Rachel McCoppin, Ph. D., professor of English at the University of Minnesota Crookston, recently published a book titled The Ecological Heroes of Amerindian Mythology. The book was published by Kendall Hunt this past January.
As Professor McCoppin explained, “this book is an introduction to many of the most treasured Amerindian myths, as well as a literary analysis of these myths. Often the mythology of the indigenous people of the Americas follow similar plot structures as classic tales of the mythic heroic journey, such as those coming from Greece or Rome, but this book argues that the lessons the Amerindian hero learns are distinct from those learned by heroes in classic and perhaps more well-known renditions of myths.”
The chapters of Professor McCoppin’s book are divided as follows chapter one, “Divine Ecological Heroes – Creation and Death,” chapter 2, “Ecological Culture Heroes – Teaching the Ways of Nature,” chapter three, “Ecological Trickster Heroes – Forces of Nature,” and the remaining chapters of the book mainly focus on the quest of mythic human heroes within Amerindian mythology.
Professor McCoppin’s book is now being sold online by the publisher Kendall Hunt.
About UMN Crookston
One of five campuses that comprise the University of Minnesota System, the University of Minnesota Crookston now delivers 35 bachelor's degree programs and 25 minors on campus as well as 16-degree programs entirely online. These degrees are offered in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science, and technology. With an enrollment of 1,800 undergraduates from more than 20 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. Visit www.umcrookston.edu.
