The road to Delphi

"For thousands of years, in hundreds of different cultures, individuals have consulted oracles in times of need. In this compelling exploration of the fascinating history and enduring popularity of oracles, Michael Wood examines how we interpret them and why." "Using examples drawn from actual oracles that existed at Delphi, Dodona, and elsewhere, and from fictional - but influential - oracles in literature from Oedipus to Macbeth, Wood combines storytelling and commentary to provide an entertaining and concise account of humanity's persistent faith in signs. He also looks at later instances of oracles, arguing that consultations have evolved in many ways over the years, and that echoes and survivals of old practices in modern literature and popular culture - in the works of Kafka and Proust and in the films The Matrix and Minority Report, as well as in astrology columns - continue to exert an important influence over human civilization." "Inspired, engaging, and remarkably revealing, The Road to Delphi shows an ancient art at work in many times and places, and invites us to think again about the ways in which we deal with our longing for the certainties we know we can't have."--Jacket.