The Dancing Goddesses
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Narrated by:
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Julia Farhat
About this listen
A fascinating exploration of an ancient system of beliefs and its links to the evolution of dance.
From southern Greece to northern Russia, people have long believed in female spirits, bringers of fertility, who spend their nights and days dancing in the fields and forests. So appealing were these spirit-maidens that they also took up residence in 19th-century Romantic literature. Archaeologist and linguist by profession, folk dancer by avocation, Elizabeth Wayland Barber has sleuthed through ethnographic lore and archaeological reports of east and southeast Europe, translating enchanting folktales about these "dancing goddesses" as well as eyewitness accounts of traditional rituals - texts that offer new perspectives on dance in agrarian society. She then traces these goddesses and their dances back through the Romans and Greeks to the first farmers of Europe. Along the way, she locates the origins of many customs, including coloring Easter eggs and throwing rice at the bride. The result is a detective story like no other and a joyful reminder of the human need to dance.
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- Classic Stories from the Greek, Celtic, Norse, Japanese, Hindu, Chinese, Mesopotamian and Egyptian Mythology
- By: Scott Lewis
- Narrated by: Madison Niederhauser, Oliver Hunt
- Length: 31 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Do you know how many wives Zeus had? Or how the famous Trojan War was caused by one beautiful lady? Or how Thor got his hammer? Give your imagination a real treat. This Mega Mythology Collection of eight audiobooks is for you....
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An interesting set of introductions.
- By Kevin Potter on 05-30-19
By: Scott Lewis
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When They Severed Earth from Sky
- How the Human Mind Shapes Myth
- By: Elizabeth Wayland Barber, Paul T. Barber
- Narrated by: Beth Richmond
- Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Why were Prometheus and Loki envisioned as chained to rocks? What was the Golden Calf? Why are mirrors believed to carry bad luck? How could anyone think that mortals like Perseus, Beowulf, and St. George actually fought dragons, since dragons don't exist? Strange though they sound, however, these "myths" did not begin as fiction.
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The Volcano Book
- By Stanley on 02-05-11
By: Elizabeth Wayland Barber, and others
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Asian Journals
- India and Japan (The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell)
- By: Joseph Campbell
- Narrated by: Fred Stella
- Length: 26 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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At the beginning of his career, Joseph Campbell developed a lasting fascination with the cultures of the Far East, and explorations of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy later became recurring motifs in his vast body of work. However, Campbell had to wait until middle age to visit the lands that inspired him so deeply. In 1954, he took a sabbatical from his teaching position and embarked on a year-long voyage through India, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and finally Japan.
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What a journey!
- By Anonymous User on 08-11-18
By: Joseph Campbell
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Paradise of the Pacific
- Approaching Hawaii
- By: Susanna Moore
- Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab
- Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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The history of Hawaii may be said to be the story of arrivals - from the eruption of volcanoes on the ocean floor 18,000 feet below, the first hardy seeds that over millennia found their way to the islands, and the confused birds blown from their migratory routes to the early Polynesian adventurers who sailed across the Pacific in double canoes, the Spanish galleons en route to the Philippines, and the British navigators in search of a Northwest Passage....
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Excellent Overview
- By tmiq on 08-20-16
By: Susanna Moore
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Mesoamerican Mythology
- Fascinating Myths and Legends of Gods, Goddesses, Heroes and Monster from the Ancient Maya, Inca and Aztec Mythology
- By: Simon Lopez
- Narrated by: Neil Hamilton
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Do you know that the Mayans believed that the Earth was flat with four poles supporting the sky? Or that the Inca Emperors were thought to be the direct descendant of the sun god himself? The early Mesoamericans were a mysterious bunch. In this audiobook we will dive deep into their world of Myths and captivating stories of the creation of the world, adventures of heroes and even love stories between goddess and mortal.
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Modern Twist
- By A. Capps on 12-27-19
By: Simon Lopez
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Essential Ásatrú
- Walking the Path of Norse Paganism
- By: Diana L. Paxson, Isaac Bonewits - foreword
- Narrated by: Ann Richardson
- Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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In Essential Asatru, renowned author and priestess Diana Paxson demystifies an ancient, rich, and often misunderstood religion, and offers a practical guide for its modern followers. Filled with clear, concise instructions on living Asatru every day, this truly accessible guide takes you on a journey from Asatru's origins in Scandinavian and German paganism to its recognition as an official religion in the 1970s and its widespread acceptance today.
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A most excellent introduction
- By Steven Kok on 04-22-21
By: Diana L. Paxson, and others
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Celtic Mythology
- Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes
- By: Philip Freeman
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Most people have heard of the Celts - the elusive, ancient tribal people who resided in present-day England, Ireland, Scotland and France. Paradoxically characterized as both barbaric and innocent, the Celts appeal to the modern world as a symbol of a bygone era, a world destroyed by the ambition of empire and the spread of Christianity throughout Western Europe. Despite the pervasive cultural and literary influence of the Celts, shockingly little is known of their way of life and beliefs, because very few records of their stories exist.
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Scholarly yet fancifully told
- By Maestro F on 01-04-20
By: Philip Freeman
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The Old Way
- A Story of the First People
- By: Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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One of our most influential anthropologists reevaluates her long and illustrious career by returning to her roots and the roots of life as we know it. When Elizabeth Marshall Thomas first arrived in Africa to live among the Kalahari bushmen, she was 19, and these last surviving hunter-gatherers were living as humans had for 15,000 centuries. After a lifetime of interest in the bushmen, Thomas has come to see that their lifestyle reveals great, hidden truths about human evolution.
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Interesting first hand experience
- By Victor on 05-25-07
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The Celtic Twilight
- By: William Butler Yeats
- Narrated by: Jack Chekijian
- Length: 4 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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One of the best-known collections of W. B. Yeats' prose, The Celtic Twilight explores the old connection between the Irish people and the magical world of fairies. Yeats, by traveling the land in the early 20th century and talking to the common people about their experiences with the creatures, yielded a colorful overview of Celtic fairy folklore.
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A compilation of Irish folklore in prose
- By MolllyT on 07-26-16
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Aztec: A Captivating Guide to Aztec History and the Triple Alliance of Tenochtitlan, Tetzcoco, and Tlacopan
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 1 hr and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Explore the Captivating History and Mythology of the Aztec!
Nothing remains of the ancient Mesoamerican civilization who called themselves the Mexica, better known to us as the Aztecs. Nothing except for their remarkable story. In this audiobook, we discuss their enigmatic origins and how the Aztecs rose from nomadic tribes to the dominant power in Mesoamerica at an astounding speed. You’ll wander the streets of their great capital city of Tenochtitlán, known as “the Venice of the New World” among the Spanish Conquistadors, who spread the term all over Europe. You’ll discover the full extent of the city’s splendour, visiting its many market stalls, smelling fresh chocolate and vanilla pods. You’ll indulge in a taste of ripe, hand-picked avocados and freshly baked corn tortillas, as you decipher Náhuatl, the language spoken by the 50,000 merchants who visited Tenochtitlán every day.
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not bad at all
- By gibran on 12-06-18
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Homer Box Set: Iliad & Odyssey
- By: Homer, W. H. D. Rouse - translator
- Narrated by: Anthony Heald
- Length: 25 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are unquestionably two of the greatest epic masterpieces in Western literature. Though more than 2,700 years old, their stories of brave heroics, capricious gods, and towering human emotions are vividly timeless. The Iliad can justly be called the world’s greatest war epic. The terrible and long-drawn-out siege of Troy remains one of the classic campaigns. The Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars to his beloved wife.
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Oddball Translation
- By Joel Jenkins on 05-11-17
By: Homer, and others
What listeners say about The Dancing Goddesses
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- ECNB
- 11-07-20
Terrible narration
How did this narrator get hired? Every word is painful, but you can practically hear her eyebrows raise as she strains to pronounce non-English words and names. I can usually get past poor narration, but this is like listening to someone who is learning to read, and focusing on the content takes conscious effort.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Bernadette Starling
- 03-10-16
Great book But...
Terrible narrator. Robotic and monotonous voice. Very unfortunate but the contents of the talking book made up for it.
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2 people found this helpful
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- raychel
- 06-24-15
Great book! Robotic reader
the woman reading this sounds like a robot. If you can get past that, you'll enjoy a fabulous book.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Deborah
- 08-27-16
Love this author's research and perspectives
Would you consider the audio edition of The Dancing Goddesses to be better than the print version?
When I don't have time to read print, I always hope there is an audible version of the book. I never dreamed there would be an audio version of one of my favorite authors who works in the fields of culture and anthropology, but I checked, and I found this one!
Who was your favorite character and why?
Elizabeth Wayland Barber's perspectives and research are always fascinating and academically-sound. I found the section on calendars to be most intriguing.
Which character – as performed by Julia Farhat – was your favorite?
The narrator has a great voice. At times, the intonations seem to fall into a distracting and repetitive pattern that can detract from the content (for me), but on the whole, I liked the narration.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Each "page" provides wonderful new subjects and relevant contexts. She brings history and culture to life.
Any additional comments?
I hope Audible continues making books like this available to those of us who are busy researching our studies and don't always have enough time to sit down and read. I've searched online for more audio book versions of equally interesting academically-sound works, and they seem to be hard to come by even though they must be in demand.
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- Redthistleknit
- 11-07-22
The narrator is very weak
I am a huge fan of the author, but really struggled to finish listening to this book. Her pronunciation of many English words is her own creation, although I suspect her pronunciation of the foreign words is probably quite good. Her intonation and pacing are off putting.
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- Katherine C. Long
- 03-08-16
Difficult
What disappointed you about The Dancing Goddesses?
Barber is one of my favorite authors writing about myth, history and anthropology. But the narration is very very difficult to listen to. As much as I am fascinated by the content, I've tried to get through this and the narration just is too distracting.
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
Cross-cultural comparisons
What didn’t you like about Julia Farhat’s performance?
Read without expression. It is easier to listen to "text-to-speech" than this.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Very disappointed. I'd planned to make a quilt while listening to this and will have to find a different title.
Any additional comments?
Please have someone else record Barber's book "Women's Work"
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2 people found this helpful