Gross and explicit and so, so fun to read aloud with friends over a fire with beer and s'mores.

This book is better known as the "angry mythology book" among my friends, since, well, it is about mythology and it comes off as kinda angry. Althought angry is of course no the correct word: aggresssive and intense, the way internet speech usually is.

And it IS written in internet speech: the book is very narrow, like physically, because there are so many paragraph breaks making it a wide book would have been a waste of paper. At first it bothered me, but then I realized you're supposed to read it like you are chatting with the author and he is telling you about all these cool myths he knows.

While it is funny, I think it would be even better to read the entire thing out loud. I have read some myths from the blog out loud with friends, and basically ended up in tears from laughing so hard. While I did definitely laugh a lot reading this, I wasn't crying from laughing, the way you do reading something out loud.

Anyway, great read for anyone interested in mythology. I especially liked the norse mythology part, but that isn't surprising given I am really into norse mythology. The USA chapter was pretty weird though, apart from the last part dealing with scientology. The other "myths" in that chapter didn't really seem like myths to me. ( )

Absolutely delightful reaf. I love mythology, i love this writing voice. I will definitely read more of O'Brien's writing. ( )

Would give it no stars if possible. The conclusion (specifically, the last 2 1/2 pages) was worth it, but the rest of the 287 pages was pure crap. If you like "Drunk History," this book is merely tolerable; otherwise, skip it. ( )

This is very much the "drunk guy in a bar won't stop talking about stuff from his major" version of world mythology. O'Brien uses modern, and often quite colorful, language to explain in the most basic terms some of the most interesting myths from every major religion, past and present.

O'Brien certainly has a way with words, often overpowering the myths with his own interjections. Add to this illustrations by Sarah Melville that, I'm guessing, have then been "touched up" by O'Brien (see the cover image), and what you get is almost like the "frat guy's guide to world mythology." Now, don't get me wrong, it gets pretty freakin' hilarious, and there are some downright ridiculous bits of myth covered here, but it at times strikes me as "South Park-esque," which isn't really a good thing.

At least O'Brien doesn't play favorites, each mythology is handled in the same irreverant style, including the Judeo-Christian tales covered, which might strike some as wrong, but fair is fair, and if he's going to smack down all the crazy stories religions have been teaching over the centuries, why should Christianity be left out? Because let's face it, there are some whoppers in the Bible. He also gives what I feel is a fitting send up of Scientology, which is certainly the strangest of them all.

One thing I really enjoyed, and something that isn't talked about enough in mythology circles as far as I'm concerned, is O'Brien's inclusion of American folklore, even touching on the founding of the country in his unique style.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will definitely use it as a reference in my own mythology readings, I think I prefer the work the gang at Spirits Podcast is doing a bit more.

This was my first read of 2019. ( )