Description: Aphrodite, stereotype or feminist icon? An awesome new title exploring identity, mythology and stereotypes.
Aphrodite is a celebrated figure deeply connected with beauty, sexuality and love in ancient myth - but do we really know who she is and what she stands for? A captivating Greek goddess, who according to popular myth was born from sea foam, she is as fascinating now as she was then to both Gods and mortals. A powerful, multifaceted woman with a story as deep as the ocean from which perhaps she came, she is often erroneously presented as a fertility goddess, but she is certainly sensual, sexual and even maternal. Created through open submissions and supported by an extensive introduction examining the origins of Aphrodite, is a wonderful new book in the best tradition of Flame Tree's collectable hardcover editions. Introductory essay by Stephanie Budin, and foreword by Anja Ulbrich. The modern authors whose stories feature in this book are: Benjamin Cyril Arthur, Bernice Arthur, Andrea Modenos Ash, Angelina Chamberlain, C.B. Channell, Ev Datsyk, Voss Foster, Luna C. Galindo, Ali Habashi, Xoe Juliani, Vanessa Ziff Lasdon, Russell Hugh McConnell, Melody E. McIntyre, Fiona Mossman, Noah Ross, Zach Shephard, and Lauren Talveryn. About the series: Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a legendary, mythological or folkloric figure, with new stories alongside a comprehensive introduction which tells the original tales and emphasizes ancient and modern connections, tracing history and stories across continents, cultures and peoples. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well known stories, complementing the specially commissioned story of the origins and the cultural background from the era. The first titles are Medusa, Odin, Anansi and Circe.Brief description: Anja Ulbrich is the A.G. Leventis curator of Cypriot Antiquities at the Ashmolean. She studied Classical Archaeology, Ancient History and History of European Art at Heidelberg University, and completed an MPhil in Classics (Greek archaeology) from the University of Cambridge. She holds a PhD with a thesis on sanctuaries of female deities in Cyprus during the Archaic and Classical periods.