Robert Graves
Finished reading 5 oktubre 2004
This is the most influential and life-altering book I’ve ever read. This book is a must-read for any one interested in languages, poetry, history, religion, mythology, or literature, especially if they are a writer themselves. The book is a 500-page essay, beginning with a challenge to all poets: according to Graves, the only true poets are the ones who worship the White Goddess as muse, and those are few these days.
The book spans a lot, but basically ties together the Celts, Greeks, Hebrews, and Christians as all being essentially the same thing; all coming from the same source. All their myths, and their alphabets. Mythographers will know of the ancient switch from matriarchy to patriarchy, which is explained in this book and becomes in some ways the central focus, as we examine the battle between the White Goddess, the Muse, and the Logic-God, Jehovah or Apollo. Robert Graves takes us on a journey into the secrets, forgotten thousands of years ago, or the secret name of God, the number of the Beast, and creation and organisation of the alphabet.
I have instantly become a better writer, just reading this book. I can’t stress enough how important it is. I certainly hope a few of you at least will pick it up, now, and begin to understand this world.
Rating: 5/5