Greek Mythological family tree

This entry was published at least two years ago (originally posted on July 14, 2003). Since that time the information may have become outdated or my beliefs may have changed (in general, assume a more open and liberal current viewpoint). A fuller disclaimer is available.

Wow. Just wow. A Genealogical Chart of Greek Mythology, by Harold Newman, looks to be fascinating.

It was about 20 years ago when Jon O. Newman, a federal appeals court judge in Manhattan, walked up to a staff member in the New York Public Library and asked, “Do you have a book anywhere in this library that has a complete genealogical chart of Greek mythology?” They didn’t.

“O.K., second question,” Judge Newman said. “If there were such a book, would you buy it?”

“We’d have to,” the librarian replied.

It was what the judge had wanted to hear. For years, his father, Harold Newman, had pursued a hobby — an elaborate genealogy project — trying to link all characters from Greek mythology in a single family tree. Judge Newman wanted to finish it.

Now, the Newmans’ work has been published by the University of North Carolina Press as “A Genealogical Chart of Greek Mythology: Comprising 3,673 Named Figures of Greek Mythology, All Related to Each Other Within a Single Family of 20 Generations.”

More details can be found at the New York Times. It’s a bit on the pricey side at \$75, but man would that be a fascinating book to spend time browsing through.

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