Myth: A Very Short Introduction

The book provides a clear and insightful introduction to all the central theorists of myth...Robert Segal achieves a great deal in this short 150 page introduction to myth. It is a concise without being simplistic; intricate without being confusing; playful without being contrite - a must have on any student's (or indeed teacher's!) bookcase. (Fiona Darroch, Literature and Theology)

It isn't often that you find a book that gives you a brief, intelligible way into an entire field of study, but in Myth: A Very Short Introduction, Robert A. Segal does it in style. As a reader, especially a student reader, you walk away feeling enlightened from the power dosage of knowledge. (Journal of Folklore Research)

The book will prove a very valuable guide for anybody setting foot in this minefield of contradictory theorising. (Jacqueline Simpson,The Folklore Society)

Segal constructs a concise, accessible, and comprehensive survey... this small format volume, just the right size to fit conveniently into a pocket, is clearly written and engaging. Recommended for both classrooms and pockets. (Diane Jonte-Pace, Religious Studies Review)

What he achieves is part handy field guide, part playbook of holds for wrestling with this protean phenomenon, surprising for its exhaustiveness in impossibly tight quarters. (Victor Faessel, Spring 76)

Segal's writing is entirely lucid (Laurence Phelan, Independent on Sunday)