The Cave of Echoes celebrates the universal art of storytelling, and the rich
diversity of the stories—especially myths—that people live by. Drawing on
Hindu and Greek mythology, Biblical parables, and the modern mythologies
of Woody Allen and soap operas, Wendy Doniger—renowned scholar of
the history of religions—encourages us to feel anew the force of myth and
tradition in our lives, and in the lives of other cultures. She shows how the
stories of mythology—whether of gods, sages, demons or humans—enable
cultures to define themselves. She raises critical questions about how myths
are interpreted and adapted, and the ways in which different cultures make
use of central texts and traditions. Drawing connections across time and
place, she proposes that myths are not static beliefs but evolving narratives,
and that by entering into other cultures’ stories, we may unexpectedly
rediscover our own.
Written with scholarly depth and characteristic wit, this is a landmark work
in the comparative study of mythology. It’s essential reading for anyone
interested in how we understand others—and ourselves—through the stories
we tell.

Wendy Doniger is the author of several acclaimed and bestselling works,
among them, The Hindus: An Alternative History; Hindu Myths; The Ring of Truth;
Women, Androgynes and Other Mythical Beasts; Dreams, Illusion and Other Realities;
Winged Stallions and Wicked Mares; An American Girl in India; and translations
of the Rig Veda and the Kamasutra (with Sudhir Kakar). She is Mircea Eliade
Distinguished Service Professor Emerita of the History of Religions at the
University of Chicago, and has also taught at the School of Oriental and
African Studies, University of London, and the University of California,
Berkeley.