So begins Karen Armstrong's concise yet compelling investigation into myth: what it is, how it has evolved, and why we still so desperately need it.

She takes us from the Palaeolithic period and the myths of the hunters right through to the 'Great Western Transformation' of the last 500 years and the discrediting of myth by science. The history of myth is the history of humanity. Our stories and beliefs, our curiosity and attempts to understand the world link us to our ancestors and each other. Myths help us make sense of the universe.

Heralding a major series retelling international myths by authors from around the world, Armstrong's characteristically insightful and eloquent book serves as a brilliantly thought-provoking introduction to myth in the broadest sense-and why, if we dismiss it, we do so at our peril.

'Witty, informative and contemplative: Ms Armstrong can simplify complex ideas, but she is never simplistic.' New York Times Book Review