Myths and Myth-makers: Old Tales and Superstitions Interpreted by Comparative Mythology

First published in 1872, Myths and Myth-makers was written by John Fiske, an American historian and philosopher who was deeply influenced by the burgeoning field of comparative mythology. The volume represents an early effort to apply the principles of Darwinian evolution and positivist philosophy to the study of folklore, seeking to understand how primitive humans constructed myths to explain natural phenomena. Fiske drew heavily upon European scholarship of the time, including the works of Max Müller and Adalbert Kuhn, to argue that myths were not merely imaginative tales but the fundamental language of ancient cognitive development.

The design and thematic structure of the work were intended to provide a bridge between specialized academic study and the reading public. Fiske’s writing style was noted for its clarity and accessibility, helping to popularize the 'solar mythology' school of thought, which posits that many mythological narratives are allegorical descriptions of the sun and celestial events. While later scholarship largely moved away from Fiske's rigid evolutionary framework, the book remains a significant historical artifact of nineteenth-century intellectual life and serves as a classic example of the transition from romanticist folklore interpretation to scientific, albeit speculative, inquiry.