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The Dreamtime: Australian Aborigional Myths
Book by Ainslie Roberts and Charles P. Mountford
79 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1965
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107 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 24, 2011
I have just re-read this book after finding it among my mothers� books. This was one of my first introductions to the myths of the Dreamtime and it was really enjoyable to read them again enhanced as they are by the wonderful art of Ainslie Roberts.
As an adult I know they are oversimplifications of stories, I know that the actual myths were heavily cleaned up by Western ‘collectors� of Aboriginal mythology. I know that different tribes had very different interpretations of myths...
And yet this book is still gives me the comfort read of sitting down with a favourite bedtime story of childhood. And I still love the artwork and I still love myths.
As an adult I know they are oversimplifications of stories, I know that the actual myths were heavily cleaned up by Western ‘collectors� of Aboriginal mythology. I know that different tribes had very different interpretations of myths...
And yet this book is still gives me the comfort read of sitting down with a favourite bedtime story of childhood. And I still love the artwork and I still love myths.
September 20, 2010
This series by Mountford and Roberts are beautifully illustrated with gorgeous haunting paintings. I have the original editions and the Dreamtime stories come from all over Australia.
September 20, 2010
This series by Mountford and Roberts are beautifully illustrated with gorgeous haunting paintings. I have the original editions and the Dreamtime stories come from all over Australia.
April 26, 2025
A sumptuously illustrated, beautifully collected series of stories.
Short, no longer than a page long 'summaries' of a belief.
Surely the myths themselves wold have been longer, but sometimes, this is what's needed to prompt that larger dive into a set of beliefs. A joy to read., my favourites were:
sun woman and the moon man, Yirbaik and her dogs, Mangowa and the round lakes, purupriki and the flying foxes and the men of the milky way.
Short, no longer than a page long 'summaries' of a belief.
Surely the myths themselves wold have been longer, but sometimes, this is what's needed to prompt that larger dive into a set of beliefs. A joy to read., my favourites were:
sun woman and the moon man, Yirbaik and her dogs, Mangowa and the round lakes, purupriki and the flying foxes and the men of the milky way.
December 19, 2021
Interesting read, lovely stories accompanied by stunning pictures.
March 24, 2024
Great compilation of Australian aboriginal myths. I read the second edition titled "The first sunrise"
June 15, 2015
Very fascinating and some of them very chilling to think about! I enjoyed quite a few of these stories, and wish I'd been read more Dreamtime myths when I was a young child.
May 25, 2016
It was a good book and very interesting to read about the different myths of Australia. It also has some good lessons to teach.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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