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The Golden Bough by James Frazer

In the dense, ancient groves of the past, where the cycles of nature intertwined with human beliefs, lies the profound and captivating journey of The Golden…

The Golden Bough by James Frazer
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Runtime: 42 hr 44 min · Watch the full audiobook on YouTube · Subscribe to Ion Books

In the dense, ancient groves of the past, where the cycles of nature intertwined with human beliefs, lies the profound and captivating journey of The Golden Bough. Sir James George Frazer, a pioneering scholar of mythology and comparative religion, embarks on a quest to uncover the hidden threads that bind the worlds of magic, religion, and science. This abridged edition, compiled by Frazer's wife, Lilly, distills the essence of his monumental work, revealing a tapestry of myths and rituals that span the globe and centuries. At its heart, The Golden Bough explores the concept of a sacred king who, like the cycles of the seasons, undergoes a mysterious death and rebirth, symbolizing the eternal renewal of life and nature. Travel with Frazer as he uncovers the enigmatic stories of the Two Messengers, where the message of death is delivered before the promise of eternal life, and the tale of the Waning Moon, where the waxing and waning of celestial bodies mirror the fate of humanity. Delve into the myth of the Banana, where the fruit's unique lifecycle hints at the fates of mortals. Each chapter peels back layers of ancient wisdom, revealing the interconnectedness of human belief and the natural world. Frazer's keen eye for detail transforms these myths into a vivid, interconnected narrative. Through his meticulous research, he weaves together tales from distant lands, offering a profound insight into the evolution of human thought and belief.

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Public domain & narration

The edition shown here comes from Project Gutenberg, which publishes only books that are in the US public domain.

The narration is the LibriVox recording read by 11 volunteer readers, including hefyd, JoeD and Måns Broo. LibriVox volunteers dedicate their recordings to the public domain.

Ion Books adds the synchronized scrolling text and video, so you can read along while you listen, for free.

Full Playlist

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Chapters

  1. Chapter 1: Preface & Chapters I & II (43:16) · watch
  2. Chapters III.1 & III.2 part 1 (47:43) · watch
  3. Chapter III.2 part 2 (48:36) · watch
  4. Chapter III.3-4 (36:06) · watch
  5. Chapter IV (44:54) · watch
  6. Chapter V.1-2 (24:32) · watch
  7. Chapter V.3-4 (36:14) · watch
  8. Chapter VI (59:11) · watch
  9. Chapter VII (29:05) · watch
  10. Chapter VIII & IX (36:56) · watch
  11. Chapter X (42:34) · watch
  12. Chapter XI & XII (38:28) · watch
  13. Chapter XIII & XIV (49:44) · watch
  14. Chapter XV & XVI (39:31) · watch
  15. Chapter XVII (1:05:19) · watch
  16. Chapter XVIII (1:17:38) · watch
  17. Chapter XIX (37:20) · watch
  18. Chapter XX part 1 (43:25) · watch
  19. Chapter XX part 2 (1:00:16) · watch
  20. Chapter XXI part 1 (42:48) · watch
  21. Chapter XXI part 2 (42:04) · watch
  22. Chapter XXII (31:42) · watch
  23. Chapter XXIII & XXIV (41:50) · watch
  24. Chapter XXV - XXVII (39:06) · watch
  25. Chapter XXVIII part 1 (32:45) · watch
  26. Chapter XXVIII part 2 (29:17) · watch
  27. Chapter XXIX - XXXI (40:13) · watch
  28. Chapter XXXII & XXXIII (47:31) · watch
  29. Chapter XXXIV - XXXVI (44:35) · watch
  30. Chapter XXXVII & XXXVIII (28:12) · watch
  31. Chapter XXXIX (25:45) · watch
  32. Chapter XL - XLII (34:22) · watch
  33. Chapter XLIII & XLIV (37:14) · watch
  34. Chapter XLV (28:00) · watch
  35. Chapter XLVI (41:35) · watch
  36. Chapter XLVII part 1 (31:34) · watch
  37. Chapter XLVII part 2 (27:06) · watch
  38. Chapter XLVII part 3 (52:23) · watch
  39. Chapter XLVIII part 1 (18:52) · watch
  40. Chapter XLVIII part 2 (1:03:38) · watch
  41. Chapter XLIX part 1 (45:57) · watch
  42. Chapter XLIX part 2 (46:06) · watch
  43. Chapter L (50:47) · watch
  44. Chapter LI (1:00:12) · watch
  45. Chapter LII (56:37) · watch
  46. Chapter LIII (55:20) · watch
  47. Chapter LIV & LV (1:06:07) · watch
  48. Chapter LVI (48:39) · watch
  49. Chapter LVII (1:09:53) · watch
  50. Chapter LVIII & LIX (34:29) · watch
  51. Chapter LX & LXI (31:04) · watch
  52. Chapter LXII part 1 (34:27) · watch
  53. Chapter LXII part 2 (45:35) · watch
  54. Chapter LXIII (50:36) · watch
  55. Chapter LXIV (34:40) · watch
  56. Chapter LXV (46:05) · watch
  57. Chapter LXVI (18:05) · watch
  58. Chapter LXVII part 1 (26:47) · watch
  59. Chapter LXVII part 2 (52:40) · watch
  60. Chapter LXVIII & LXIX (48:42) · watch

Full text

This work is too long to show on one page. Read it on Project Gutenberg · download ebook.txt

Sources

Raw pipeline data (admin)