The Meaning of Myth: With 12 Greek Myths Retold and Interpreted by a Psychiatrist
Language: English
Published by Acheron Press, 2025
Series: Book 1 of 8 - Ancient Wisdom
- Softcover
- Used
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books Inc
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
Condition: Used - Good
£ 8.20
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketSeller Inventory # CIN1913260542G
- Title
- The Meaning of Myth: With 12 Greek Myths Retold and Interpreted by a Psychiatrist
- Author
- Neel Burton
- Publisher
- Acheron Press
- Publication year
- 2025
- Condition
- Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 1913260542
- ISBN 13
- 9781913260545
- Series
- Book 1 of 8: Ancient Wisdom
Not just ancient stories—but a code for how we think, desire, fear, and believe.
Readers’ Favorite Book Award Winner
A profound psychological approach… Fascinating stuff. —James Sale, author of Gods, Heroes, and Us
Myths have never been merely entertainment. For thousands of years, they have shaped religion, philosophy, psychology, politics, and art. But what are they really—primitive science, moral allegory, psychological truth, or something stranger still?
In The Meaning of Myth, psychiatrist and philosopher Neel Burton explores why myth still grips the modern mind—and why it refuses to fade.
Part I seeks to understand what myth is, and how it relates to religion, ritual, science, legend, fairy tale, and modern storytelling. It examines how myths shape our ideas of heroes and monsters, desire and destruction, meaning and madness—and how they continue to structure the way we interpret ourselves and the world.
Part II applies these ideas to twelve of the most powerful Greek myths, including Echo and Narcissus, Eros and Psyche, Prometheus, Orpheus and Eurydice, Medusa, Theseus and the Minotaur, and Plato’s Myth of Er. Familiar stories become strange again—sharper, deeper, newly alive.
Are myths vessels of hidden wisdom, psychological archetypes, cultural memory—or something we have never fully understood?
This book doesn’t tell you what to believe. It shows you how to see.
About the author
Dr Neel Burton FRSA is a psychiatrist and philosopher. He is a Fellow of Green-Templeton College in the University of Oxford, and the recipient of several book prizes. His work has featured in the likes of Aeon and Psychology Today, and been translated into several languages.
Editorial reviews
Staggeringly exquisite… The Meaning of Myth by Neel Burton is teaching and writing at its most superb and is as entertaining as you could ever wish for. —Readers' Favorite (5/5 stars)
In this fascinating read, psychiatrist and philosopher Neel Burton unpacks 12 popular tales—from Eros and Psyche to Orpheus and Eurydice—to explore the meaning of myth in today’s society and its relation to life, science, and religion. —BookBub (Featured New Release)
Burton’s erudition is apparent throughout this highly readable construction, balanced by a personable style and subtle humor. —The US Review of Books (Recommended)
Accessible and entertaining... Burton expounds some of the most intriguing Greek myths to shed light on this fascinating expression of the human imagination. —Prof Armand D'Angour, classical scholar and author of Socrates in Love
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
World of Books Inc
Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 4 to 12 business days | 3 to 6 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 0.00 | £ 8.19 |
Payment methods
Store description
Founded in 2002, World of Books is a leading online destination for buying and selling both preloved and new books, committed to making sustainable reading accessible to all. With a mission to help people read more and waste less, World of Books offers a huge range of affordable, high-quality books — giving both new and preloved titles a second life. The company also operates World of Books – Sell Your Books, an easy-to-use platform that allows customers to trade in unwanted books for cash, helping to keep books in circulation while promoting sustainability. As a Certified B Corp, World of Books is driven by a vision to become the world’s largest and most sustainable dedicated online bookstore. The company measures its success through the positive environmental impact it creates, the value it provides to customers, and its ability to operate profitably while supporting its sustainable mission …
Specialty
Second Hand - All GenreSeller's business information
SBYB, Inc.
900 Knell Road
Montgomery, IL U.S.A. 60538
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to World of Books Inc, Montgomery, Illinois, U.S.A., without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.