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History Waits… The Gods Call!

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I’ve been back and forth with a few books, uncertain of how exactly to commit to a book for my DP Indo-European book report. My first one (Jaan Puhvel’s Comparative Mythology) was a bust. The second on my list (In Search of the Indo-Europeans) was also text-book-dense. History was never my forte, and my getting older hasn’t changed that much.

Now, religion and philosophy? I can dig into some religion and philosophy.

I’m taking a momentary pause from the search for the perfect IE history book (keeping my copy of A History of Pagan Europe nearby) and taking on a fascinating book, A World Full of Gods: An Inquiry into Polytheism.

I wouldn’t consider the book a light read, but it is certainly more fitting to my temperament. Plus, as someone whose early years were spent worshiping and developing a religious identity in a monotheistic tradition, I feel the need to address the differences between a “one God” and “many gods” system head-on.

It may be a bit out of order for the DP calendar set forth in Rev. Dangler’s Wheel of the Year, but it feels right for me now.

Some Books Are Not Written To Be Read

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I was thrilled when my copy of Jaan Puhvel’s Comparative Mythology showed up on my doorstep. It was a busy week for all package deliverers driving down my block. Puhvel’s book arrived, as did J.P. Mallory’s In Search of the Indo-Europeans (a title my husband was interested in), Kevan Manwaring’s The Bardic Handbook, and ADF Senior Priest, Rev. Michael Dangler’s companion to the ADF Dedicant Path Through the Wheel of the Year, A Journal of Things Done.

Like I said, busy week.

I’ve shelved The Bardic Handbook for now – one new learning system at a time, please. I anticipate bringing it out if I should encounter any creative dry spells. Rev. Dangler’s Journal was a terrific purchase. It’s a must have for anyone who ever excelled at workbook-style learning (a little structure and guidance can go a long way). I put it straight to use.

Now, the Puhvel book. Let me tell you about the Puhvel book.

This is not a book to read. This is a book to reference. All it took was the Introduction and about three pages of the first section to figure this out.

No disrespect to Puhvel. He’s smart. Uber smart. And I’m sure that there’s plenty of valuable information in this book. I just think my brain might break into a billion bits if I try to read it cover to cover. And I don’t really think he wrote it for me to read. I think he wrote it for academia, and I don’t know if he means for them to read it either. It’s a good text, but not really a good read.

I think I’m going reach across the bed and steal my husband’s copy of In Search of the Indo-Europeans. I’ll let him take a stab at the impenetrable tome.