The Golden Bough by James Frazer is a monumental work of comparative anthropology that explores the interconnectedness of myths and rituals across cultures. Frazer delves into the ways in which societies throughout history have used symbolic acts to tap into the forces of nature and maintain order in their communities.

One of the most fascinating aspects of The Golden Bough is Frazer's discussion of the concept of the "dying god," a figure found in many mythologies who undergoes a ritual death and resurrection in order to ensure the fertility of the land. Frazer traces this motif through various cultures, from ancient fertility rites in Europe to the story of Osiris in Egyptian mythology.

While Frazer's work has been criticized for its Eurocentric perspective and sweeping generalizations, there is no denying the depth of research and scholarship that went into The Golden Bough. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the origins of religious beliefs and practices, as well as the evolution of human culture.

Book Description:

The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion is a wide-ranging comparative study of mythology and religion, written by Scottish anthropologist Sir James George Frazer (1854–1941). It offered a modernist approach, discussing religion dispassionately as a cultural phenomenon, rather than from a theological perspective. Although most of its theories have subsequently been exploded (the most famous one being that of the relationship between magic, religion and science), its impact on contemporaneous European literature was substantial.

The Golden Bough attempts to define the shared elements of religious belief, ranging from ancient belief systems to relatively modern religions such as Christianity. Its thesis is that old religions were fertility cults that centered around the worship of, and periodic sacrifice of, a sacred king. This king was the incarnation of a dying and reviving god, a solar deity who underwent a mystic marriage to a goddess of the earth, who died at the harvest, and was reincarnated in the spring. Frazer claims that this legend is central to almost all of the world’s mythologies, and he offers a plethora of colourful examples from all over the world. Moreover, his book is written in an admirable style, seldom excelled by his more modern colleagues.

(From Wikipedia, with small additions by Måns Broo)