Subjects:  1. Audio - Children's    2. Audio Adult: Other    3. Children's Audio - 4-8    4. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Anthologies    5. Folklore & Mythology    6. Social Science   

Reviews (4)

Cured my midlife crisis!
When I turned 40 and started experiencing depression, feelings of loss and confusion, I read every book I could get my hands on regarding the midlife crisis. "Once Upon a Midlife" was absolutely the only book that put midlife into perspective and gave me insight into this developmental stage in the context of an entire life - throughout time and many cultures.I have given this book to every one of my friends turning 40. Not only is it reassuring, wise and insightful, it is also a heck of lot more fun to read than a psychology self-help book!

A Great Series
Dr. Chinen has written several books that address tales relating to different stages of life.This particular book addresses midlife.As described in the two former reviews, it's simply a delight to read, highly informative and valuable psychologically and otherwise.I've also read "Beyond the Hero" which addresses an earlier period in life, and I recently bought (from Amazon.Com) "In the Ever After" which addresses a later period of life.So far, it's a wonderful trilogy.But, maybe there will be more of them...one can hope!

Forty + Ten= You Must Read This!
I wasted time attempting to find the book at a retailer and the local library (so I eventually bought it used through Amazon.com). What a read! The author, a pschyiatrist schooled in Jungian theory, shares (and analyzes) numerous "Middle Tales" (as opposed to fairy or elder tales). Middle tales desribe life beyond the "...and they lived happily ever after" of fairy tales. The "ah-ha" quoitient, especially for those of us who are living the "middle years", is close to 100! Dr. Chinen's insights bring one closer to the belief that there is a collective unconscious. (Or Not!) Definitely worth the search. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Other    2. Folklore & Mythology    3. Gender Studies    4. Social Science    5. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction   

Features

• Abridged
• Audiobook

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Misc. Nonfiction    2. Audiobooks    3. Folklore & Mythology    4. Folklore & Mythology - Mythology    5. Literature: Folklore/Mythology    6. Mythology    7. Social Science    8. Social Science / Folklore & Mythology   

Features

• Unabridged

Reviews (2)

Keepers Series
Joseph Bruchac is a natural stort teller. This whole series is wonderful. I have used these books with children from the ages of four through fourteen. But of all of them the cassette of The Keepers of the Animals is my favorite and the only one that I cannot keep because I am continually giving it away. It is not only the quality of Bruchac's voice but also the cadence that he brings to the telling that adds a resonance, a native rhthym to the stories, that enhances understanding. This is the way that these stories should be told and should be heard. Native American culture has a rich oral tradition and the sounds, the rhthyms of the language are an important part of the telling of a story. We may not have the sounds of the language per se except in the names but we can hear a little of the native cadence in Bruchac's delivery. These are wonderful tapes for small children and again this is my very favorite.

Bringing Native Stories to Life
I've been lucky enough to see Michael Caduto perform theseNative stories in person.He brings Native beliefs to life inunexpected and delightful ways.The stories he and Josheph Bruchac have put together here do the same thing.They give young readers a chance to explore Native cultures while they learn and enjoy the stories! In addition to Native tales, this book provides factual information and activities on nature and animals.It's an outstanding resource for teachers, parents, and kids of all ages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Audio - Children's    3. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    4. Audiobooks    5. Children's Audio - 4-8    6. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies    7. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Native American    8. Folklore    9. Indians of North America    10. Social Science    11. Indigenous peoples    12. North America   

Reviews (4)

how thunder and earthquake made ocean
I thinck this book was a litte shourt and I most whated to read it and it was very good but there needs to be more but it was good about the the village and tunder and earthquake so was ok right on the good marck so that's why I ratind it with 3 stars.

HowThunderAndEarthquake MadeOcean
ThereasonIgaveit4starsisthatIlikedthedrawing Environmentally Aware!
This book is a fascinating way to help children connect with the natural world while teaching important environmental concepts. It comes with a guide to use the book effectively, and is divided into sections of special topics. Each section contains a Native American story, discussion ideas, interesting questions, and related indoor and outdoor activities. These activities can be accomplished without expensive materials, often in or near the home or school. Oh, by the way, adults will learn from this book also! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio - Children's    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Children's Audio - 4-8    4. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies    5. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Native American    6. Social Science   

Features

• Audiobook

Reviews (3)

My girls can't get enough
My girls, 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 love this tape and have listened to it at least 100 times. When I first heard it I found it fast and noisy but I learned how to tackle Odds Bodkin and teach the kids, too.The first time we go through a new story I stop the tape/CD literally every few words and explain the word or phrase to them.From then on they love it and study it and listen in rapt attention.
Storytelling at it's Best!
Odds Bodkin is truely a Master Storyteller! The Story of the Wise Little Girl had our children silent with excitement the first time they heard it! The music and voices of Odds Bodkin are astounding! It's hard to believe that one person is behind all of this! The Wise Little Girl made our children realize that the wisdom we all have inside ourselves is a wonderful thing to share!

Watch out for the Buffalo's Wife
All in all, I was not impressed with my first Odds Bodkin encounter. I felt the stories were marred, rather than enhanced, by Mr. Bodkins' soundeffects. There were many times that my child (and I) simply could notunderstand what was being said.Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Children's Audio - 9-12    3. Children's audiobooks    4. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Anthologies    5. Fiction    6. Folklore    7. Folklore & Mythology    8. Girls    9. Social Science    10. Fairy tales, folk tales, fables, magical tales & traditional stories   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Reviews (3)

Telling the truth and shaming the devil...Zora's Way!
It was said from those that knew her best, that African-American folklore was Zora Neale Hurston�s first love. The ability to manifest in, and excel within the margins of her own people�swapping lies, telling tales, and giving unique meaning to life from the backhand side. Thus, if any part of her legacy is to prevail, one should pay close attention to this side of her that I feel truly helped to define her writing style. No doubt, the genesis of it all goes back to her Eatonville, Florida roots sitting on the porch of the neighborhood story listening to the older men adhere to the aforementioned. Subsequently as a Barnard student of Anthropology under the guidance of Franz Boaz, she embarked in 1927 on a two-year effort to collect samples of African-American folklore. This sets the stage for Negro Tales From The Gulf States, which can boast of an interesting evolution. This is a book written by Zora that was almost an afterthought, until recently discovered after lying in obscurity for nearly 30 years.All of this time, it was stored in a basement at Columbia University, and 20 more at the Smithsonian before coming to light at the urging of the author�s estate and others. Like a Window to the Past
If only Zora Neale Hurston could've published this book during her lifetime! Luckily her papers containing her research were rediscoveredand we now have this gorgeous collection of stories. Some of them were familiar to me from listening to my grandparents tell tall tales, others were completely new. These stories are funny, frightening and enlightening. Our elders and ancestors were amazing people with a tough and even cynical sense of humor. If we are lucky more of Hurston's research will be found and more will be published. Excellent collection of Black Folklore
If you grew up hearing older folks get together and swap wild stories, or if you have an academic interest in folklore, then this is for you! Essentially, the great Folklorist Zora Neale Hurston spent 1928 and 29 among rural Blacks in Florida and Alabama jotting down their folk tales and witty sayings. Being a Black Southerner herself gave her an insider's access that made her interviewees comfortable in sharing with her. The final manuscript, "Negro Folktales of the Gulf States" remained unpublished till now. Some of these tales were published in 1935 with a framework story of Miss Hurston's adventures among her interviewees entitled "Mules and Men." But here, the stories exist in their orignial, uncut form without a framework story. Once the modern reader becomes accustomed to the printed approximation of Southern African-American dialect, you can sit back and enjoy the folk wisdom and humorous tales. So imagine that Grandpa, Uncle Wille, and all the others are gathered around your porch with a pitcher of lemonade on a pleasant afternoon and enjoy this African-American equivalent to "Aesop's Fables" and "The Arabian Nights." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. American - African American & Black    3. Audio - Nonfiction (Unabridged)    4. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    5. Audiobooks    6. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    7. Folklore    8. Folklore & Mythology - Folklore    9. Literary Criticism    10. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    11. Social Science / African-American Studies   

Editorial Review

Although he's a National Book Award-winning poet, revered not only for his poetry but for his masterful translations of and critical essays about such internationally celebrated poets as Goethe and Antonio Machado, Robert Bly is perhaps more widely recognized for spearheading the men's movement with his bestselling book Read more

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Reviews (5)

Garbage
On page 104 of this book, Robert Bly laments that "many forms of personal sacrifice -- the scholarship in cold rooms, the learning of Latin and Greek, the voluntary renunciation of multiple delights -- have since the sixties virtually disappeared. We have a pop culture now, not a culture of swans."

An entertaining, yet powerful message.
Marion Woodman and Robert Bly are both masterful story tellers and in their new book, "The Maiden King", they combine their talents to translate an important story.Some critics have not truly read this storyfor what it is.This book uses a mythological tale because that is howpeople were explained things long ago.The resurection of this techniqueof understanding only enhances the meaning and the importance of itsmessage.It is evident that critics such as Ms. Lohrman may be afraid offacing the ideas expressed by the two authors.We will face these ideas atone time or another in our lifetime.The authors explain how men and womenhave evolved and how they may live together now.There are manymythological references as well as highlights from other poets, authors andanything else that has shaped our society.In a day and age where ourculture is defined by "Must See TV" and the 'goings on' in theWhite House, "The Maiden King" weaves a mythological soul-seekingjouney to understand who we really are how we came to be that way. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio - Nonfiction    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Folklore & Mythology    4. Folklore & Mythology - Mythology    5. Gender Studies    6. History and criticism    7. Maiden Tsar (Tale)    8. Psychoanalysis and folklore    9. Russia (Federation)    10. Social Science    11. Tales    12. Women's Studies - General   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Reviews (17)

Bulfinch's Mythology
I was very happy with the book I received.I received it in about 5 days after I ordered it, it was in good shape and exactly what I needed.

A classical book of Gods and men
If you're a huge Greek mythology buff like me, you ought to have this in your shelf.And, you should have read it too (atleast twice).

Highly recommended
For those who enjoy the study of mythology, this is one of the most important collections ever.Bulfinch's myths are a delight to read, and, as he tells us in his intro, these stories provide us with the framework for all of western culture and art.For those who are drawn, this one is highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Audiobooks    3. Classics    4. Fairy Tales, Folklore & Mythology    5. Folklore & Mythology    6. Mythology, Classical    7. Social Science    8. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    9. Social Science / Folklore & Mythology   

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Fiction/General    2. Asia, Southeastern    3. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    4. Children's Literature - Storytelling    5. Children's audiobooks    6. Folklore    7. Folklore & Mythology    8. Social Science    9. Tales    10. Unabridged Audio - Literature Classics   

Reviews (7)

Loved it!
I listened to the tape and read the book.If you want to know the true nature of survival - especially in times like these - this is the book for you. Full of hope and evidence of the ability of humans to survive, thrive and love - no matter what. I was sorry the book was over.I am every time I read it.

Loved it!
I listened to the tape and read the book.If you want to know the true nature of survival - especially in times like these - this is the book for you. Full of hope and evidence of the ability of humans to survive, thrive and love - no matter what. I was sorry the book was over.I am every time I read it.

Good things have roots in fallow ground....
The stories are like layers of an onion where each depends on the one before it to exist. The horrors of war are only hinted at by the author's uncle but the reader easily draws parallels between the transitions in life with a fallow field, a fir tree covered with decorations and the emergence of new life and promise from a piece of fallow ground. The book is easily read in an hour and I blinked away tears as I finished.Since the first reading, my front lawn has been returning to Nature, just as the author's did, and every season of watching new life emerge reminds me of the story and that good things are always beginning. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Misc. Nonfiction    2. Audio - Nonfiction    3. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    4. Customs & Traditions    5. Folklore & Mythology - Storytelling    6. Personal Growth - Happiness    7. Social Science    8. Sociology   

Reviews (6)

Loved it!
It was a great read.The more I read about the Ojibway the more I wish I had been born sooner so that I could have lived with my ancestors the way we were meant to.I cried when I was done reading it.I would recommend this book to anyone whether you care about the people or not!

The Circle Continues
In "Night Flying Woman, An Ojibway Narrative," Ignatia Broker tells the story of the forest people, the Ojibway. She shows how the white man's ways desecrated the rituals, laws and beliefs of the Native People, all but erasing their long culture. Classed as caricatures in a land that once honored them, Broker shows how the Native People "faced bias, prejudice and active discrimination." The Ojibway philosophy for living, that of keeping in balance the purity of man and nature, is revived through Broker's telling of Oona's story, the story of many as seen through the "eyes cast down" of one. An insightful story that continues the Ojibway circle and gives us all the hope of the past for the future.

The Circle Continues
In "Night Flying Woman, An Ojibway Narrative," Ignatia Broker tells the story of the forest people, the Ojibway. She shows how the white man's ways desecrated the rituals, laws and beliefs of the Native People, all but erasing their long culture. Classed as caricatures in a land that once honord them, Brokers shows how the Native People "faced bias, prejudice and active discrimination." The Ojibway philosophy for living, that of keeping in balance the purity of man and nature, is revived through Broker's telling of Oona's story, the story of many as seen through the "eyes cast down" of one. An insightful story that continues the Ojibway circle and gives us all the hope of the past for the future. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Misc. Nonfiction    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies - Tribes    4. Folklore & Mythology    5. Social Science    6. United States - State & Local - General   

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Literature/Classics    2. Audio Adult: Other    3. Folklore & Mythology    4. Folklore & Mythology - Folklore    5. Literary    6. Social Science    7. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction   

Features

• Abridged
• Audiobook

Subjects:  1. Audio - Children's    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Children's Audio - 4-8    4. Folklore & Mythology    5. General    6. Social Science    7. Fiction   

Reviews (7)

Classic Urban Legend Tales
Spiders in the Hairdo is a collection of well known and in most cases frequently told myths, camp fire stories and I heard from a friend of a friend or a friend rumours.The majority you will have heard before but this is a good compact sized collection of some of the best tales.You've got the knife wheeling maniac in the back seat (as told by Auto on the Simpsons) who in this book is a rope strangler.The unwashed hair full of poisonous spiders, the hook on the lovers' car door, scuba diver in the tree after a forest fire and all the world's favourites.They are quite good versions in this book and this collection is just as good as similar books such as The Big Book of Urban Myths or the Darwin Awards Trilogy.
Easy to Read Source for Urban Legends
All those fun stories that you grew up with as a kid are here in this book. The next time you complain about all these new legends on the Internet, remember we all told the one about the bloody hook attached to the car door. And you know that story about the roach eggs in the taco meat made your skin crawl, no pun intended. This book is too much fun and a good source for nostalgic reflection or for retelling to all those people who you just want to scare a little! ...

Told With a Twist of Lemon!
This book does not explore anything new in terms of presenting new Urban Legends. But, it does dramatize well known legends giving them a new flare. Very good book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Folklore & Mythology    3. Folklore & Mythology - Folklore    4. Social Science    5. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction   

Features

• Abridged
• Audiobook

Reviews (16)

enjoyable read
I very much enjoyed this book.The only negative is that I would get very involved in the characters, and then the story would end without me getting to learn "what happened."However, the author did exactly what she set out to do - which was present stories of African American heritage that happened to "real" people, and place it in historical context.Only by pointing out injustices can things be made right, and this book should help with remembering the past and ensuring it never happens again.I applaud the author for presenting many sides of the story, from the funny to the heartwrenching, and also for trying to show that even some whites were victims of the times.I hope she takes some of these stories and expands them into longer pieces.

A Wonderful Look into Family Life
I first heard the author on NPR and was able to get the audio version of her book.I have listened to it many times and have shared it with many of my friends. I particularly enjoy hearing the generational stories that Ms. Coleman tells so well.It is great insight into another culture that is different, yet so much the same.

Just Plain Great
This collection of folktales and essays is a great introduction to folklore. Some of stories are sweet some are tragic, others are full of the bitterness that life under segregation offered. This book ought to be in high schools and on college reading lists everywhere. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Fiction/General    2. Audio Adult: Other    3. Folklore & Mythology    4. Short Stories (single author)    5. Social Science    6. Fiction / Short Stories (single author)   

Editorial Review

Myths, explains filmmaker and author Phil Cousineau in, are stories that belong to the "once and the future" because they evoke "the timeless concerns of human beings--birth, death, time, good, and evil, creativity and destruction." In his excellent Read more

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• Unabridged

Reviews (7)

Are you living a myth or a life?
This book changed my life. The chapter on Sisyphus alone (a metaphor for the creative struggle) was worth the price of admission. Phil Cousineau weaves endearing personal stories throughout the sharp scholarship as a means to ease us into feeling comfortable with the many complex (yet surprising) ideas about myth (classical, world, modern, popular) he shares with us. It's not about him though, it's really about finding our own stories, our own personal myths. And figuring out what is truly meaningful for us no matter where we are in our lives. Through stories about relationships, travel, sports, music, time, and countless other ways and associations, he clues us in to what deeper issues lie under the surface of things. It's not a breezy read; Cousineau has an amazing way of linking diverse subjects and finding correspondences amongst odd topics that may meander but are always delightful. A world-traveler, tortured writer, devoted father, sports fan, and humble wise man rolled up in one, Cousineau inspires us to reach for more. Highly recommended.

Highly rated by a friend, but it puts me to sleep...
A friend just raved about this book, so I finally broke down and bought it. Maybe I'm not philosophical enough. I tend to live in the here and now and don't dwell on what ifs. But I found this book to be rather boring and slow reading. On the other hand, it's a great way to nod off easily at night. A couple of pages of this and it's zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz city. I'm sure the pointy-headed, New Agey crowd will disagree with my assesment (and, well, I am working on a Ph.D. so I'm no moron), but this thick book could have used some editing, some spicing up, and about half as many pages. Dull, dull, dull...

Once and Future Cousineau
People who say that a book was "not what I expected" are unfair.After all, an author can hardly be faulted for other people's expectations.In this case, however, the expectations were raised by the author himself.I began by reading chapter 2, an outstanding, thought-provoking chapter on the myths of time.I bought the book on the strength of this chapter, and ended up sorely disappointed. The rest of the book is far less compelling, and often is annoyingly self-focused.Cousineau's recitals of all the important people he has met and known in the great places he has visited work neither as a good memoir nor as a good book on myth (although, in fairness, there are a number of worthwhile passages and a few excellent ones). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Audiobooks    3. Folklore & Mythology    4. Folklore & Mythology - Mythology    5. Life    6. Myth    7. Social Science    8. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction   

Subjects:  1. Folklore & Mythology    2. Social Science    3. Sociology    4. Myths & mythology   

Editorial Review

Medicine has always contained elements of mythology and mysticism. Various ancient civilizations believed that the spleen and uterus moved around in the body when so motivated, that the heart was the center of thought and the liver the source of mood, and that internal organs were independent creatures with their own agendas. Dr. Sherwin Nuland, who has been performing surgery on these organs for four decades, here presents the amazing story of how superstition trumped science for most of medical history. For example, an early 17th-century Christian monk named Jean Baptiste van Helmont believed that the stomach was the center of human anatomy--the locus of the soul, in fact. His proof? That a punch to the stomach can knock a man out. "Had he been more pugilistically oriented, would he have placed it in the jaw?" Nuland asks.Read more

Reviews (14)

A History of Medical Thought and Lore
"The Mysteries Within" is a book about the myths that have developed in medicine over the last several millenia.In it Dr. Nuland discusses the evolution of thought concerning various organs.He also goes into detail describing where some modern words and expressions have come from.Interspersed with these histories are an occasional jewel from his career as a surgeon.Overall it is a good book, although it seems slightly slow at times.

Thriller Mystery And Medical History
This is a remarkable book written by a gifted surgeon, who wields a pen perhaps a touch less brilliantly than a scalpel. The only reason I say less, is that after reading one specific part of the book, I was overwhelmed with what can happen in an operating room. This is why I used the word thriller for the book, but other sections are as mysterious as Holmes versus Moriarty, and the historical perspective is brilliantly shared and summarized without losing the cadence of the book. Brilliant concept, but poorly executed...
I love Nuland's writing, and could spend hours meandering through his explanations of medical phenomena.But this particular book was either poorly conceived or shoddily edited, because I found it much more difficult to get through than his usual lively mix of clinical experience and academic background.Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Misc. Nonfiction    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Body, Human    4. Folklore    5. General    6. History    7. Human anatomy    8. Medical    9. Medicine (Specific Aspects)    10. Mythology    11. Philosophy & Social Aspects    12. Science    13. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction   

Features

• Audiobook

Reviews (3)

Super-talented, extremely enjoyable
My husband, 2 young daughters and I listen to his tapes all the time in the car, and this tape is one of his best.The Elf of Springtime is a very funny tale and really stays with you. We find ourselves repeating his lines to one another constantly. (Drip, drip, drip!) His tapes are TRULY more enjoyable, from a parent's point of view, than those godawful "wee sing" tapes.His music is phenomenal, and if you ever get a chance to see him in person (we finally did), it is well worth it!

frenetic storytelling
Imagine if the "Crocodile Hunter" host on Animal Planet drank about 5 double espressos and then tried to tell a childrens story.Fast and furious, this tape was a terrible waste of money.Enunciation was poor and he even managed to make "The Three Little Pigs" annoying and unenjoyable for my child and I both.

The best rendition of "The Three Little Pigs" !
My children are 3 1/2 and 6 and have loved all the Odds Bodkin tapes I've purchased."A Twinkle In Your Eye", however, got me hooked.There are stories from India, Sweden and of course "The Three Little Pigs".Mr. Bodkin uses his 12 string guitar, a foot drum, and his many talented voices to weave this tale in a real toe-tapper of a song.I sometimes wince at the thought of hearing an audio tape" just one more time", but this one....I play it when the kids aren't in the car! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Audiobooks    3. Children's Audio - 4-8    4. Children's audiobooks    5. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Anthologies    6. Folklore    7. Folklore & Mythology    8. Social Science    9. Fairy tales, folk tales, fables, magical tales & traditional stories