Since its release in 1949, Joseph Campbell’s classic The Hero with a Thousand Faces has influenced millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psychology with Campbell’s revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology.

In its pages, Campbell outlines the Hero’s Journey, a universal motif of adventure that runs through all of the world’s mythic traditions, evident in the stories of such heroes as Buddha, Moses, Jesus, and Jason of the Argonauts.

As relevant today as when it was first published, The Hero with a Thousand Faces continues to find new audiences among students and professors in fields ranging from anthropology and the history of religion to literature and film studies. The book has also profoundly influenced creative artists, including authors, songwriters, game designers, and filmmakers — George Lucas cites it as the inspiration for Star Wars — and continues to inspire all those interested in the inherent human need to tell stories.