Robert Guyker (Sociology) co-edited Greek Mythology: From Creation to First Humans, a book written by Professor Carolina López-Ruiz from the University of Chicago, Divinity School. This is the latest publication in the book series World Mythology in Theory and Everyday Life, from Oxford University Press. Greek Mythology: From Creation to First Humans provides a unique view of Greek myths by connecting them to real life. Professor Guyker is excited to bring these approachable areas of study to not only his students but to the scholarly community of mythologists.

The Voice of Wilkinson sat down with Professor Guyker to talk more in-depth about the book.

Voice of Wilkinson: Let’s talk about Greek Mythology: From Creation to First Humans and what sets it apart from others like it? 

Robert Guyker: Greek Myths: From Creation to First Humans by Carolina López-Ruiz is one of the most up-to-date, approachable, cross-cultural treatments of ancient Mediterranean creation stories. Carolina [López-Ruiz] is a lifelong scholar and researcher of this region and the ancient sources. What sets this book apart is the lucid treatment Carolina [López-Ruiz] gives both to the ancient Greeks and our own depictions of them in modern media. The latter of which, I sense, she really derived joy from with the opportunity to bring the traditional myths of Greeks in closer entanglement with our times.

VoW: Tell me a little bit about the book for those that are not familiar with it or the series. 

RG: The ancient and modern human desires for sense-making out of the remote past, of seeking order out of chaos, and meaning out of nothingness permeates the book, which comes through the close study of the cosmogonic myths in their cultural and performative contexts. At the same time, the Greek myths are also present in modern-day speech and language. Her closing chapter, “Resilient Myths,” for instance, reflects and brings these notions together in demonstrating how Greek figures are embedded ‘plain sight’ in our everyday language (e.g., when something is “titanic”). Carolina [López-Ruiz] says it best when she notes that “these stories informed and explained the world around real people—not only the natural world but also the social order and religious-ritual life they were familiar with” (2025, 2). While there is a familiarity to Greek myths in the West, this book leaves us with a new appeal for the rich diversity found among them.

VoW: Who was the second editor on this project, and how did you connect and collaborate while working on this project?

RG: I co-edit the series with Tok Thompson (Anthropology, USC). We share many interests in folklore and anthropology, and have worked together for many years, mainly in folklore studies in general and our specializations within mythological research. I came to know mythologist Greg Schrempp (Professor in Folklore & Ethnomusicology, Indiana University) through conferences, our ongoing conversations on myth, and his tremendous work in traditional cosmologies and modern popular science writing. Together, Greg and Tok initiated and laid the groundwork for World Mythology in Theory and Everyday Life. I’m doing my part now to keep the vision of the series going and cultivating our community of mythologists around the world.

VoW: …and what about the author, López-Ruiz, how did that working relationship start? 

RG: I’d known of Carolina’s [López-Ruiz} work in the literature for years, especially her area of focus in ancient cosmogonies of the Mediterranean. Her sourcebook Gods, Heroes, and Monsters (also Oxford University Press, 2013; 2018, 2nd edition) has been invaluable for my Cultural Mythology course over the years. She’s been an indirect mentor in that way, so one can imagine how fortunate I feel now that she and I have this direct collaboration to celebrate.

VoW: Who do you believe the target audience is for this book, and what do you hope they will gain from reading it?

RG: With our book series, we aim for undergraduate students who have a keen interest in learning about the historical and cultural backgrounds of mythologies around the world. Educators can certainly find inspiration on how to frame the traditions and even use the books as catalysts in the classroom for reading and discussion. Each book takes up a clear cultural area or region as the focus and provides the latest sources and lines of inquiry among scholars. They trace historical problems in the formation of the area study, and also provide the most recent debates in scholarly literature.

VoW:  Was there something you learned while editing this book that surprised you – if so, tell us about it?

RG: Carolina’s [López-Ruiz] book is part of an ongoing relationship with the exceptional editorial staff of Oxford University Press, so I feel fortunate to be part of the conversations with our authors and the greater editorial team. I’d come to know her work as an avid reader, student, and fellow researcher, but witnessing Carolina’s revision process illuminated for me just how dynamic a writer and thinker she is in keeping the material open to fresh takes.