TALES THE MUSES TOLD

The trouble with Greek myths is the same trouble that the 19th century adult reader encountered with Russian novels, that the mid-20th century adult reader encounters with news and novels from Southeast Asia--the Welter of odd names. Mr. Green has tried and succeeded to an extent to make these stories clearer, less abrupt and less name laden than the more abbreviated sources. The arrangement of the stories aids the memory because they correlate by subject: Lovers and Friends, Birds and Beasts, Stars and Constellations, Flowers and Trees. Nevertheless, a glossary of Olympian names would have been a boon.