Mythology Books

The most amazing thing that about this book is that Arrian somehow managed to rescue the man from the legend, the god from the myth and the story from the soothsayers. He intended to write a factual history of the great leader but by necessity was forced to rely on word of mouth, old stories, past recollections and hardly any authoritative manuscripts.

Considering what he had to work with, the outcome is simply amazing. Like Thucydides, Herodotus and Livy, his goal was to write a factual work that was to have been definitive...and it was. The campaigns are given much attention as well as the character of Alexander. For a more scholarly and literary work I recommend Robin Lane Fox and his biography of Alexander - just stupendous.

This book is a PRIMARY SOURCE that is great for any student. An ancient work that has great deatails. It is actually interesting to read, even if you just use it for school. If you want more information on this book, feel free to e-mail me at Silvermouse51@aol.com. I will try to respond to your e-mail as soon as possible. Again, buy this book if you're doing a project on Alexander the Great! It's the absolute best you can ever buy!

Of all the books that I read of Alexander the Great, this book is my favourite in explaining the famous battles.It also explaines how he conquered the tribes from Persia up to Sogdiana.The battles of the Granicus,Issus,Gaugamela,and above all Tyre are incredibly narrated.The names are all there, who did what,and who did not.In the battle of Tyre, how much he had destroyed and how much he had to rebuild,never giving up.It explains all the problems that Alexander encountered with the Tyrians.
The death of Hephastion that made him lose his sanity,make you really feel what friendship meant to him. What this young man accomplished,and what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Conquer as long as there were places to conquer.
It also writes about the honest side of Alexander,and those who
were traitors how he treated them.All the spoils of war he gave away,only eternal fame was his.How he created cities,and how he was ahead of his time, in many ways.
Read it is a great book indeed.

The wierdest part of this history was the account in Indika of the island of cavemen that Nearchos ran into, and battled with his fleet...

"There was a lagoon at the mouths of the river, and the depressions near the bank were inhabited by natives in stifling cabins. These seeing the convoy sailing up were astounded, and lining along the shore stood ready to repel any who should attempt a landing. They carried thick spears, about six cubits long; these had no iron tip, but the same result was obtained by hardening the point with fire. They were in number about six hundred. Nearchus observed these evidently standing firm and drawn up in order, and ordered the ships to hold back within range, so that their missiles might reach the shore; for the natives' spears, which looked stalwart, were good for close fighting, but had no terrors against a volley. Then Nearchus took the lightest and lightest-armed troops, such as were also the best swimmers, and bade them swim off as soon as the word was given. Their orders were that, as soon as any swimmer found bottom, he should await his mate, and not attack the natives till they had their formation three deep; but then they were to raise their battle cry and charge at the double. On the word, those detailed for this service dived from the ships into the sea, and swam smartly, and took up their formation in orderly manner, and having made a phalanx, charged, raising, for their part, their battle cry to the God of War, and those on shipboard raised the cry along with them; and arrows and missiles from the engines were hurled against the natives. They, astounded at the flash of the armour, and the swiftness of the charge, and attacked by showers of arrows and missiles, half naked as they were, never stopped to resist but gave way. Some were killed in flight; others were captured; but some escaped into the hills. Those captured were hairy, not only their heads but the rest of their bodies; their nails were rather like beasts' claws; they used their nails (according to report) as if they were iron tools; with these they tore asunder their fishes, and even the less solid kinds of wood; everything else they cleft with sharp stones; for iron they did not possess. For clothing they wore skins of animals, some even the thick skins of the larger fishes."

Cavemen who dont at all use metal, but only stones and fingernails...they wear animal skins...but most importantly, bodies COVERED in hair? What?! I want to go search for this island.

I want to go look for this island, i know how wierd it is, but THIS paragraph caught my eye more than any other in this work.

PS:
Arrian's account of Alexander is the best ancient source, though he is a bit of an apologist for the actions of Alexander, so dont believe ALL that Arrian says. The guy though was an actual general, and he had fought and conquered, he was someone who had been through many of the same situations as Alexander as a governor and general, so he DOES know what he is talking about.
Great work...

Alexander the Great was already a historical figure and "larger than life" character by the time Arrian wrote his CAMPAIGNS OF ALEXANDER. More than 400 years had passed since Alexander's death and, while there was doubtless plenty of popular lore about him, there also was a considerable mass of written source material in existence. Much of this material came from contemporaries who had campaigned with Alexander, but these accounts apparently often conflicted. Forced to pick and choose from all this information, Arrian appears to have relied largely on Ptolemy and Aristobulus. Ptolemy was experienced in military matters and, as one of Alexander's generals, had participated in many of the operations he described. Arrian brings his own knowledge and experience of military and administrative matters to bear on this information with generally good results. The rap on Arrian is that he displays a sound grasp of Alexander's military exploits and of his character, but is too forgiving when it comes to Alexander's faults and glosses over other issues.

Arrian brought a wealth of experience to his task. His own personal accomplishments were considerable. A Greek by descent, he was born in the city of Nicomedia, capital of the Roman province of Bithynia, sometime prior to A.D. 90. His family was prosperous and had attained Roman citizenship, giving young Arrian the possibility of a career in the imperial service. Before he was done, he attained the Roman consulship and was subsequently entrusted by Emperor Hadrian with the governorship of Cappadocia, a border province on the eastern frontier that entailed the command of two Roman legions plus auxiliary troops. During this period he led a successful campaign to drive an invading tribe out of Armenia, sailed all the way around the Black Sea, and wrote accounts of these events as well as manuals on military tactics. After Hadrian's death, Arrian retired to Athens, where he rose to become chief magistrate and, later, a Member of the Council of the city. He also continued to write until his death sometime between A.D. 173 and A.D. 180.

Besides THE CAMPAIGNS OF ALEXANDER, Arrian authored many other works. A few survive, but most are now lost, as are the many sources available to Arrian from Ptolemy, Aristobulus, Nearchus and others. All that remains from those who actually knew Alexander is in the form of quotes and citations in the works of later historians like Arrian. It's a sad fact that, while a few histories written by ancient scholars such as Livy, Plutarch, Arrian and others have survived, the great bulk of ancient literature and source material is gone. In an age when scribes had to copy books by hand, there could never be more than a few dozen copies of any book in existence. Under such conditions, it is hard to exaggerate the magnitude of historical disasters ranging from the destruction of the great library at Alexandria to the sack of Constantinople. A survivor like this is a rare opportunity to share the observations of an intelligent and accomplished person from a very different age.

THE CAMPAIGNS OF ALEXANDER is an important piece of the modern world's understanding of Alexander the Great. We're extremely fortunate it has survived. More than that, though, this is a lively and fascinating book that any reader can enjoy. If you have any interest in Alexander, or in ancient history in general, read this book.

I knew Sandy in college, and I'd heard about how much work she was putting into getting her book out. So I bought a copy; it's the least that old friends can do. I happen to read fantasy almost exclusively, so it wasn't even a reach for me.

I decided that if the book was good, I'd review it, and if it was bad that I would just remain politely tacit. I really enjoyed it, so here's my plug. It's clear that I'm going to be picking up the sequels when they come out (which means hardcover, and I never buy hardcover).

I love Chariss, the main character. I was interested in her story within a couple of pages, and by page 19 I realized I was already sucked in. I love her irreverent playfulness. She is both vulnerable and tough.

I found the world enjoyingly different than the other fantasy I read, and yet it felt very real right away. That the gods sometimes choose to walk among the mortals, and are gods but somehow not entirely invulnerable, was very interesting.

If you like fantasy, and especially if you want your fantasy to offer a woman lead character, I'd definitely recommend "Choices Meant for Gods" even if it means you grab them all in hardcover and they use up that precious bookshelf space in your library.

This is an excellent debut novel, priming us for more in the years to come, yet sufficient enough to quench a fantastical thirst.
The pantheon of characters is excellent, with those you love, those you hate, and those you love to hate.
Chariss is a strong heroine, who in the spirit of other fine fantasy heroines, does not yet know her own strengths.
Nigel is intriguing and promises only to get stronger as his own destiny unfurls.
Just enough foreshadowing of future events to keep us wanting to know (and buy!) what comes next.

I confess: I do not read much. I have an amazing attention deficit that prevents me from finishing even the loftiest of classics. I finished reading this book. This fact may not seem so interesting to most, but is high praise considering the countless unfinished volumes in my office. The characters are endearing, Onweald springs vividly from the pages, and I anxiously await the unfolding of the next scenes in that world's history.

I have to admit that I haven't finished th book yet, but not for lack of trying! I was explaining to a colleague why I was so tired (staying up until 2 AM, reading "just one more chapter" of "Choices Meant for Gods") and how exhilarating I am finding this book! Sandy Lender has taken great care to develop interesting characters. The book keeps you guessing. The teacher in me likes to try to predict what is coming next -- and I'm almost never right! I can't wait until Ms. Lender writes another book!

It's so refreshing when a novel comes along that grabs you from the outset and won't let go. Such was my experience with "Choices Meant for Gods." The characters are as real as the author can make them without literally leaping from the pages to be with the reader. Instead, the reader is drawn inexorably into Lender's new world, where even gods are "human." I hope that many more readers can have the opportunity to enjoy this marvelous work!

This book has the original fairy tales, and they are amazing. If you want something completely different from the clean cut Disney versions of the classics you should at least read the book.

This is a very accurate study on fairy tales: everyone who wonders what's there beyond a story can easily find an answer. The book contains classical versions of some of the most famous fairy tales (Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Cinderella, Bluebeard and Hansel and Gretel), including their multicultural variants, and for everyone of these there is a deep exploration about their social, historical, psychological aspects etc.

My daughter needed this for school and buying all her books here instead of the site the school works with saved a lot of money. Great condition, would buy again.

A collection of fairy tales that have lasted throughout the years, "The Classic Fairy Tales" also offers many essays by the experts in fairy tale. The very best critics including Jack Zipes and Maria Tater, have written well-thought out essays varying from Disney's involvement in fairy tales to the sexuality of these tales. These essays along with the eight stories (Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Cinderella, Bluebeard, Hansel and Gretel, four short tales by Hans Christian Anderson, and three by Oscar Wilde) and you get a book which will help you understand not only the tales themselves, but the ideologies, social connections, and cultural importance. This book is definitely a good read.

(This is an old review I wrote somewhere else before, 20th April 2005.)


This book is a collection of both classical fairy tales and contemporary ones, though you never get the contemporary ones without their former classical models. Mostly, the book is divided into some six or seven sections devoted to the most well known tales out there: Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Bluebeard, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel. There's also a section about Andersen and one about Wilde.

For each section there is an introduction by Maria Tatar, usually an excellent one. Also, since this is a Norton Critical Edition, you get a whole part of the book devoted to essays by the most recognised critics of fairy tales. Some of those are dubious, and bashed by other essays included there, and rightly so. Be careful about the psychoanalytical ones. But basically it's interesting to see how thoughts evolve from one essay to another, because they're put in such an order that they exist in a continuous current of thought, and that gives a neat unity to this book, as far as the essay side of it is concerned.

Excellent book to get into fairy tales with a critical mind.

Both this book and The Book of Goddesses are wonderful picture books with brief summaries and gorgeous pictures of many different goddesses. If I HAD to choose one, I'd choose The Book of Goddesses, but I would really rather not choose. This is a wonderful book and would be a great addition to your collection!

I beautiful picture book of brief information about the different goddess,but overall a nice book to add to your other "goddess" collection.
Gail Howell

Truely lovely illustrations accompany the entries in this book to make it a great introduction to a wide variety of goddesses from all across the world.

Absolutely stunning illustrations by my favorite living artist, and fantastic information about each goddess. The seller sent the book out very quickly and it was in perfect condition.

Folk Epic. Upper elementary.

This book contains folk stories about goddesses from many lands and is an A-Z (The Iroquois Aataentsic to the Czechoslovakian Zorya). Some of the goddesses seem to have epic proportions. The book tells how to pronounce each name.

Illustrations show stunning, delicate, strong, powerful women from all lands. Gorgeous art work.

This item was exactly what i ordered in the exact condition that i ordered it in. Would definitly do business with seller again! Thank you

I bought this book for my 5 year old and it hooked her right away. After a brief explanation of "how it all got started", there is approximately one page devoted to each god/goddess and at the top of each page it mentions who the parents are which is great to give a youngster an idea of how all these gods, goddesses and mortals fit together.
The picturess captured her attention and the level of detail is just enough so that she remembers the salient qualities of each character. After having read through this many times, I feel she will be more than ready to handle the next level of detail. If they only had Greek Myth. action figures, she'd be in heaven (or, I guess, Mt. Olympus)!

This is a wonderful book - geared for children but enjoyable for any age. The book uses straightforward language, so that the reader and listener will not get overwhelmed by complex or archaic terminology. The artwork is just beautiful and will keep the young audience engaged while listening. The book is quite systematic, starting with Gaea and showing the lineages of the Gods, the Titans, etc. By the end of the book, you can look at the last page and identify the 12 Gods who sat on Olympus and a few others to boot. Even adults who have some knowledge of Greek Mythology will appreciate its orderly presentation and the book will help you understand the relationships between the Gods. My only criticism is that pronunciation keys were not provided. This would really help a novice like me (and most children) so as not to butcher their beautiful greek names. Otherwise, I have no criticism at all.

It is a beautiful book. I really like the picture of The Birth of Athena. The Athena in it is so cute. It has stuff like Gaea, Cronus and Rhea, Hestia and Zeus, Hades and so much more. You should read about Aphrodite and Eros (Cupid). Buy this book for any child. I am 7 and I love it. Enjoy this wonderful any age book.

This is by the far the best book I have foud that explains the creation according to the Greeks. I have used it in my high school classroom as well as my junior high and it is always a hit. This book contains the origins of the universe starting with mother earth (Gaea) and father sky (Uranos), the birth and the reign of the Titans and the reing of the Olympians Gods when they took over the earth. It aslo gives a great and thorough introduction of each of the 14 Olympian gods that reign upon Olympus. The pictures are amazing. The whole book is a work of art!

Joseph Campbell has been my mentor for years. He brings our consciousness to another level with this one!!!

I know, I know, everyone will point to Campbell's astonishing Hero with a Thousand Faces, and his 4-part book series on different traditions, but I love this book. I think it's because it is Campbell in his later years, synthesizing all he has learned over decades of study, and applying it to the future. It also is one of the more accessible Campbell books in terms of folks who don't usually read high-end academic works being able to follow it without re-reading every other paragraph. (That is NOT a criticism -- Joseph Campbell packed a lot into each of his brilliant thoughts). Another book I'd recommend is the biography on him, "Fire in the Mind."

Reading Campbells' work can indeed be an enlightening experience and "The Inner Reaches of Outer Space" is no exception...mostly. The book however strays dangerously close to the "New Age" in several places. In an early chapter he presents Kants' idea of a priori knowlage as proven fact (it is far from proven). In another chapter he lapses into a discussion that sounds suspiciously like numerology (Mr. Campbell, someone as smart as you should know that there is no connection between the number of bumps on a golf ball and hindu mythology.) These minor flaws aside, it is a brilliant book and a great summation of Campbells work.

In THE INNER REACHES OF OUTER SPACE Joseph Campbell repeats some of the familiar observations of his earlier works in which he shows how certain mythic motifs can be found buried in all of the world's religious traditions. The similarities may not be easily recognized because the same motifs are usually understood and developed in different ways because of cultural differences. These repetitive motifs are called elementary ideas and in the local forms where they appear in various religions they are known as ethnic or folk ideas. As examples of elementary ideas Campbell offers the concepts of the Promised Land and the Virgin Birth. In writing about the similarities of symbols found in ancient civilizations, Campbell mentions discoveries among such diverse societies as those that existed in the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and Ireland.

Because of the great advances in learning which have become accelerated and dramatized by space exploration, Campbell points out that our old gods are either already dead or dying. The big question now is what new mythology will emerge from a modern understanding of a unified planet amidst a vast universe.

The creation of any new mythology will certainly depend in part on the contributions of art because artists will be the ones who will produce the images of the future. Those images will come from our knowledge of a constantly changing and expanding universe. Campbell writes about the connection between art and mythology with conviction, no doubt due to the long-standing influence of his wife, Jean Erdman, a well-known dancer and choreographer.

The most remarkable feature evident in THE INNER REACHES OF OUTER SPACE is the breadth and depth of the author's knowledge and understanding of mythology. Joseph Campbell led an enviable life driven by a singular passion and his writings are the best reflection of that life.

Joseph Campbell introduces us to the world of mythology and reality making the case that for most of human history, they are one in the same.

I give this book 5 stars because it is the best presentation of this type of information for laymen I have found.

His writings have brought up the argument that what is lacking in America today is an education in mythology. This is something that would not only enhance an individuals life by adding value to our culture which is in my opinion too often dismissed as empty, but also would enhance our connection with our past and our future.

Joseph Campbell has influenced many people and many creative efforts. George Lucas credits Mr Campbell with making StarWars a better movie. In fact Mr Campbell's interviews with Bill Moyers (on many PBS stations) was taped at Skywalker Ranch. I found this link indranet.com/welcometoearth having searched for information about Mr Campbell.

In addition to those seeking anthropological or spiritual information, if you enjoy magical stories like Harry Potter or science fiction stories then you will enjoy The Inner Reaches of Outer Space.

James Mooney's treatise on Cherokee culture is comprehensive and quite voluminous. From his description of the Cherokee ballgame to the expose on the Cherokee Ketoowah secret society. Some people believe the Cherokees sold out in regards to land cession but this book tells the true story of the Cherokee's bitter opposition to land cession and removal. Many brothers and sisters from Tennesse to New York have Cherokee blood, this book should be a must read for them as well as anyone wanting information on the Cherokee's and their heritage, on a whole.

This book is truly a must-own. It is the best reference around for Cherokee myths, culture, history and more.

I recommend this book as the 'bible' of Cherokee Shamanic Wisdom, its history and that of the original author, James Mooney.

It is even more informative than the book it was based on, Myths Of The Cheroee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees by James Mooney.

I have purchased both books.

It seems that the latter is totally included in the former, with an informative 'bio' of James Mooney and his photo as a bonus!

From a perspective previous to some of our current stereoptypical thinking about native Americans. Rich in historical detail and (to me) surprising details about the Cherokee.
I particularly enjoyed the Cherokee mythology.
My thinking about native Americans is changed.

I read this book after reading a series of fiction books by Tom Dietz who based alot of the mythology in the books on this book. The book was fantastic both in uncovering history that would never be taught today or even referred to; and in getting someone in touch with what and how The People lived. I have a larger appreciation for simple things like perhaps why pine trees are green all year .. as well as why the Trail of Tears is something that isn't discussed in schools much anymore.

If you like reading for the sake of learning and enjoying I recommend this book.

Simply delightful. The book itself has an appealing design, and even the pages within aren't plain. There's a vast collection of stories within that are bound to please.

I have yet to encounter one of the Pantheon folklore series that was not a good read. This is no exception. My regret is that they have not published more and that some of their folklore books seem out of print. I enjoyed this book and I am happy to recommend it. I have one other book on the subject (purchased over ten years ago) and this one complements the first.

By using his extensive knowledge in the Japanese literature, Royall Tyler collected and translated Japanese stories into English and into one volume entitled "Japanese Tales." This book drives the readers to experience the enchanting Japanese folklore and ancient short stories of spirits, demons, monsters, gods, monks, heroes, snakes, robbers, foxes, love, and families. There are 220 tales in this book, which are grouped into sets of four to six tales with each having its own theme or heading. In addition to the sets of the book, there is an introduction which describes the history of Japanese lore and mythology; and the culture of Japan including the capital, provinces, the emperor, ministers, houses, the manners of the Japanese people, and the religion during the period of 9th to 13th centuries. Throughout the selected sets of "Japanese Tales," one can understand the Japanese culture from 9th to 13th centuries by looking at the influences of Buddha and Lotus Sutra, the interferences of gods and goddesses, and the stories of snakes and foxes.

"Japanese Tales" explores the influences of Buddha and Lotus Sutra in the medieval Japanese culture as seen in the sets of 'Monk Jokes,' 'Beyond the Rules,' and 'Parent and Child.' Since the religion of Buddhism officially came to Japan in the mid-sixth century, large temples were built and respected monks were scattered across Japan in which people viewed them as saints, frivolous, worldly, and rich (p. xxxvi - xxxvii). However, the tales in the set of 'Monk Jokes' demonstrated as a way of insult to the Buddhist monks because of their sexual behavior, and this set has a twist and humorous end. But the religion of Buddha also had great positive influences on the Japanese people as their view of life and death. The best example of this is a tale of 'The Stinking Hut' in a set of 'Beyond the Rules.'

The important part of the Buddha religion is its scriptures called the sutras, and Lotus Sutra was the only important sutra in Japan which was a "basic of great many monks" and its powerful spiritual merit was copying the text (p. xxxvii, xliv - xlv). The mention of Lotus Sutra appeared throughout the selected sets as a chant or a benefit for someone in need. A good example of the Lotus Sutra can be seen in a tale of 'Hell in Broad Day' in a set of 'Parent and Child.' The religion of Buddha and the Lotus Sutra made strong impacts upon the rich culture of Japan, as evidenced in the living folklore and tales.

The interferences of gods and goddesses in the tales appeared to be of a great importance for the Japanese people because of hope, prayers being answered, and their roles in the vast universe. The religion of Buddhism has many gods and goddesses which appear or are mentioned in the Japanese Tales as part of the Japanese culture. In a sense, the tales would teach the new Japanese generations about the roles of the gods and goddesses and the lessons from their seen or unseen actions. Like a shocking story of 'Buckets of Marital Bliss,' tales that involved gods or goddesses would seem to have important lessons for the readers or listeners during the period of 9th to 13th centuries. The lessons that were demonstrated to the mortal people in the stories would have included the morals, relationships, virtues, and characters. The interferences of gods and goddesses in the "Japanese Tales" played an important role in a traditional society which formed a moral root of the Japanese culture.

The stories of the "Japanese Tales" consisted of many symbols and hidden meanings as related to the conditions of human beings. There are two major creatures of human conditions that appeared in many of the tales, and these were the snakes and the foxes. The snakes in the tales can "embody sinful" conditions including lust, forbidden desires, and evil while the foxes were tricksters for their own sexual desire, love, family, and they were also messengers of gods (p. xlvix - li.). Like in other foreign stories such as the Genesis story in the Bible, the snakes in the "Japanese Tales" represented evil and the actions of the dark side of all human beings, such as lust and forbidden desires. Foxes, on the other hand, do not represent evil, but they represent something between good and evil. Since they were not viewed as good creatures, the foxes can be tricky in such a way that they can be manipulative in love and family. The fox would change its appearance into a woman to get attention from a man, to feel appreciated and loved. Sometimes, a fox can be a messenger of a god appearing in dreams. These 'messenger' foxes would sometime play a divinity role for Japanese people as they would become important creatures of Japan, while the "manipulative" foxes can be the most annoying yet tricky creatures. While they appeared often in the tales, the snakes and the foxes were important figures for the readers or the listeners as they are the representations of major human conditions in Japan.

In Tyler's "Japanese Tales," one can understand the Japanese culture from 9th to 13th centuries by looking at the influences of Buddha and Lotus Sutra, the interferences of gods and goddesses, and the stories of snakes and foxes from the selected sets. The rich culture of Japan was formed by the impact of the religion of Buddha and the Lotus Sutra which affected Japanese folklore and tales.

A well-written book of tales with an accessible source of traditional Japanese society, Royall Tyler's "Japanese Tales" gave a fascinating picture of the Japanese culture and its people during the period of 9th to 13th centuries. For those who love folklores and legends, this book is most recommended.

"Japanese Tales" is probably the best collection of Japanese folk tales available. Every conceivable piece of folk lore is packed in this book, categorized and deftly translated into English. A host of monsters, ghosts, demons and heroes are packed in tightly, their stories waiting to be discovered.

Of course, with 220 stories in one volume, some of the stories are very short indeed, lasting a half-page at best. Many are just the right size for a child's bedtime story. Some of the stories are longer, but I don't think any of them run over 2 or 3 pages. Some stories have a moral, or tell a cautionary tale, while many are merely there to entertain, frighten or amuse.

As interesting as the book itself is the author's introduction, a 35 page quick course on Japanese folklore and mythology. In it, he outlines some fundamental themes as well as showing the logic behind his categorizing of the stories.

An excellent book, belong on the shelf of anyone with an interest in Japanese folklore.

"Japanese Tales" boasts an incredibly rich assortment of old Japanese stories, most either from or about the Heian period, an early classical golden age of Japanese culture and literature. The stories themselves evoke a great number of moods, and cover topics that run the gamut from vulgar (even the Japanese aristocrats of a thousand years ago enjoyed fart jokes) to austere. Most interesting is the incredible juxtaposition and intertwining of the spirit world with the "real" world. Asking the people of this classical age whether they believed in demons, fox spirits, bodhisattva, and the like would be about as ridiculous as asking people of the modern age whether they believed in puppies and bunnies. It's not a question of belief--these creatures and deities simply "exist".

The translations are excellent, and it is an incredible credit to Royall Tyler that these stories--set in a time a millennium removed and half a world away from the reader--are so accessible and easy to read. Tyler effectively groups the stories by topic, giving the reader a bit of structure to the wonderfully diverse range of tales. The introduction is packed full of information, but perhaps my only (small) complaint is that with the large number of place names mentioned it would have been nice if a map had been included. Overall though, this collection of tales is an excellent addition to the canon of English translations of ancient Japanese literature and provides great insight to the mind and world of Heian Japan. "Japanese Tales" should be a must-read for all people interested in the folklore and literature of Japan.

Reading the reviews of this book that are already here, I am not sure I have much to add. It is indeed beautiful, clever, insightful, and satisfying. The one thing I feel is missing from these reviews is a comment on Mason's dark and dry sense of humor. There is a very wry wit at work in these stories. However, despite the giant eye winking out throughout the chapters, there is an honesty that makes the stories touching. It is a masterful juxtapostion, and one that really is reminiscent (as other reviews have said) of Calvino. So, yes: this is a good read.

I truly loved reading this book. This isn't just a great book. It is a world, and a masterpiece. You are swept into an epic of gods, warriors and kings--mythical characters and stories come alive in magical detail, and the prose is just beautiful.

The chapters are more like an interwoven set of short stories. Each is beautiful on its own. And together they reveal a complex interwoven set of stories and myths. At the end you are left with the feeling that you have seen a glimpse into this mysterious world, but that many mysteries are still left hidden in more lost fragments yet to be found.

Reading it is an experience to be savored.

The Lost Books is a highly satisfying read. It consists of a compendium of short and shorter stories set in Greek mythology, in particular Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. While this might seem like an interesting exercise, the quality and creativity of the actual stories makes it much more than that. The stories are for the most part riveting and interesting. Many of them left me illuminated as if there was a message to be learned from Odysseus's travails, or at the very least brought a smile to my face. The writing is clean and precise but rich in the right locations. The attention to detail and accuracy with respect to the original works is meticulous and natural, leaving a book that literally feels as though Homer and his compatriots might have written it. In short, if you like Greek mythology and in particular the stories of Odysseus you will enjoy this book.

For those of us who come to novels expecting something more than a novel, who want graceful prose and intellectual rigor, who want to come away feeling as though we've discovered a world that is new and yet reminds us of the fictional worlds we love best, for those of us who are nearly always disappointed, Zachary Mason's Lost Books is an exception.

His sentences are lithe and muscular, and his project is large -- he will make you return to the Odyssey to be sure you haven't remembered it incorrectly, and, perhaps most astonishingly, he will change the way you remember the Odyssey.

I have long believed that, in Eliot's words, "a new work of art ... is something that happens simultaneously to all the works of art which preceded it," but it's been a long time since I watched a contemporary author do this with such grace. In addition to its austere, sometimes poetic beauty, in addition to the play with text and form and time, Lost Books is that rare synthesis of big ideas and small, gorgeous moments.

Put Lost Books on the shelf beside Borges, Calvino and Homer. It merits rereading and rereading.

When the author gave his first reading of this book in New York he spoke about the book in clinical terms; its use of mathematical principles, the book as a study of recursion. But this book could not be less clinical. Though the tale is told in vignettes, each offers a different window into a sliver of the human condition with all its pain and drama and the emotions that motivate a human life.

A beautiful treatment not just of Odysseus, but also of Homer's other characters, the novel fleshes out these iconic figures so that they can be touched and tasted and felt.

In the Jewish tradition there is the idea of writing midrash -- stories that explain the tales from the bible by filling in the human connections between the lines. Mr. Mason has succeeded in writing very believable midrash on the Homeric epics which illuminate the text by giving us further angles by which to view.

The book is enlightening concerning some aspects of the culture.

Prof. Ginzburg outlines in detail the information we have concerning the transformation from ancient agrarian cult to the witchcraft scare. This is not your mother's Margeret Murrey, this is done right.

Whether or not Carlo Ginzburg actually discovered evidence of shamanism in sixteenth-century Italy, in this or later books, is in part a matter of how one defines shamanism. What he undeniably found, in the seemingly unpromising records of the Inquisition, was evidence of beliefs so remote from those of official European culture as to be flatly unintelligible to the churchmen who first encountered them. Eventually, the Church courts managed to impose something resembling officially acceptable doctrines on the local population, but the process took generations, as Ginzburg is able to show from trial records.

Briefly, Ginzburg found that, in the Friuli district, there was a widespread belief that certain men and women were marked at birth as defenders against witches and demons, these being regarded mainly as the enemies of the people, their livestock, and their crops. The chosen defenders, the "Benandanti," or "good walkers," ventured forth in their dreams to do battle with the forces of evil. Those born with the mark of the Benandanti regarded themselves as good Christians, the allies of the Church. To those outside the local culture, this position was clearly nonsense; unauthorized and unsanctified supernatural power could only be Satanic in origin, and those who claimed to exercise it were, at best, dangerously deluded. In the end, if the court records are to be trusted, they persuaded even the Benandanti themselves that this was the case. At least, the "absurd" and "outrageous" testimony of self-described Benandanti fades from the records, to be replaced with conventional witch-beliefs endorsed by the Holy Office.

The official tendency, Catholic and Protestant, to lump local witch-doctors together with the witches they claimed to counter had long been recognized by historians. Ginzburg, however, discovered, and offered to surprised historians (in the original Italian edition of 1966), a stratum of belief that, when first recorded, seems to have been entirely outside the mainstream of medieval European culture. There is scattered evidence for similar concepts in other parts of Europe, and abundant evidence from other continents, but the connections and age of the beliefs in and about the Benandanti remain subjects for controversy. The demonstration that diverse local beliefs had been rendered uniform by the judicial process, and by intensive indoctrination of the "lower classes," however, remains a landmark.

As described in the "Preface to the English Edition," the Italian version rather quickly received favorable -- and some unfavorable or uncomprehending -- notice from historians of European witchcraft. It was interpreted, or perhaps misunderstoond, by Mircea Eliade, the influential figure in "History of Religions" at the University of Chicago, one of the great authorities on shamanism (and much else). Although sections had been published in English earlier, the whole book became available in English in 1983, in the present translation, from Routledge & Kegan Paul in Britain, and Johns Hopkins University Press in the U.S. I first read it a few years later, and eventually acquired a copy of a Penguin Books re-issue of 1986. (All the English-language editions seem to differ only in cover art, besides the name of the publisher.) I have re-read it from time to time over the years. Although historical views of European witch-beliefs and popular culture have both been in flux, this book remains among the most fascinating in its crowded field.

This is by far my favorite historical account of a witch hunt. The book looks at a northern Italian area called Friulian and the fertility rituals people performed in the 1600s and 1700s. The benandanti, marked at birth by the sign of the caul, served Christ and their community by leaving their bodies at night to fight evil witches that had attempted to destroy or steal their harvest. The Catholic Church believed the benandanti were witches and conducted inquisitions and trials. If you've ever been fascinated by the witch trials and don't know where to begin, I suggest this book as a fun yet informative read.

In his book, The Night Battles, Carlo Ginzburg addresses the historical problem of why, during sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, did the Friulian fertility rituals of the benandanti, or "good-walkers", gradually assimilate into witchcraft. The benandanti, marked at birth by the sign of the caul, served Christ and their community by leaving their bodies at night to fight evil witches that had attempted to destroy or steal their harvest. Because of the ignorance of the Friuli language and benandanti rituals, the Church conducted incessant inquisitions and trials against the self-proclaimed benandanti, which in effect, pushed the benandanti toward witchcraft and participation in the sabbat.

In support of this argument, Ginzburg employs inquisitorial records that reveal an unmistakable gap between the beliefs and mentalities of the benandanti with those of the inquisitors. Brian P. Levak's review, published in the Journal of Interdisciplinary History, notes the significance of Ginzburg's exploration of the mentalities and culture of the Friuli. Levak writes, "The Night Battles is a milestone in the history of popular culture, for it was one of the first studies to use judicial records to gain direct access to popular beliefs." In addition, by skillfully using his primary source material, Ginzburg is able to discern between the "genuinely expressed popular ideas and those that reflect the more learned notions of [the] interrogators, especially when the accused was faced with either the threat or the reality of torture." To Ginzburg's credit, he allows the strength of the inquisitorial records to stand alone in support of his thesis and in exposing the popular culture of the Friuli. Furthermore, Ginzburg's use of comparative methodology demonstrates, not only the evolution of the benandanti fertility rituals under inquisitorial pressure, but also the vast cultural and spiritual gap between the Church and the peasantry.

While Ginzburg's work is an example of ground-breaking historical writing, there are several critiques that can be made of The Night Battles. First, Ginzburg's book makes way for more questions regarding the experiences and participation of the benandanti in the fertility rituals. For example, Ginzburg admittedly does not address why the benandanti, spread out over a vast region, testify to similar experiences and physical participation in their night gatherings. How is it that these people all testified to a common experience during the inquisitions? Ginzburg would be well-served to investigate the parallels in testimonies, if only to further personify the popular culture and mentalities of the Fruili. Secondly, as Alby Stone noted in her Folklore review, "the book would be improved by making the index more comprehensive and, alas, there is no bibliography." The Table of Contents page is too simplistic, almost juvenile, and does not reflect Ginzburg's reputation as a consummate and seasoned historian. Ginzburg does offer a comprehensive appendix and notes section. However, he fails to include a bibliography - a necessity with historical writing. While the Contents and the Bibliography do not impact the overall significance of his work, these are areas that should be improved.