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Ariadne's Clue: A Guide to the Symbols of Humankind (Mythos: The Princeton/Bollingen Series in World Mythology, 90) Paperback – June 1, 2001

by Anthony Stevens (Author)

4.4 22 ratings

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Symbolism is the most powerful and ancient means of communication available to humankind. For centuries people have expressed their preoccupations and concerns through symbolism in the form of myths, stories, religions, and dreams. The meaning of symbols has long been debated among philosophers, antiquarians, theologians, and, more recently, anthropologists and psychologists. In Ariadne's Clue, distinguished analyst and psychiatrist Anthony Stevens explores the nature of symbols and explains how and why we create the symbols we do.

The book is divided into two parts: an interpretive section that concerns symbols in general and a "dictionary" that lists hundreds of symbols and explains their origins, their resemblances to other symbols, and the belief systems behind them. In the first section, Stevens takes the ideas of C. G. Jung a stage further, asserting not only that we possess an innate symbol-forming propensity that exists as a creative and integral part of our psychic make-up, but also that the human mind evolved this capacity as a result of selection pressures encountered by our species in the course of its evolutionary history. Stevens argues that symbol formation has an adaptive function: it promotes our grasp on reality and in dreams often corrects deficient modes of psychological functioning. In the second section, Stevens examines symbols under four headings: "The Physical Environment," "Culture and Psyche," "People, Animals, and Plants," and "The Body." Many of the symbols are illustrated in the book's rich variety of woodcuts. From the ancient symbol of the serpent to the archetypal masculine and feminine, from the earth to the stars, from the primordial landscape of the savannah to the mysterious depths of the sea, Stevens traces a host of common symbols back through time to reveal their psychodynamic functioning and looks at their deep-rooted effects on the lives of modern men, women, and children.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a fascinating book, packed with ideas and out-of-the-way information. . . . a thesaurus of symbols. [Stevens] aim[s] to provide clues to the origin, meaning, and development of some of the most common symbols and, like Ariadne's thread, to trace connections between different parts of what seems like an impenetrable maze."---John Habgood, The Times Higher Education Supplement

"What sets this book apart from many others . . . is Stevens's viewpoint. He approaches symbols as an evolutionary psychologist . . . one who seeks to understand the biological reasons underlying our symbols. . . . [This] would be of interest to anyone who tries to understand themselves, whether they do it by biology, psychology, astrology, or tarot. The symbols are always there."---David Smillie, Discovery Channel

"One need not be a Jungian to appreciate this fine book both as a reference and a contemporary introduction to symbolism. A brilliant integration of psychological archetypes with Darwinian theory. . . . Stevens presents vast learning easily and precisely in prose that is at once calm and exciting. . . . [A] standard--if not the standard--in the field; essential for most libraries." ― Library Journal

Review

"Stevens has a unique capacity for relating myths and symbols to the way our psyches function today, thus bringing symbols alive rather than dismissing them as historical curiosities. He is also a stylish writer, and is able to link his conclusions from a variety of fields into a consistent, readable whole."―Anthony Storr, University of Oxford

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Princeton University Press; 17136th edition (June 1, 2001)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0691086613
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0691086613
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.25 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,144,151 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,085 in Medical Psychoanalysis
- #1,493 in Popular Psychology Psychoanalysis
- #2,762 in Folklore & Mythology Studies

Customer Reviews:
4.4 22 ratings

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4.4 out of 5

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E.Banks

Social Advantage Over People w/Extreme Psychosis!!! (Literally)

Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2017

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I Haven't Read This Book Within Its Entirety; However, The Reviews From Black Scholars Are Solid!!!

One person found this helpful

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Kachi (Jennifer) Angel

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2015

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Great condition, I'm very pleased

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Peter Rogers MD

Helpful for study of comparative mythology, archetypes and evolutionary biology of the mind.

Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2018

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Good explanations of symbols.

Gets boring at times because it is a dictionary like format.

Alot of this info is hard to find elsewhere.

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S. Nakajima

The best book on symbols

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 1999

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This is an excellent ultra-Darwinian analysis of archetypal material. The best book written on the subject. I have always wondered the origins of the social taboos and customs, and found answers in this book. Strongly recommended.

9 people found this helpful

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Atma Weapon

Fluff / Does Not Add Value

Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2016

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I was seduced by the cool title and a positive review, but now I find myself questioning the wisdom of this purchase. The entries and content seem to be little more than a distillation of the more thorough Penguin Dictionary of Symbols. The bibliography has a smattering of Jungian and evolutionary psychology and other assorted pop science books, but only a few relevant sources on symbols (notably the aforementioned Penguin). Now, I'm not opposed to the idea of a more interdisciplinary approach or a sort unique spin on things, but I just found that it wasn't adding much value in this case. It is trying to be both a dictionary and an overarching discussion of symbols, but falls short on both counts. This is simply inferior as a dictionary and the discussion is too fluffy to leave any lasting impression (if you're into Jungian psychology and dream interpretation, your mileage may vary).

If you want an accessible book on symbols that reads like a pop science book, this may a good choice (I do sort of like the way it categorizes entries rather than just listing everything alphabetically). However, this book is too fluffy, subjective, and oversimplified for my taste.

9 people found this helpful

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Linda VB

Pioneering Psychology

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2007

Steven's has presented another landmark book in his continuing endeavor to forge Jungian psychology into a comprehensive field that incorporates evolutionary psychology and places it on a firm empirical basis. This is a must for any psychology buff and represents part of a revolutionary frontier in the study of the human mind. I highly recommend Stevens and Price's "Evolutionary Psychiatry: A New Beginning".

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jun r. capiral

a fascinating book...

Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 1999

if i could give more than 5 stars, ill wholeheartedly give this book the rating it deserves! i guess anyone who believes that dreams are indispensable in leading us towards the fulfillment of our destiny (individua tion)should definitely read this book. ariadne's thread indeed serves its name right as it almost literally makes our journey in the labyrinthe easier. reading this book also made me fully understand and appreciate the phenomenology of the numinous which remained quite murky for me before encountering ARIADNE'S THREAD. i hope that reading this book will be of help to you readers, as much as it has been an illuminating experience for me. let's give this book and anthony stevens a standing ovation :)

8 people found this helpful

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T. P.

You'll have to be in front of a dictionary most the time.

Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2013

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This book was interesting. It was about myths and everything. The only thing is the author assumes you know everything he's talking about. So, you'll have to constantly look things up to understand fully what he is talking about. I recommend this book if you don't mind doing that.

3 people found this helpful

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Bradley

Excellent Work on Evolutionary Psychology

Reviewed in Canada on December 9, 2015

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I stumbled across this book by chance, but glad I did. Stevens' work combines evolutionary psychology with Jungina analysis - he makes a very convincing argument, and his writing style is clear and straightforward.