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Title: The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in History
Author: Jeffrey Burton Russell
Narrator: Gordon Greenhill
Format: Unabridged
Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
Language: English
Release date: 11-06-17
Publisher: University Press Audiobooks
Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes
Genres: Religion & Spirituality, Religious Thought
Publisher's Summary:
The Devil, Satan, Lucifer, Mephistopheles - throughout history the Prince of Darkness, the Western world's most powerful symbol of evil, has taken many names and shapes. Jeffrey Burton Russell here chronicles the remarkable story of the Devil from antiquity to the present. While recounting how past generations have personified evil, he deepens our understanding of the ways in which people have dealt with the enduring problem of radical evil.
Russell uncovers the origins of the concept of the Devil in various early cultures and then traces its evolution in Western thought from the time of the ancient Hebrews through the first centuries of the Christian era. Next he turns to the medieval view of the Devil, focusing on images found in folklore, scholastic thought, art, literature, mysticism, and witchcraft. Finally, he follows the Devil into our own era, where he draws on examples from theology, philosophy, art, literature, and popular culture to describe the great changes in this traditional notion of evil brought about by the intellectual and cultural developments of modern times.
The Prince of Darkness invites readers to confront these and other critical questions as they explore the past faces of that figure who has been called the second most famous personage in Christianity.
The book is published by Cornell University Press.
Members Reviews:
I'd easily give 5 stars to "Mephistophles
I teach a course on the Faust tradition in western Europe which contains a lot of information about the representation of the Devil in literature and culture from the Middle Ages through the 20th c. Russell's works on the Devil have been invaluable to me, particularly his "Mephistopheles. The History of the Devil in the Modern World," of which "The Prince of Darkness" is in part a summary. I'd easily give 5 stars to "Mephistophles..." and it's too bad there is not a Kindle edition of it (I have the paperback edition and bought "Prince of Darkness" only because it seemed the closest Burton work to the one I wanted on Kindle). Not only is Burton a brilliant scholar with exhaustive knowledge of his subject, he is a very fine writer and parts of his book read almost like a novel. Bravo!
A good read on the historical Satan
A good read on the historical Satan. I think the cover and title is a bit misleading though. The author does a detailed work in capturing satan throughout history, so it is quite varied. A bit of a dry read for sure but if you dig through it you can find some gems.
Informative read, fun flip but little else
Russell is well informed, articulate and dare I say, aesthetic author. "The Prince of Darkness" which might be considered the hallmark of all Russell's work compiled, is immaculately researched and expertly woven. Unlike most non-fiction authors, Russell won't patronize you with watered-down asides or well-meaning bullet-points intended to assist you along the way. Instead, he engages you directly and persuasively with his fact-finding narrative and thought-provoking inquiry. Style aside, the content of "Prince" will have you spellbound from start to finish. It touches on the historical fictions surrounding Satan but doesn't settle for myths alone.
