One of my frustrations reading archaeology is how little archaeologists dare to infer what people believed in the prehistoric past. This is ironic, because every archaeological find requires interpretation and speculation in the first place. Additionally, books on mythology tend to focus on the matured stories in classical literature rather than examine their origins and development before this. Therefore I hoped a book dedicated to Taurus as a symbol might cover these issues, but was concerned that a book written with Taurus as a narrator might weaken it. I needn't have worried - I Am Taurus is a fantastic book that doesn't simply explore the early and developing mythology of the bull, but also places it in a wider framework of early mythological beliefs. What really makes this book stand out is just how condensed it is - there's no waffle or padding, just straight to the literal meat of the issue. I was left feeling that I'd truly learned some profound truths about not just the bull as a symbol, but the evolvution of mythological beliefs in general. There are a few small niggles - a couple of sentences sounded more like abstract archaeological phrases rather than the living narrator bull Palmer aims for. The biggest criticism, really though, is that this book is just so short - if more time had been taken to encompass more cultures this book would have been a 5* must-have read for every archaeologist and mythologist. As it stands, it's simply a great and enlightening read. Overall, a superb introduction not just to the bull as a symbol but early mythology in general, and filled with wonderfully rich insights into earlier peoples. ~ SFF Chronicles, https://www.sffchronicles.com/threads/586581/

Each of the eleven sections here in I Am Taurus is written from the perspective of the mythical Taurus, from the beginning at Lascaux to Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Greece, Spain and elsewhere. This is not just a history of the bull but also an attempt to see ourselves through the eyes of the bull, illustrating our pre-literate use of myth, how the advent of writing and the urban revolution changed our view of ourselves, and how even the most modern of rituals - bullfighting in Spain - is a variation on the ancient sacrifice of the sacred bull. For thousands of years, the symbol of the bull has been surrounded with a mythical aura that spans not only eons of history, enduring to the present day, but also the vast range of cultures that have emerged in the Mediterranean world. The legends and cults woven around the bull and the integral part that this wondrous, almost divine, animal played in people’s lives is the subject of I am Taurus, which is in and unto itself a gloriously dutiful exploration of the role of these animals in prehistoric culture and such. Painted or engraved bulls on the walls of paleolithic caverns suggest that from prehistoric times, the bull was associated with cosmic energy and the forces of life and death. In Anatolia, the bull was worshiped as the son of the mother-goddess, and its horns, which supported the world, were seen as the pillars of the universe. This concept was probably the origin of horns as a mark of divinity. In Mesopotamia, for instance, gods occasionally had bulls’ ears and, with almost no exception, wore a diadem with bulls’ horns. Another example, included in the exhibition, is the Hellenistic head of Zeus-Amon, a new Egyptian deity that emerged with the cultural fusion that followed Egypt’s conquest by Alexander the Great. The bulls’ horns that sprout from the head is again an attribute of divinity. The Roman deity Jupiter was portrayed, like other celestial gods of Syria and Palestine, with one or two bulls. But, I digress, for as you can tell, the bull is an entity that I have followed along with for almost all my life, but here in the book, author Stephen Palmer traces connections between different times and places around the Mediterranean, all informed by the presence of a bull-like constellation. ~ Exclusive Magazine, https://annecarlini.com/ex_books.php?id=630

Much more than simply an account of the symbolism of the bull through history, I Am Taurus is fascinating for the original way in which it enables us to appreciate the different angles from which we’ve viewed ourselves, over thousands of years, from the imagined standpoint of the mythos itself. ~ Geoff Ward, https://geoffjward.medium.com/ancient-lore-of-the-sacred-bull-of-heaven-b83aa9d3c351

Described from the bull’s point of view are the cultures with whom he has interacted. He speaks of how he appears in star lore, of the exploits that have given rise to his myths, of his numerous deaths as the sacrificial bull. It is clear a good deal of research has gone into this book. Palmer draws on the theories of Jo Marchant and John Knight Lundwall as well as the excellent work of David Lewis-Williams (author of The Mind in the Cave). His efforts are evidenced by the meticulous attention to detail in his descriptions of the ingredients for paint, the methods of fresco painting, a ritual headdress, cuneiform, hieroglyphs and the making of papyrus scrolls. The book is well written with some unique phrases and turns of language... As a Brythonic polytheist I was a little disappointed there was no mention of the bull in the Celtic traditions (such as Tarvos Trigaranos, ‘the Bull with Three Cranes’). Yet I appreciate that the author could not cover all sources in one book. Overall this was an enjoyable read bringing to life the story of the Great Bull and putting forward some interesting theories about his perception in the stars and in art and religion in European and Near and Middle Eastern cultures. ~ Lorna Smithers, Lorna Smithers blog

This is a short book but it's packed with a lot of information. My sign is Taurus and the book exceeded my expectations. I believe this is a unique perspective on the role of the bull in a variety of cultures. Each chapter is told through the eyes of the auroch and his lived experience. As an animal lover, I was happy to see this... I admit I hadn't heard of some of these prehistoric communities and as a history lover, it was exciting to learn something new. I love learning and found the myths of each culture and community very interesting. ~ Julie Coraccio, Goodreads

This is a fascinating book and I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like it. In terms of subject matter, I am Taurus is an exploration of the role of bulls in prehistoric cultures. Most specifically aurochs. Stephen Palmer traces connections between different times and places around the mediterranean, all informed by the presence of a bull-like constellation. It’s a persuasive argument, rich in detail about prehistoric cultures. However, this isn’t simply a non-fiction text. Stephen has undertaken to relate something of each culture he represents through the eyes of the bulls in question. This is what the title is all about – these first person narrations of the experience of being Taurus in different times and places. These tellings include the myths of the culture, related as the lived experience of the bull, which is a striking thing to encounter, I think it would be clear to most readers that these are stories and ideas, blending what we know about these times and peoples with speculation. However, the lines are not clearly drawn. I would have liked some notes – perhaps at the end – to clarify where the author has brought his formidable imagination to bear. Stephen is a well established speculative fiction writer, so this is something to factor in. With all due reference to Robert Graves and The White Goddess, we do have problems in moden Pagansim with people reading speculative and poetic work as though it was hard fact. I love and value these kinds of speculative engagements that open up room for more ideas and more ways of seeing the world. We need imaginative engagement – that’s what myths are for. It’s when people insist on taking myths literally that the problems tend to start. Making meaning is itself a speculative process and I hope this book will help people see that and think about how it works. I really enjoyed this book. I’m no great expert in aurochs or prehistory but have enough of an acquaintance with both to really appreciate what Stephen Palmer has done here. You definitely don’t need to already be an expert to get something out of it but at the same time I think you need at least some awareness of prehistoric cultures around the Mediterranean to get the most out of this book. I think at least low-level familiarity has been assumed so it’s not really suitable for anyone new to ancient Paganism. If it sounds like your sort of book then I can promise you an engaging read that will get you thinking and wondering. ~ Nimue Brown, https://druidlife.wordpress.com/2024/02/07/i-am-taurus/?fbclid=IwAR0Ykjj0sYhWgzGDeqj7dRTYK2336HHE7QiCtRRVw4xSFuAfXvjOiG1r0RE