11 Best Folklore & Mythology Books
Folklore & Mythology is a popular category for many book lovers. Our team at Speechify has curated a list of the top Folklore & Mythology audiobooks everyone must read.
See the top 11 Folklore & Mythology audiobooks below.
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The Age of Fable
- By: Thomas Bulfinch
- Narrator: Mary Woods
- Length: 13 hours 3 minutes
- Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
- Publish date: January 01, 2017
- Language: English
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4.33(3 ratings)
4.33(3 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0022.95 USDMany of the world’s travails may be traced to the displacement of mythology by the age of science. Knowledge today is often deemed useful only if it enlarges our possessions or raises our station in society. If instead, the criterion were toMany of the world’s travails may be traced to the displacement of mythology by the age of science. Knowledge today is often deemed useful only if it enlarges our possessions or raises our station in society. If instead, the criterion were to make us happier and more virtuous, mythology would have retained its proper place in society.
The Age of Fable is Thomas Bulfinch’s brilliant reconstruction of the ancient myths and legends that form the backbone of western culture. Drawn from a variety of classic sources, including Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Egyptian myths, Eastern mythology, and Hindu, Norse, and Celtic works, these selections form a remarkable tapestry of human endeavor: dreams, illusions, adventures, and loves. Included are the legends of Cupid and Psyche, Venus and Adonis, Hero and Leander, Hercules, and many others.
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In Defense of Witches
- By: Mona Chollet
- Narrator: Alix Dunmore
- Length: 7 hours 47 minutes
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Publish date: March 08, 2022
- Language: English
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4.21(2090 ratings)
4.21(2090 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0019.99 USDMona Chollet’s In Defense of Witches is a “brilliant, well-documented” celebration (Le Monde) by an acclaimed French feminist of the witch as a symbol of female rebellion and independence in the face of misogyny andMona Chollet’s In Defense of Witches is a “brilliant, well-documented” celebration (Le Monde) by an acclaimed French feminist of the witch as a symbol of female rebellion and independence in the face of misogyny and persecution.
Centuries after the infamous witch hunts that swept through Europe and America, witches continue to hold a unique fascination for many: as fairy tale villains, practitioners of pagan religion, as well as feminist icons. Witches are both the ultimate victim and the stubborn, elusive rebel. But who were the women who were accused and often killed for witchcraft? What types of women have centuries of terror censored, eliminated, and repressed?
Celebrated feminist writer Mona Chollet explores three types of women who were accused of witchcraft and persecuted: the independent woman, since widows and celibates were particularly targeted; the childless woman, since the time of the hunts marked the end of tolerance for those who claimed to control their fertility; and the elderly woman, who has always been an object of at best, pity, and at worst, horror. Examining modern society, Chollet concludes that these women continue to be harassed and oppressed. Rather than being a brief moment in history, the persecution of witches is an example of society’s seemingly eternal misogyny, while women today are direct heirs to those who were hunted down and killed for their thoughts and actions.
With fiery prose and arguments that range from the scholarly to the cultural, In Defense of Witches seeks to unite the mythic image of the witch with modern women who seek to live their lives on their own terms.
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Icelandic Magic
- By: Stephen E. Flowers
- Narrator: Micah Hanks
- Length: 3 hours 8 minutes
- Publisher: Inner Traditions/Bear & Company
- Publish date: January 01, 2020
- Language: English
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3.96(165 ratings)
3.96(165 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0017.99 USDA practical guide to the magical systems of pre-Christian Iceland * Reveals spells and workings drawn directly from surviving magical books from the 16th to 20th century preserved at the National Library in Reykjavik * Explores the history ofA practical guide to the magical systems of pre-Christian Iceland
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* Reveals spells and workings drawn directly from surviving magical books from the 16th to 20th century preserved at the National Library in Reykjavik
* Explores the history of magic in Iceland through original translations of Icelandic folktales about famous magicians and about legendary grimoires, such as the Galdrabok, the oldest and most complete book of its kind
* Explains how to personalize the spells through the creation of unique signs and symbols based on the mythic names of Odin and Icelandic magical alphabets
During the Christianization of Europe in the Middle Ages, many books of magic were lost as the ancient pagan traditions were suppressed. But in Iceland the practice of recording magical spells in books continued in secret for centuries, on a scale not seen elsewhere. Now housed in the National Library in Reykjavik, these surviving grimoires, which represent only a hundredth of what was lost, reveal a rich magical tradition that continued to evolve into the 20th century.
Drawing directly from the actual surviving Icelandic books of magic, Stephen Flowers presents a complete system of magic based on Icelandic lore and magical practices from the 16th century onward. He explores the history of magic in Iceland in pagan and early Christian times and reveals specific practical techniques and ritual templates that readers can adapt to their unique purposes. Illustrating traditional Icelandic magical practices and the Icelanders’ attitudes toward them, he shares original translations of Icelandic folktales about famous magicians, such as the legend of Gray-Skin, and about legendary grimoires, such as the Galdrabok, the oldest and most complete book of its kind.
After initiating the reader into the grammar and symbols of Icelandic magic through history and lore, Flowers then presents an extensive catalog of actual spells and magical workings from the historical Icelandic books of magic. These examples provide ready-made forms for practical experimentation as well as an exemplary guide on how to create signs and symbols for more personalized magical work. The author also includes guidance on creating unique magical signs from the 100 mythic names of Odin, which he translates and interprets magically, and from Icelandic magical alphabets, symbols that connect Icelandic magic to the ancient runic tradition. -
Encyclopedia of Norse and Germanic Folklore, Mythology, and Magic
- By: Claude Lecouteux
- Narrator: Jez Sands
- Length: 11 hours 33 minutes
- Publisher: Inner Traditions/Bear & Company
- Publish date: January 01, 2022
- Language: English
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3.92(58 ratings)
3.92(58 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0022.99 USDA thorough reference to the many deities, magical beings, mythical places, and ancient customs of the Norse and Germanic regions of Europe * Explores the legends and origins of well-known gods and figures such as Odin, Thor, Krampus, and theA thorough reference to the many deities, magical beings, mythical places, and ancient customs of the Norse and Germanic regions of Europe
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* Explores the legends and origins of well-known gods and figures such as Odin, Thor, Krampus, and the Valkyries, as well as a broad range of magical beings such as the Elf King, the Lorelei, the Perchten, dwarves, trolls, and giants
* Draws upon a wealth of well-known and rare sources, such as the Poetic Edda and The Deeds of the Danes by Saxo Grammaticus
* Examines folktales, myths, and magical beliefs from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and England
The legends of the Norse and Germanic regions of Europe–spanning from Germany and Austria across Scandinavia to Iceland and England–include a broad range of mythical characters and places, from Odin and Thor, to berserkers and Valhalla, to the Valkyries and Krampus. In this encyclopedia, Claude Lecouteux explores the origins, connections, and tales behind many gods, goddesses, magical beings, rituals, folk customs, and mythical places of Norse and Germanic tradition.
More than a reference to the Aesir and the Vanir pantheons, this encyclopedia draws upon a wealth of well-known and rare sources, such as the Poetic Edda, the Saga of Ynglingar by Snorri Sturluson, and The Deeds of the Danes by Saxo Grammaticus. Beyond the famous and infamous Norse gods and goddesses, Lecouteux also provides information on lesser-known figures from ancient Germanic pagan tradition such as the Elf King, the Lorelei, the Perchten, land spirits, fairies, dwarves, trolls, goblins, bogeymen, giants, and many other beings who roam the wild, as well as lengthy articles on well-known figures and events such as Siegfried (Sigurd in Norse) and Ragnarok. The author describes the worship of the elements and trees, details many magical rituals, and shares wild folktales from ancient Europe, such as the strange adventure of Peter Schlemihl and the tale of the Cursed Huntsman. He also dispels the false beliefs that have arisen from the Nazi hijacking of Germanic mythology and from its longtime suppression by Christianity.
Complete with information from obscure sources appearing for the first time in English, this detailed reference work represents an excellent resource for scholars and those seeking to reconnect to their pagan pasts and restore the old religion. -
A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Narrator: David Thorn
- Length: 5 hours 35 minutes
- Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
- Publish date: January 01, 2014
- Language: English
Regular Price:Try for $0.008.99 USDThe colorful characters from Greek mythology come alive in exciting adventures captured by the author of The House of the Seven Gables and The Scarlet Letter. Ride Pegasus, open Pandora’s Box, slay Medusa with her head of many snakes, joinThe colorful characters from Greek mythology come alive in exciting adventures captured by the author of The House of the Seven Gables and The Scarlet Letter. Ride Pegasus, open Pandora’s Box, slay Medusa with her head of many snakes, join Hercules as he flexes his muscles and King Midas as he turns his daughter into gold. The stories, moral in tone, are totally riveting.
A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys includes:
The Gorgon’s Head The Golden Touch The Paradise of Children The Three Golden Apples The Miraculous Pitcher The Chimaera
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Venus and Aphrodite
- By: Bettany Hughes
- Narrator: Bettany Hughes
- Length: 3 hours 11 minutes
- Publisher: Hachette Audio
- Publish date: September 22, 2020
- Language: English
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3.83(847 ratings)
3.83(847 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0024.98 USDA cultural history of the goddess of love, from a New York Times bestselling and award-winning historian.Aphrodite was said to have been born from the sea, rising out of a froth of white foam. But long before the Ancient Greeks conceived of thisA cultural history of the goddess of love, from a New York Times bestselling and award-winning historian.Aphrodite was said to have been born from the sea, rising out of a froth of white foam. But long before the Ancient Greeks conceived of this voluptuous blonde, she existed as an early spirit of fertility on the shores of Cyprus — and thousands of years before that, as a ferocious warrior-goddess in the Middle East. Proving that this fabled figure is so much more than an avatar of commercialized romance, historian Bettany Hughes reveals the remarkable lifestory of one of antiquity’s most potent myths.Venus and Aphrodite brings together ancient art, mythology, and archaeological revelations to tell the story of human desire. From Mesopotamia to modern-day London, from Botticelli to Beyonce, Hughes explains why this immortal goddess continues to entrance us today — and how we trivialize her power at our peril.... Read more -
Afterlife
- By: Daniel Pinchbeck
- Narrator: Jordan Byrne
- Length: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
- Publish date: January 01, 2022
- Language: English
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3.8(5 ratings)
3.8(5 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0014.95 USDOne of the deepest questions we can ask is: What happens after we die? For the past centuries, with the rise of scientific materialism, the prevailing answer to this has been: nothing. Our conscious self-awareness is simply an accident of evolution,One of the deepest questions we can ask is: What happens after we die? For the past centuries, with the rise of scientific materialism, the prevailing answer to this has been: nothing.
Our conscious self-awareness is simply an accident of evolution, arising from the increasing complexity of the physical brain. There can be no awareness outside of the brain. However, scientific discoveries of the twentieth century, particularly in physics, flipped this over, supporting what mystics have said throughout time: Consciousness is the underlying reality, the “ontological primitive,” and the physical universe is a transitory expression of this indivisible, instinctive consciousness.
This revolution in scientific thought gives us reasonable grounds to reconsider a great deal of evidence pointing toward an afterlife. This includes children who spontaneously recall their past lives, mediums able to bring information from the deceased, Indo-Tibetan death meditation practices, and near-death experiences.
In Afterlife: Is There Consciousness After Death?, New York Times bestselling author Daniel Pinchbeck (Breaking Open the Head, 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl) builds the philosophical foundation for a new understanding and acceptance of our existence as souls and spirits within a larger continuum of consciousness, connecting contemporary scientific knowledge with ancient esoteric and shamanic wisdom traditions.
Changing our relationship to the afterlife will also transform our relationship to this world. As the worldview of monistic or analytic idealism displaces the obsolete model of reductive materialism, the values of our civilization will also change profoundly. Hence, on every level, this is a subject of primary importance for humanity’s future.
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The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Fairies
- By: Skye Alexander
- Narrator: Wendy Tremont King
- Length: 9 hours 29 minutes
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
- Publish date: January 01, 2021
- Language: English
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3.72(67 ratings)
3.72(67 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0019.99 USDInteract with magical fairy folk and incorporate them into your own witchcraft practice with this detailed account of the ancient wisdom and traditions of fairies and witchcraft.Fairies have long been a part of witchcraft traditions, especiallyInteract with magical fairy folk and incorporate them into your own witchcraft practice with this detailed account of the ancient wisdom and traditions of fairies and witchcraft.
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Fairies have long been a part of witchcraft traditions, especially Celtic and Norse witchcraft, paganism, and other traditions deeply tied to the earth. But these fairies aren’t the harmless creatures you’ve read about in children’s tales: they are magical creatures with their own culture and rules that you need to know before venturing into their territory.
Now you can explore the world of the fairies and how their magic relates to your own witchcraft practice with The Modern Witchcraft Book of Fairies. This book provides you with all the information you need to know about the different types of fae folk and how you can safely interact with them to make the most of your witchcraft practice. -
Slavic Witchcraft
- By: Natasha Helvin
- Narrator: Robin Douglas
- Length: 7 hours 42 minutes
- Publisher: Inner Traditions/Bear & Company
- Publish date: January 01, 2019
- Language: English
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3.38(189 ratings)
3.38(189 ratings)Regular Price:Try for $0.0019.99 USDA practical guide to the ancient magical tradition of Russian sorcery and Eastern Slavic magical rites * Offers step-by-step instructions for more than 300 spells, incantations, charms, amulets, and practical rituals for love, career success,A practical guide to the ancient magical tradition of Russian sorcery and Eastern Slavic magical rites
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* Offers step-by-step instructions for more than 300 spells, incantations, charms, amulets, and practical rituals for love, career success, protection, healing, divination, communicating with spirits and ancestors, and other challenges and situations
* Reveals specific places of magical power in the natural world as well as the profound power of graveyards and churches for casting spells
* Explores the folk history of this ancient magical tradition, including how the pagan gods gained new life as Eastern Orthodox saints, and shares folktales of magical beings, including sorceresses shapeshifting into animals and household objects
Passed down through generations, the Slavic practice of magic, witchcraft, and sorcery is still alive and well in Russia, the Ukraine, and Belarus, as well as the Balkans and the Baltic states. There are still witches who whisper upon tied knots to curse or heal, sorceresses who shapeshift into animals or household objects, magicians who cast spells for love or good fortune, and common folk who seek their aid for daily problems big and small.
Sharing the extensive knowledge she inherited from her mother and grandmother, including spells of the “Old Believers” previously unknown to outsiders, Natasha Helvin explores in detail the folk history and practice of Russian sorcery and Eastern Slavic magical rites, offering a rich compendium of more than 300 spells, incantations, charms, and practical rituals for love, relationships, career success, protection, healing, divination, averting the evil eye, communicating with spirits and ancestors, and a host of other life challenges and daily situations, with complete step-by-step instructions to ensure your magical goals are realized. She explains how this tradition has only a thin Christian veneer over its pagan origins and how the Slavic pagan gods and goddesses acquired new lives as the saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church. She details how the magical energy for these spells and rituals is drawn from the forces of nature, revealing specific places of power in the natural world as well as the profound power of graveyards and churches for casting spells. She explores the creation of amulets and talismans, the importance of icons, and the proper recital of magical language and actions during spells, as well as how one becomes a witch or sorceress.
Offering a close examination of these two-thousand-year-old occult practices, Helvin also includes Slavic folk advice, adapted for the modern era. Revealing what it means to be a Slavic witch or sorceress, and how this vocation pervades all aspects of life, she shows that each of us has magic within that we can use to take control of our own destiny. -
Wind
- By: Jan DeBlieu
- Narrator: Mary Woods
- Length: 10 hours 48 minutes
- Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
- Publish date: January 01, 2010
- Language: English
Regular Price:Try for $0.0020.95 USDSiroccos, Santa Anas, chinooks, monsoons … the wind has as many names as moods. Few other forces have so universally shaped the lands and waters of the earth and the patterns of exploration, settlement, and civilization. Few other phenomenaSiroccos, Santa Anas, chinooks, monsoons … the wind has as many names as moods. Few other forces have so universally shaped the lands and waters of the earth and the patterns of exploration, settlement, and civilization. Few other phenomena have exerted such a profound influence on the history and psyche of humankind. In Wind, Jan DeBlieu brings a poet’s voice and a scientist’s eye to this remarkable natural force, showing how the bumping of a few molecules can lead to the creation of religions, the discovery of continents, and the destruction of empires. She talks to survivors of a deadly tornado in Iowa, tries hang gliding over North Carolina’s Outer Banks, climbs sand dunes in Oregon and slickrock formations in Utah—everywhere exploring the effects, subtle and brutal, comforting and terrifying, of the wind.
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All You Need Is Myth
- By: Steve Wagner
- Narrator: Steve Wagner
- Length: 9 hours 12 minutes
- Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
- Publish date: January 01, 2020
- Language: English
Regular Price:Try for $0.0019.95 USDAll You Need Is Myth is a timely philosophical conversation about ancient concepts that continue to reverberate in the modern age of mass media and global communication. Author Steve Wagner proposes that the Beatles and the iconic stars of theAll You Need Is Myth is a timely philosophical conversation about ancient concepts that continue to reverberate in the modern age of mass media and global communication. Author Steve Wagner proposes that the Beatles and the iconic stars of the classic rock era function as modern forms of classical archetypes familiar in mythologies and religious traditions throughout history. The book establishes a persuasive argument that these “Rock Gods” have not only achieved the status of mythic deities but were chosen and nurtured for these roles by the culture itself because of their inherent resonance with archetypal characters, narratives, and symbolism. The thesis is bolstered by a fulcrum of philosophical perspectives connecting separate academic studies, synthesizing theories by Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, Marshall McLuhan, and Mircea Eliade, among many others.
Wagner’s thoughtful inquiry makes original contributions to the field of mythology as it is understood in the modern day, inspires the listener to see artistic expression and modern culture through a mythic lens, and deepens our understanding of how mythic transmissions both emerge from and shape our collective consciousness.
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Cliff Weitzman
Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.
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