New blog post: Americans in Normandy
Last year I visited the beaches of Normandy which wound up feeling like a pilgrimage to a sacred site. History felt superimposed over the present, and I was shocked at how the experience deepened my love for France and the USA. It also reminded me how and—most importantly—why to deny fascists their murderous impulses. Here’s an excerpt from the blog post I wrote about it:
Hitler rejected the proposition that we are all created equal. Instead, he maximized power for a self-absorbed few by restricting freedom and opportunity for everyone else. He committed physical and psychological violence to strip rights, well-being, and life away from people who were already marginalized: Jewish people, the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, and many others.
But Normandy also reminded me of those who stand up for humanity—the leaders, soldiers, and citizens with the courage to step forward to block the abuses of bullies and tyrants. “No,” the defenders say in words and deeds. “You may not treat people that way. Get your hands off our human family.” To stand up to bullies is to stand for freedom and equality. …
Free webinar with Maureen Murdock about telling your story
I’m so excited to host Maureen Murdock at the next Fates and Graces Myth Lit webinar, where we’ll discuss her book Mythmaking: Self-Discovery and the Timeless Art of Memoir. We’ll talk about how to tell our stories in a mythic way and why it’s so important to bear witness to our experience and the world around us.
New MythBlast: The Divine Mayhem of What’s Up, Doc?
The Joseph Campbell Foundation‘s theme this year is The Power of Myth at the Movies, and my first MythBlast on that topic is now available. Here’s how it begins:
In 1972, a ridiculous comedy called What’s Up, Doc? burst into theaters like a pack of drunken puppies, leaving audiences across the country weak and wheezing from the film’s hilarity. I didn’t see What’s Up, Doc? until the 1980s, after video rentals became a thing, but the movie’s raucously impetuous brand of humor was precisely calibrated to my adolescent sensibilities…
New book: The Practice of Enchantment
Thank you to the Joseph Campbell Foundation for publishing my book, The Practice of Enchantment: MythBlast Essays, 2020-2024. Inspired by the work of Joseph Campbell, these essays are about how myth enlivens and enchants everyday life.
Here’s a reading from the book I shared at the Fates and Graces Myth Lit webinar about the book:
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About Joanna
Joanna Gardner, PhD is a writer, mythologist, and magical realist whose focus areas include creativity, wonder tales, and goddesses.
Most recently, she is the author of The Practice of Enchantment: MythBlast Essays, 2020-2024. For more of Joanna’s writing, visit the Publications page. For more about Joanna’s teaching and other work, visit the About page.