Neel Burton

The Meaning of Myth

I have always been fascinated with deconstructing myths, with most of my interest trying to unlock the context and intent of the story. I got my start in this endeavor through the Comparative Mythology efforts of Dr. Joseph Campbell and this has a very similar feel to it. The Meaning of Myth fits well into this interest with the first part explaining some of the nominal differences between myth, legend, fable, parable, et al. and I learned a fair bit from that. It also covers some of the why we create myth and how they fit into human psychology. IN that regard, it was very similar to another excellent book that focused on the psychological impact of certain literary devices: [b:Wonderworks: The 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature|54304160|Wonderworks The 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature|Angus Fletcher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1613314730l/54304160._SY75_.jpg|84737435] and I would highly recommend reading both together if you can..

The second half was where Dr. Burton attempts to provide specific details on some of the more well known Greek Myths … unfortunately I found this section to be more hit or miss for me; some of the myths were not really that specific (more general), which is fine, but it seemed to give the whole work more of a disorganized feel than I was expecting … and also seemed to have not gone into as much detail as I was expecting (or it was not clear/obvious to me). I probably was expecting too much on the human psyche explanations … over all it is a short book and still worth a read. I would probably give it 3.5* over all; however, I am rounding up based on subject matter AND availability on Kindle Unlimited.

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TheMeaningofMyth #NetGalley… (plus d'informations)

I read this book as a reference and for a point of interest so I can't speak to its efficiacy. With 1 in 100 people diagnosed with schizophrenia or a similar process it's likely I may one day find out.

I can say I thought it was easy to follow and well formatted, although certain tables show up poorly on kindle so I recommend a "real" copy if you want a super easy reference version.

It also appears to be based on a UK health system and I was skeptical that any of the legal and health organization history applies to my own country, the United States.

Regardless I think there are tid bits here that could be helpful to any individual with schizophrenia or one of their loved ones.

I do wish the book shared more examples for things like helping to defuse an anxious situation and helping an individual dealing with a psychotic break to feel better heard, etc. There were only 1 or 2, brief examples and that is not nearly enough to pick up a pattern for what words can help.

Still, there appear to be few books like it out there and it's a wealth of knowledge, that, in 2016, appears to be be up to date regarding therapies and medical knowledge.

I would recommend this to anyone seeking help understanding and dealing schizophrenia, whether from the inside or outside.
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The self-help book has acquired a bad press of late, earning a reputation for dealing in platitudes, patronising, and generally failing to engage the more sophisticated and demanding reader. In styling itself as an 'anti self-help guide', Neel Burton's 'The Art of Failure' therefore sets out to prove that self-help literature need not succumb to lowest-common-denominator triteness and tedious mantras of self-motivation.

The book's basic premise is that the modern Western definition of success is deeply flawed, presenting us with the false goals of material comfort, fame, power and hedonism. In contrast, Burton argues, Western philosophical and spiritual traditions have largely been in agreement that true happiness lies in accepting 'failure'; that we are limited and mortal beings, subject to frequent and unforeseen setbacks, in the face of which we do better to develop virtues of honesty, friendship, patience, and moderation.

To be fair, this is not perhaps a lesson that the much maligned self-help guides have ignored, but the virtue of Burton's book is that he is not afraid to enter into these topics in more appropriate depth and detail. Throughout, his points are illustrated by recourse to theories, ideas and anecdotes cherry-picked from the lives and writings of the great philosophers - Plato and Aristotle (who feature heavily throughout), Epicurus and Heraclitus, but also representatives of the existentialist tradition, such as Nietzsche, Kierkegaard and Sartre. Burton also draws on his background in psychology in ranging through contemporary issues in psychiatry as well as the continued relevance of the classic approaches of Freud and Jung. Such discussion is augmented throughout with references to literature, art, religion and history, with the result that Burton's material is always engaging and interesting, presented in an accessible and clear manner.

However, these many merits aside, this breadth of topic and material also at times serves to detract from the book's overall purpose. Given the detail in which certain subjects are presented, the central theme - exploration of the 'art of failure' - can sometimes get lost in more or less technical expositions of theories and accounts. For instance, the chapter on free will, whilst providing an admirably concise overview of the main philosophical controversies, arguably strays too far from the main narrative path and fails to maintain a clear sense of the context and purpose of the discussion. I had a similar feeling at other points in the book, and, while Burton makes frequent attempts to signpost the reader as to how the material under discussion relates to the main topic, he struggles to do this consistently and seamlessly. As a result, the book sometimes feels more like a collection of well-written and interesting essays than a unified treatment of a central theme.

This said, the book is well worth reading. Burton's attitude to his material is always thoughtful, never content merely to outline this or that idea, but always seeking to draw lessons and insights. There is much, then, that average readers will benefit from - that will 'help' them! - and there are numerous points at which I found myself absorbed, nodding in agreement, or making mental notes to find out more about this or that. Burton's scholarship is excellent, his tone always intelligent but clear - a rare combination of skills - so whilst certain aspects of the book might be improved upon, it is far from being a failure.

Gareth Southwell is a philosopher, writer and illustrator.… (plus d'informations)