This text investigates the foundational role of mythology in human culture by analyzing the structural and thematic commonalities across diverse global traditions. Eva M. Thury and Margaret K. Devinney provide a comprehensive academic framework that synthesizes classical, Near Eastern, and non-Western mythic narratives. The authors utilize a comparative approach to demonstrate how these stories function as psychological and sociological tools for understanding the human condition.

Experts and educators frequently identify this text as a standard introductory resource for undergraduate mythology courses due to its clear organization and breadth of coverage. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which balances rigorous scholarly analysis with accessible explanations of complex mythological motifs.