The best Greek mythology books 📚

Not so much a novel as a loosely connected set of rambling anecdotes dealing with everything from incompetent market officials to Greek myth and sex and superstition. The whole thing is told with great verve and is a sackful of fun. Try P.G. Walsh's translation available from Oxford. World Classics.

Ancient Roman poet Ovid gives us the definitive versions of nearly 250 different myths, most involving transformations of men and women into beasts, trees, or flowers. If that sounds dull, know that there’s more incest than Game of Thrones and more bloody mutilation than a Quentin Tarantino flick. Some tales, like that of Orpheus and Eurydice, are well-known. Others, like the story of the fleet-footed Atalanta, should be. For anyone interested in writing their own story inspired by Greek myth, Ovid’s Metamorphoses provides an invaluable source of inspiration. Read Allen Mandelbaum’s excellent poetic translation for the most authentic experience.

I first became aware of Robert Graves at university when I studied his war poetry but his novels I, Claudius and Claudius the God, captured my imagination especially after their famous adaptation into a TV series starring Derek Jacobi and John Hurt. When I began researching the Etruscans, I discovered Graves’ two-volume Greek Myths with his in-depth examination of the legends of the classical world. Reading Graves gave me insight into the difference between ‘myth’ and ‘cult’ which proved invaluable when researching the shared pantheons of the Romans, Greeks, and Etruscans. It also opened my eyes to the fact… show more.

This book was one of the first romantic fantasy books I picked up and it completely captivated me from the very first page. You are immediately thrown into an incredible world, right at the same time the two main characters meet. It’s fast-paced, steamy, and perfect for anyone who loves that enemies-to-lovers vibe (me, I’m anyone). Kat and Griffin are amazing together and it’s so much fun to watch them figure that out.