A Short History of Myth vs Introduction to mythology: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Mythologie, Mythology
A Short History of Myth
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The history of myth is the history of humanity; our stories and beliefs, our curiosity and attempts to understand the world, link us to our ancestors and each other. Myths help us make sense of the universe. Armstrong…
Introduction to mythology
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What mythology is and how it has been explained - the solar theory, the ghost theory, the ritual theory - set out by a working folklorist for readers who wanted the arguments before the stories.
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- A Short History of Myth is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 6 for Introduction to mythology.
- A Short History of Myth has the widest readership — 6667 ratings behind its score.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| A Short History of Myth | Introduction to mythology | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.7 (6667) | 3.3 (43) |
| Hardcover | 3.0 (16) | 5.0 (1) |
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Reception
| A Short History of Myth | Introduction to mythology | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 6667 | 43 |
| Editions | 11 | 15 |
| Want to read | — | 116 |
| Reading it now | — | 7 |
| Written reviews | — | 5 |
| Pages | 168 | 334 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: A Short History of Myth or Introduction to mythology?
A Short History of Myth has the higher combined reader rating across sources (A Short History of Myth 3.7/5, Introduction to mythology 3.5/5).
Which is shorter to read: A Short History of Myth or Introduction to mythology?
A Short History of Myth is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: A Short History of Myth (168 pages, ≈ 3 h 07 m); Introduction to mythology (334 pages, ≈ 6 h 11 m).
Which is harder to read: A Short History of Myth or Introduction to mythology?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — A Short History of Myth: Moderate; Introduction to mythology: Challenging.