48 Hours of Joseph Campbell Lectures Free Online: The Power of Myth & Storytelling

Update: Sadly, the Spotify playlist referred to below no longer exists. If I can find another source, I'll update this post again.

If you're reading this page, odds are better than even that you're already familiar with Joseph Campbell. Just in case, though: Joseph Campbell was a pioneer in exploring the use and meaning of myth in contemporary culture. He worked at identifying and categorizing common themes found in myths and stories across cultures, and showing how they both expressed and informed cultural values and practices. He has his critics, but agree with him or not, there's no arguing that his work has shaped the way we view stories from tales of King Arthur to Br'er Rabbit to Star Wars. I've watched his The Power of Myth interviews with Bill Moyers several times, finding new gems each time.

So, given that, you can imagine my excitement to learn that we can listen to 48 hours of The Lectures of Joseph Campbell, drawn from work early in his career, for free on this Spotify playlist! (If you don't already have it, you can download the free Spotify software from their website.)

If you're a fan of Campbell, mythology, or storytelling, let us know your thoughts in the comments below! If you'd like to learn more about Campbell and his work, the Joseph Campbell Foundation website is a great place to start.