Mythology Books

Now some of these tales are out there, but all offer some amusement. Some may not make any sense (i.e. the endings seem incomplete or "off") and they may not be on par with the Grimms tales, but it's nice to have all of these in one place and to be able to read tales that I have never heard of or come across over the years. If you are making a collection of myths and fairy tales, this collection is a must.

Every child should read Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales a first introduction to fantasy and modern tales of today. The book is great for adults also. Many stories I recall from my own childhood as I devoured the fairy tales that are enduring and lasting as classics forever.
Evelyn Horan - author
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Books One - Three

It is a pity that most people only know Hans Christian Andersen for a few of his "easiest" fairy tales. What springs to mind for almost everyone is stories like "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Ugly Duckling" and perhaps "The Snowqueen". But Hans Christian Andersen has written a vast array of profoundly touching tales. In Odense, Denmark the Danish actor Troels Møller said (two years ago in a lecture on "H.C.A. & God"),

"We are all going to die. H.C.Andersen knew this, he worked with it and he used it to show us all the beauty of life - the beauty of all life."

His stories are not only for children they are for everyone. The likes of H.C.Andersen can be found nowhere. If you want to discover the full grandeur of his genius you MUST read more than just his popular works. I would even urge you to go to Odense to learn Danish - Much is lost in translation. But although the English translation doesn't reach the heights of the original Danish text I still give it one of my 5 star sets. And don't think that it's a case of petty nationalism - you will find no other Danish writer that I'll grant 5 great ones. It is entertainment, philosphy and religion.

The Ugly Duckling. The Little Mermaid. The Tinderbox. The Emperor's New Clothes. The Princess and the Pea. It's all here!

C. S. Lewis, in his preface to "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," observed that as children we grow out of hearing fairy tales, but as an adult we can come back to them with fresh eyes and be enchanted in a different way. HCA stories have that amphibian quality of living above and below the supposed age limits.

I find it surprising that HCA writing in a minor language would be so popular, but he is a genius at writing fairy tales. The Grimm Boys just collected and edited the German fairy tales, but HCA was generating new and original fairy tales. I hope we don't sluff off this unique talent he had solely on the ground that he was writing to children. After all, how many naked Emperors have we seen? The comic Dilbert gets it's life blood from the fact that so many emperors can be smooth-talked by so many charlatans, and be sustained in their delusion by smarmy sycophants, and only brought to light by a child.

If children can understand this, why can't we adults?

On the printing-side of the book, I would like to see this in a hardbound, with durable paper, and not the thin and fragile newsprint. I am almost afraid to read this book since the opaper is so delicate!

I received this book as a gift for my 20th birthday. I am very pleased with it. I recomend it, and especially for its beautifully crafted and translated material. Enjoy! There are so many so many tales... I love it!

Patai's The Hebrew Goddess is an excellent popular treatement of a subject he takes up in more technical depth in other writings (like in his Jewish Folklore, a collection of his essays). This book is enlightening; it takes an area of study that is easily overlooked or distorted in the popular imagination and the religious mind-frame, and exposes it to light. The role of the divine female and divine figures in the Abrahamic religions was a frequent stumbling block for those faiths, but more often than not, an area of expansive cross-fertilization with other religious traditions and source of profound (and at times humorous) creativity.

This book is a very in depth, intelligent read. It draws from an intense amount of research and states things clearly for the reader to feel that they can envision the social, political and spiritual enviroment during the reign of the Goddess. I would recommend this book to anyone. In fact I think Everyone should read it. Ishtar, Innana, Shehkina, Astarte, Before Christian or Muslim, There was was the Goddess.

Patai presents a vast lore of the Hebrew goddess in all her names and legends - Shekhina, Sophia, the Matronit, the Shabhat Bride. As a classical scholar in Hebrew legends, he shows us a mythology rich in female powers. What does it mean, for example, that a traditional term for the Hebrew goddess was "the neglected cornerstone", and then Jesus spoke of building on the cornerstone which the builders neglected?

The book touches on numerous sides of Jewish heritage. For example, concerning the underworld of old fashioned demonology he explains:

"At night, the female Liliths join men, and the male Lilin women, to generate demonic offspring. Once they succeed in attaching themselves to a human, they acquire rights of cohabitation, and therefore must be given a get, or letter of divorce, in order that they may be expelled. Jealous of the human mates of their bedfellows, they hate the children born of ordinary wedlock, attack them, plague them, suck their blood, and strangle them. The Liliths also manage to prevent the birth of children, causing barrenness, miscarriages, or complications during childbirth." (p. 225.)

This old myth suggests a certain equality of male and female evil spirits. The spirits are of both sexes, and afflict both men and women equally. The human hosts of evil are innocent victims, who must be somehow saved from harm. This is roughly what Jesus believed about demonic possession.

Patai's work gives an enriched view of the biblical heritage, exposing the massive contribution of Jewish mothers through the ages.

--author of "Different Visions of Love"

Dr. Raphael Patai, a noted Hebrew scholar and anthropologist and author of the HEBREW GODDESS is also the co-author of HEBREW MYTHS with Robert Graves (THE WHITE GODDESS). Those who wish to continue reading about the goddess in ancient religions will find parts of the HEBREW GODDESS quite interesting, however, Patai's book is not as lyrical as Graves' and not as readable in some sections as others. I found passages dealing with archeology in the Holy Land and quotations from the Old-Testament more interesting, and the sections dealing with the rabbinical writing of the Talmudic period proved difficult to follow (and stay awake).

Essentially, Patai is not suggesting Judaism has reverted to polytheism or kept a goddess in the closet all this time. He says "the legitimate Jewish faith, beginning with the earliest formulations of its belief-system ...has always been built upon the axiom of One God. He says Maimonides, the greatest medieval Jewish philosopher said, "God is not a body, nor can bodily attributes be ascribed to him." Still, mere mortals have had difficulty understanding God as an abstract concept, and thus have ascribed human characteristics to "him.".

Patai says throughout it's history Judaism has stressed the moral and intellectual aspects of God and often neglected the affective and emotional dimensions. However, since the earliest times, the Jewish people have understood God through myths and these myths personify God. This personification of God has included the goddess worship Jerimiah decried, the female attributes of the Cherubim that guarded the Ark of the Covenant, the myths of Lillith, the visions of the Shekina during the Talmudic period, and the rise of the Matronite in the 15th-18th Centuries.

Kabbalism during the Middle Ages was mass movement among Jews. During this period, a popular-mythical version of the Matronite overtook and dominated the scholarly-mystical variant. The attachment among Jews to the Matronite (mother of God) had a marked resemblance to Marioloatry among Christians in the Latin countries. Kabbala mysticism was associated with the Sephardic and Hasidic elements of Judaism which also associated with the Latin countries.

Apparently, the Ashkenazi Jews were not as "irrational" and after the Jewish Enlightenment, their perspective became the dominant Orthodoxy. Still, the Sephardic practicies associated with the Sabboath, which men were instructed to keep "Holy" continued. Patai describes the rituals of Friday night which included the Seder meal and sexual consumation of the scholar and his wife as serving the purpose of reuniting God with his wife--Shekina.

Patai's original book has been expanded with new chapters covering the Shekina in greater detail. Although he stresses the importance of the theological it is not clear even yet that ordinary practicioners understand the difference between the Goddess personified and the female aspect of the One God.

As a Jew and a student of Judaism this sits among the most important books I have read, although it took ten years for me to finish it. In a few words, it provides me with a factual-critical-intellectual basis for my engagement with the feminine in my tradition.

I am only sorry the Dr Patai has passed on, may his memory be a blessing, so he will not be able to update The Herbrew Goddess to account for:

a) more recent archaeology, and
b) the recent flowering of the femininine in Judaism

David

Excellent reference book, good illustrations, text and comprehensive. Only one minor complaint, the book is so small. Width wise it is about 4" which makes it difficult to hold open. Next time it's reprint, please widen it just a little.

This is a really good book, but I have several different ones along this line and cross reference with all of them. Each gives a slight different view/perspective, which helps for a better/full rounded interpretation.

This book has been very good resource for some art work that I am producing.

I have been using this book as a reference for years. It is a wonderful book, full of information from a wide variety of cultures and disciplines. My only disappointment in the book is that it is not three times larger. I would love to see it expanded to include more symbols.

The Herder Dictionary of Symbols: Symbols from Art, Archaeology, Mythology, Literature, and Religion
by Boris Matthews

I bought this small book on symbols for the primary purpose of guiding my 'deliberate doodling' as well as mind-mapping processes. It's compact & handy for quick reference. It has more than 1,000 entries & 450 illustrations.

It is, in fact, the only symbol book I owned at this moment. It has symbols from art, archaeology, mythology, literature & religion.

I read the book 20 years ago and searched long and hard to find my own 1896 copy. I'm looking forward to having a copy I can read that I don't have to be so careful with. This book is very funny. The people in the book are folks you haven't thought of in years (and some you may have to look up to compleat your education). I recogmend this book be required reading for any body under 50 (I'm in my 40s).

I haven't read this version, only the original 1896 copy that I happened to pick up at a book sale because I liked the title. John Kendrick Bangs has become one of my favorite authors now. I recomend this book to everyone. It is witty and actually itelligent humor. I would say find the original though, it's usually cheaper than the $...for this copy.

Take a dash of fanatasy , a few dead (?) historical and literary figures, add a dash of whimsey, philosophy that is firmly tongue in cheek and mix with a fine sense of wit. The results are J.K. Bangs "A Houseboat on the Styx". It make take a bit to find this book (which should never be out of print!!) but it is well worth the search.

No book more wonderfully captures the wimsey and foibles of mankind, while providing a perspective on historical thought like this book. Delightfull conversations in which P.T. Barnum berates Noah for not saving the more interesting animals, in which Shakespeare and Bacon argue about which of them really wrote Hamlet (and Hamlet responds) are just some of the delightful by-play of this romp in a Gentleman's Club in Hades.

I ran across an 1896 copy of this book in a nearby used book store and snatched it up. A lover of Greek mythology, anything with Styx in the title had to be worthwhile. To my delight, Greek mythology was bombarded with some of the most delightful historical and literary characters ever known, thrown into delicious turmoil. Where else could Napoleon throw a pool cue at Shakespeare. A must have for any reader.

I am a former fifth grade instructor, a National Board Certified Teacher, and a college professor in Teacher Preparation. I highly recommend the Grandmother Stories series to elementary and early childhood instructors and parents who are homeschooling their children. The books have appropriate vocabulary and tell stories that explain nature in a creative manner. I learned several things I did not know about nature and its interactions from these books. Children love to have the books read to them and to read them to themselves. Duvall and Jacobs are a wonderful creative force as they merge their talents to produce books that will be enjoyed for generations to come.

This review by Melanie Tait appeared in the Spring, 2005 issue of the Journal of the Association for Childhood Education International: This is a delightful retelling of a Cherokee legend explaining how the rabbit lost his long, luxurious tail and how the otter learned to love swimming. It also teaches valuable lessons about pride, deceit and justice. The story is told in language simple enough for young independent readers, but would make an entertaining read aloud as well. The beautifully detailed black-and-white illustrations capture the essence of the story and set the scene for the traditional tale. Even the cover background and endpapers are intriguing. This book would be of particular interest to young people learning about or celebrating Native American cultures. Ages 6-12.

Stories abound in the Native culture about how the rabbit lost its tail, but few are so elegantly presented as this one. The dialogue and the story line keep a child's interest piqued, page after page, and the illustrations are a feast for the eyes. And of course, there is a happy ending for Ji-Stu the Rabbit. Now he can run through the woods much faster "without that troublesome tail!"

Deborah Duvall and Murv Jacob have brought the old Cherokee animal tales back to life with their How Rabbit Lost His Tail and their other titles in this series from the University of New Mexico Press. The old tales, recorded previously in mostly pedantic prose for dusty scholars to peruse, have been rewritten by Duvall in lively and very readable English for young readers and old alike, and they are lavishly illustrated by Jacob. The tales involve Ji-Stu, Rabbit, the Cherokee Trickster, who embodies all the characteristics of man: pride, arrogance, greed, deceit ("The path to the dance grounds followed the river that ran through the Cherokee lands. In some places where the river curved, the water formed deep pools that reflected the river bank above. Each time he passed such a pool, Ji-Stu stopped just long enough to look at his reflection, for he was very proud.") He even occasionally shows courage.
You can't go wrong in picking up How Rabbit Lost His Tail or any of the other beautifully illustrated books in this series, for you will enjoy them, your children will marvel at them, and you may even learn something about Cherokee culture or about human behavior from reading them. (...)

The Grandmother Stories are eloquent, beautifully illustrated tales that recapture the imagination of Native America. Debbie Duvall and Murv Jacob have done a brilliant job of revisiting the mythic world of Rabbit, Bear and Otter, and introducing them to a contemporary audience. These characters are timeless, as are their stories, and readers of all ages will delight in their antics and unique insights. - Teresa Miller, Center for Writers and Poets, OSU Tulsa

this book is fun to read but not to be taken serious the author just seems to classifa all the beings in this books as fairys when a most of them are a diffent species, plus the some of the info is way wrong

Beautiful illustrations, and interesting information on all sorts of faeries and elementals. Some of the "ways" to see faeries seem difficult and impractical, but this book is still a great resource for anyone interested in faery folk.

Bought this book for a friend who loves fairies, but I read it first! Haven't caught a fairy yet, but plan to catch one with my best friend and her little niece. The illustrations are beautiful, and it is overall an upbeat, fun to read book.

WEll the reason that i bough this book was so that I could see real fairies. Did it help? WEll to be honest i still haven't seen them one on one. Yet ever since i have tried some of the rituals in that book, weird thing have been happening. The more I was talking to them/ believing them/ dedicating my time to them, the more of the weird thing happend. Like one time I was loosing hope and asked my flower fay to show herself to me, 'cuz i was about to give up, and before I knew it one of my plastic horses fell down, the moment i said that. It never happend before and I still don't think it would have happend if i hadn't asked her to give me a sign. Yet I do belive that with time and practice they will slowly.. slowly show themselves, it takes time for they want to get to know you better, and prepare them for you. For if they showed themselves all at once, you would pass out and probably die of shock. So it just takes time.. well if you wish to get back to me and tell me how your progress is going, or if you wanna know some other weird things that happend to me, then email me at MerManNamor2087@aol.com

i didnt really believe in fairies before i purchased this book.after i read the book i became convinced that fairies exist and you know what??after 3 months of trying iv caught a fairy!! i know it sounds mad but its true.shes a beautiful fairshee-tinkerbell type-she lives by my bedroom window and helps me with all my problems,she can even speak!!!!.im currently trying to catch another fairshee to keep her company and am also trying to find one of the entrances to fairyland!!fairies offer you advice magick and unlimited love
i may sound crazy but im not,this book really works!!

I have lived in South Africa and when this book was released for publication, I bought and enjoyed it as many did. Later, I lost the book during one of my many house moves and was not able to replace it since it was out of print. To my amazement, it is now available on Amazon!

if you have an interest in african history and mythology you will adore this book.even if you don't within is a magnificent new view of life and religion and human beings.one of my favourite books.

Without the infromation in this classic one has no claim to knowledge about Africa and her people.
Credo Mutwa is 'the real deal', and his outpouring of African history flows in the oral tradition to take the reader on a journey of discovery. The book contains incredible facts and insights, sure to alter old perceptions. This book has value for those interested in history, anthropology and archeology, shamanism, sociology, psychology, language, politics and mythology -If you feel any doubt about reading this book -Simply get it and read it.

There is no other book like this one. Any African-America studies student cannot consider his or her training complete without reading this book. It offers profound insight into Sub-Saharan culture, rules, mindset and motivation. Tales are varied, interesting and the book is well written. Thank you Sanusi

This book contains beautifully told traditional legends and history of the Bantu people that goes back to the dawn of human life on Earth. It is an epoch that hints in places of biblical legends but is not derived from the bible by any means at all. In addition to the legends there is some illuminating material about the most sacred places in Africa and about the ancient Ba'ntu language and grand civilization that once covered most of Africa. There is also something about the magical language that is used in Cameroon to communicate with the ancestral spirits which the author believes to have come down from paleolithic times. The last section reveals some of the secret core traditions of African spirituality. Anyone interested in African tradition owes it to themself to read this book. It is deeply moving.

I read this book when it was first published and always wanted to get a copy. I've read it again and it still makes me laugh. The homespun characters make me want to live in Centralia (at least for a while). The stories concerning the Indians get a little preachy but are only slightly annoying. For someone that wants to relax with a little light reading, this is well worth your time.

A classic, especially if you grew up in a little town in the Midwest. I keep re-ordering this book because I have to keep replacing it because I keep giving it away to everyone I meet that I know will love it. Unless you grew up in the big city, you know the people Roger Welsch writes about in this book, only you never realized how funny - or how endearing - they were. Or maybe you did, but you just didn't know how to tell other people about it. Roger does.

This is life and this is fun! Beautiful pictures of Great Plain - Small Village life written -so well!- by an expert.

Writing from a narrative center somewhere between Mark Twain and Garrison Keillor, author Roger Welsch memorializes the town and inhabitants of Centralia (aka Dannebrog, pop. 356), Nebraska, in what he calls "Bleaker County." Centralia itself is either the center of this windswept prairie state or the center of the universe, depending on who you ask in this small town. It's located not far north of the Platte River and its farmlands, and not far south of the Sandhills, with its population of cattle and cowboys. Life in Centralia gravitates toward the Town Tavern, where many of these story-essays take place, and we meet Welsch's fictionalized friends and neighbors: Lunchbox, Goose, Slick, Woodrow, and Cece -- the regulars. There are also his wife Lily, daughter Jenny, an Indian friend Cal, a kind-hearted bachelor uncle named Grover Bass, a film crew from public television in Lincoln, a mean cuss named Royal Cupp, a rip-tearing adventurer, Luke Bigelow, and many others.

Welsch has an appreciation for the quirky, cock-eyed, and audacious. Like an endlessly curious anthropologist, he's equally fascinated by the everyday and the out-of-the-ordinary. He's a humanist, romanticizing his characters even while he's treating them with tongue-in-cheek irony. He's also willing to show that they can stoop to the unforgivable, or that they do not share his appreciation for people from other ethnic backgrounds. There is a range of tones and sentiments in the book, from comic farce to tenderness and awe. My favorite essay, "Racing Horses at the Centralia Fourth of July," ranges across all three, as his young teenage daughter teams up with a burly cowboy to take second place in a relay race. I laughed and had tears in my eyes by the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and happily recommend it to anyone with an interest in small town life on the Plains. As a companion volume, I'd suggest the short stories of life in a rural Minnesota community in Kent Meyers' "Light in the Crossing."

In "It's Not the End of the Earth,..", Roger Welsch does an excellent job bringing out the humor of small town life by simply telling stories about his friends in Centralia, NE. He has a witty way of giving value to each of the members of this rural community bringing to light the peculiar habits and expressions that make them all unique, interesting, and memorable. I applaud Prof. Welsch's folkloric expose' of the kinds of everyday things that I used to laugh about with my dad - some of my favorite things.

Travelling with Lovejoy is so very different than what anyone is used to. In this book we see him in Hong Kong as he's trying to escape some nasty characters back in East Anglia. He starts out OK with a plane ride, passport and money in his pocket, but he's not in Hong Kong for five minutes before everything he has is stolen. As he wanders around hungry for two days, we see Hong Kong through his eyes, and he, even with all his troubles, is fascinated by it. It's easy to see the author's experiences of Hong Kong in the wonderful descriptions that he paints in this book. Anyway, poor old Lovejoy finally finds himself a way to make a living (and what a way that is!), but he gets mixed up with a nasty lot too. His experiences with the Hong Kong triads is unforgettable (and actually quite funny too). We of course see another master fiddle done by the old faker (Lovejoy himself), and we also get more interesting info on some pretty nice antiques (Asian style). This book is captivating, as are all the others in this wonderful series.

The English physician who writes under the name of Jonathan Gash lived in Hong Kong for several years; his knowledge of the weather, society, and people combine to make this one of the better Lovejoys. This is also a great choice for someone unfamiliar with Lovejoy as he is quickly yanked out of England and left penniless in Hong Kong. As with many of Gash's Lovejoy efforts, the action is fast and furious for the last 20 pages or so. Recommended.

This is one of the best in the series. Gash successfully brings together plot, pacing, setting and character. Often his plots are convoluted, but this one moves surely, and without sacrificing entertainment. As in the Gondola Scam (in Venice), Gash limits the region to explore to great effect. We lovingly follow Lovejoy through Hong Kong, meet up with the requisite number of baddies, but also the quirky and unusual characters that assist Lovejoy in his quest. A tightly and carefully constructed book, and a great introduction to the entire series.

Dashing Lovejoy is at it again--this time in Hong Kong! Running from the law and some small time hood, he's off to the orient, loses everything, becomes mixed up in a huge antiques swindle, and is locked into serfdom. Jade Woman is one of my favorite Jonathan Gash books. Even when his life is on the line, Lovejoy never runs out of witty things to say. Murder, intrigue, antiques, and the spell of Hong Kong mix together to bring you a real page-turner.

When the heavies in England force Lovejoy from his home and possessions and make his future seem less than pleasant, he takes advantage of an opportunity to leave England and to move to Hong Kong for the sake of his health and freedom. The extreme heat and humidity saps his strength so badly that he doesn't even make it out of the terminal of the airport, but collapses in a heap for a quick nap on the floor of the terminal. Big mistake...when he awakens to find his money and passport missing, he makes the long walk into the city and throws himself on the mercy of a man who had given him his card on the plane. The man rejects his plea for charity and walks away, only to be stabbed to death a few minutes later. After finding himself temporary shelter with a friendly expat, Lovejoy hawks his talents as an expert in antiques and antique reproductions, and is contacted by the Triads and forced into working for them. His room mate works as a gigolo, servicing travelling ladies with dinner, dancing and anything else they might require, and recruits Lovejoy into the profession. He is fascinated by Jade Woman, a beautiful and highly educated young woman, trained since childhood to be the face of the Triads. Lovejoy makes a deal with the gangs to forge pieces of art for them and soon finds himself in big trouble as usual. The lovable rogue struggles out of his predicaments with his usual flair and, by the end of the book, is heading for the US. I just hope that I can find this sequel.

You laugh, you cry. It is so wonderful. I started reading it to my olderst child when she was three.
Now it is on all 3 kids most wanted list.
A book to cherish for ever. Each have one to take home when they are grown up to read to their kids.

This is a wonderful book for the whole family. It's hard these days to find a picture book where the narrative is as compelling as the illustrations. This is one of those rare books. The folk tale is refreshingly new and unfamiliar, and teaches a lesson not often heard in children's books. And Kristen Balouch's brilliant sense of color and design have a warmth and humor that is really appealing. I wish I could decorate my home with these pages!

I look forward to more books from this talented illustrator.

What's great about this book is that it's not the usual children's fare. The story of the Persian king and the three thieves who help him to learn tolerance and generosity is told in clear simple language that children of all ages can understand. The illustrations are just gorgeous--they're done in subtle and rich color, with bold graphic patterns, and in a style that reflect the origins of the tale. My kids love it! I hope this author comes out with another book soon.

What's great about this book is that it's not the usual children's fare. The story of the Persian king and the three thieves who help him to learn tolerance and generosity is told in clear simple language that children of all ages can understand. The illustrations are just gorgeous--they're done in subtle and rich color, with bold graphic patterns, and in a style that reflect the origins of the tale. My kids love it! I hope this author comes out with another book soon.

My kids loved it and enjoyed having it read to them. The illustrations are fun and I recommend this book to all parents.