” series is very welcome. It reminds us that not every talented writer can or should aspire to the model of the novelist as iconoclastic Great Man. (It’s no coincidence that some of highest-profile contributors to the series are women.) Both Atwood and Winterson weave less prestigious modes of storytelling — gossip and memoir — into their new versions of Greek myths. The best novels have always had at least a dash of both. And perhaps the best myths have, too. But underneath it all there is still the “something of great moment” that Lewis wrote about, a something that eludes definition. Perhaps Winterson puts it best when she writes, ‘These are the stories we tell ourselves to make ourselves come true.’“

See my original blog post on these books.