Great Mythologies of the World by various narrators

This is a very interesting overview of world mythology, including some from parts of the world that aren't usually covered in classes or are widely known. It starts in the most familiar of territories, Western Europe. Here's the course list with the professor who narrates each.

Myths of Western Europe narrated by Dr. Kathryn McClymond
  1. The Titans in Greek Mythology
  2. Complex Goddesses: Athena, Aphrodite, Hera
  3. Gods & Humanity in Greek Thought
  4. Herakles & the Greek Hero
  5. Odysseus, Master of Schemes
  6. The Golden Fleece & the Hero's Return
  7. Romulus, Remus & Rome's Origins
  8. Roman Heroes & Traitors
  9. The Mother Goddess in Rome & Beyond
  10. The Dagda's Harp & Other Other Celtic Myths
  11. Norse Tales of Odin & Thor
  12. Hammers, Rings & Other Norse Magic
Myths of the Middle East & South Asia narrated by Dr. Kathryn McClymond
  1.  The World's Oldest Myth: Gilgamesh
  2. The Babylonian Creation Story
  3. Chaos & Order in Egypt
  4. Horus, Osiris & Ra
  5. Myths of the Pharoahs
  6. The Book of Job
  7. The Great Indian Epics
  8. The Bhagavad Gita
  9. Stories of the Buddha
  10. Persia's Book of Kings
  11. One Thousand & One Nights
  12. Tales of Flood & Fire
Myths of Africa narrated by Dr. Julius H. Bailey
  1. The Beauty of African Mythology
  2. African Creation Stories
  3. African Religious Cosmology
  4. Tricksters of Africa
  5. Africa's Gods & Humanity
  6. Close Encounters with African Divinities
  7. Culture Heroes of African Myth
  8. The African Morality Tale
  9. The Dausi & African Epics
  10. The Epic of Bakaridjan Kone
  11. Death & Afterlife in African Myth
  12. African Heroes in the Underworld
Myths of Asia & the Pacific narrated by Dr. Robert André LaFleur
  1.  Culture & Cosmos in Chinese Mythology
  2. Chinese Heroes, Kings & Destroyers
  3. Peasant Folktales & Chinese Scholarship
  4. Spirits & Syncretism in Korean 
  5. Korea's Warring Kingdoms & Flying Dragons
  6. Japan's Tales of Purity & Defilement
  7. Gods, Rice & the Japanese State
  8. Nature Gods & Tricksters of Polynesia
  9. Creation & Misbehavior in Micronesia
  10. Melanesian Myths of Life & Cannibalism
  11. Origins in Indonesia & the Philippines
  12. Aboriginal & Colonial Myths of Australia
Myths of North & Central America narrated by Dr. Grant L. Voth
  1. Nature in Native American Myth
  2. Inuit & Northern Forest Mythology
  3. Tales & Rituals of the Iroquois League
  4. Southeast Amerindian Origin Stories
  5. Mythology of the Plains People
  6. Amerindian Tales from the Northwest
  7. The Navajo Emergence Myth
  8. Stories of the Pueblo
  9. Native American Tricksters
  10. The Maya & the Popol Vuh
  11. Aztec Myth Meets Hernan Cortes
  12. Inca Myth as Imperial Mandate
The best thing about a series like this is that you have real proof of how unified these stories are, despite being separated by time, distance, and huge bodies of water. Each section has lessons on the culture hero, whose exploits are remarkably similar across the board. There's also the trickster character that's universal. So it's not just the creation stories and the flood stories that can be found in every culture, it's individuals as well.

As for the narrators, Dr. Voth was by far the most entertaining, then Dr. LaFleur, although he has an odd tendency to over-enunciate. Dr. McClymond was good, but Dr. Bailey seemed uncomfortable, stumbling over words and having to make very obvious overdubs. However all the lectures were entertaining and informative. Anyone interested in mythology, or if you just like watching Thor movies, you would benefit from listening to these lectures.

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