Mythology Books

I recommend it to anyone that is interested in learning more about the life of the original Americans.
Apreciate the fast delivery and the good condition of this book.

great book! buy it!! Everything is wakan. find out why!

Lakota Belief and Ritual is a book rich in oral history. It was recorded at the a time when there were First Nations members who had the personal experiences of a lifetime and whose tradition was an oral tradition. Dr. Walker (a physician and anthropologist) collected and preserved this oral history in the face of the destruction of most First Nation's cultures through the intervention of the European cultures.

The narratives are all excellent and there are 90 + documents containing those first-person narratives along with several photographs.

The Bison Books edition has an extensive (and very valuable) series of appendices, including an extensive (modern) bibliography.

The original Walker papers (or the majority, at any rate) are now part of the Colorado Historical Society collection.

A first rate piece of work by the editors, DeMallie & Jahner, working from the primary materials created and preserved by Dr. Walker and his family.

An invaluable work. This book -or at least excerpts- should be part of any text on U.S. History. The inclusion of First Nations culture in our textbooks is rare, indeed.

James Walker went to the Pine Ridge reservation in 1896 (as a Christian) to serve the indians as a Medical Doctor.

18 years later when he left the reservation; he had adopted the Sioux form of Spirituality, and had become a wicasa wakan (holy man). He was trained by George Sword, and other medicine and holy people.

Some of this material is very dry, and dificult reading because a large part of the book (expecially the rituals and myths) were translated into English from the Language of the Sioux. But if you have a sincere wish to understand this form of Spirituality; this book is well worth reading.

I do wish to confirm one statement in this book by wicasa wakan (George Sword). "Any pipe can be used in a sacred manner" I could NOT agree more! I have used a meerschaum pipe, a pipestone (catlinite) pipe, and a briar pipe. The condition of the heart and mind is far more important than the kind of pipe one uses.

I encourage questions and comments about my reviews; Two Bears.

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

This book is the litmus test for subsequent interpretations of the Lakota religion. Since the true authors felt that their culture was disappearing, they were extremely forthcoming with their information to Dr. Walker. All Lakota expressions of religion that follow this revelation of the Lakota medicine men are in fact derivative of it. Some have questioned the qualifications of the "informants" within Lakota society, but I have seen no contemporary Lakota belief or ritual that deviates from the broad strokes of this book. If you truly want to learn about traditional Lakota religion, start here, and then move on to Raymond J. DeMallie's edited texts under the title The Sixth Grandfather.

My first book as a fledgling philosophy student was Cassirer's
work on the Enlightenment and I was in up over my head, but I stuck it out and learned a lot. So, when his book on myth and language came to my attention, I was familiar with the author and his reputation. I have not read the professional critiques on this work, but my personal opinion is that it is unique in every respect. I have not seen anything else that parallels the growth of myth (religion) and language as this does, nor have I seen anything that deals as effectively with the idea of epistemology that is quite apart from that of science and inductive probabilities. If you want to read what a brilliant man believes and substantiates about knowledge from a really different viewpoint, this may be the book for you. It is deep, but each page will grab you -- perhaps more than once.

This little book is a revelation in 99 pages. It is highly theoretical and while it is not an easy read it is not beyond the comprehension of a layperson either. Cassirer's arguments lead me to think about language and consciousness itself in ways which I never have before, but which seem so amazingly right that I experienced many moments of epiphany. This book is an excellent rebuttal to the argument that reason is the origin and culmination of human thought and that all myth is rooted in ignorance (take that, Carl Sagan). If you are interested in theories of mythology and/or theories of language/linguistics, this book is a must.

Language is such a basic part of our lives that we little stop to consider its origins or the signifigance of those origins.

All the more reason for the importance of this book which anticipated modern anthropological findings about the nexus between language and religion over fifty years later. Though the book is by no means an easy read it was first on the scene in at least two important ways.

One, as mentioned, was its connection between language and myth in the first place. One only has to review the Wade book, "Before the Dawn" to see the truth of the thesis about the connection between religion and the birth of language (now dated to about fifty thousand years ago).

Two, like the later Lakoff and Johnson book "Metaphors We Live By" Cassirer was keen to observe the metaphorical structure of language by pressing pre existing cognitive systems into service for understanding more -- otherwise theoretical -- constructs. Unlike Lakoff and Johnson, however, Cassirer was working well before the advent of modern anthropology.

And additionally, the book gives some sense of the original revolutionary nature of language. Just as printing and more recently the internet would have powerful social impact, so language itself originally established a dramatic new matrix.

How can such a small, easy to read, & to the point book reveal so much? Ernst Cassirer is a philosophical genius who writes to the common man without all the typical wasted German idealist wording. Help yourself to question the beginning, the history, & the continuing changes of how language & myth intertwine, & limit our human experience. Great starting book for the Philosophical beginner, & if you like this book, try Ernst Cassirer's other well written, but larger book: "Essay on Man".

I loved this book. If you are interested in linguistics and philosophy, this is the book. After reading this you may have a whole new perspective on the origins of language, that is if you are a student of linguistics. I highly recommend this to those interested in ancient texts and languages, myths, logic and the development of human intellect.

Loved the book. The whimsical nature of the drawings is a perfect complement to the stories. Everyone (yes, adults, too) will love to bring out the crayons and indulge in some coloring book therapy.

I have read both Leo Hamilton's Collection I and Collection II and I especially enjoyed the second. I thought the idea of a story book to color was great and my child and I really enjoyed coloring the fantastic pictures together. It is so nice to have real quality illustrations in a coloring book. We're looking forward to the next book!

I have 3 children and they all love the book.Its not to often you find a book you can color in! The stories are simple and easy to understand.I reccommend this book to any child who loves animal stories and loves to color.

My niece gave this book to our 2 1/2 year old daughter and she just loves it. The illustrations by Jessica Larkin are especially wonderful. We can't wait for the next book to come out!

I bought 2 books for my kids and boy where they happy. They loved each story and colored pictures from the book, which now hang in their rooms. I recommend this book for anyone even adults. I colored some pages myself.

Originally purchased this book for the illustrator (Sowa), whose work is remarkable. When the book arrived, I intended to scan the text and set the volume aside: and every time since, the same thing has happened...I read it through.
A delightful parable for any age, I was surprised to see how amenable it was to a thoughtful consideration of old age.
A graceful, witty and thoroughly surprising way to revisit every grownup's "boogeman": we don't die, we just get little!

Michael Sowa's illustrations, as usual, are superb. And each time I read Little King December new layers of meaning are revealed. It is a book I'll keep always. Looks like a children's book, and I suppose children will enjoy it, but it is also for adults. Somehow it speaks directly to your imagination and just resonates there.

A few years ago a German relative sent me an audio tape of "Der Kleine Koenig Dezember". I enjoyed it immensely and wished I could share the story with my nieces and nephews. I did search for an English version at that time and was disappointed.

This year somehow I came across an English translation of the story on the Amazon website quite by accident and quickly ordered six copies. The translation does not quite do justice to the original and is somewhat abbreviated, but the spirit of the tale is there and will be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

I mainly bought this book because of the illustrator; michael sowa, but i read through the book anyway. this is a GREAT book. very creative, and makes you laugh and think at times. short but enlightling book!

I bought this book last year for myself. It's so ponderous and mysterious, and is full of truths in hiding. The character who sees King December is a dull man with a dull job, and it's never clear if the King is part of his imagination. There is a lingering sadness throughout the book, but it's so beautiful that I cry everytime I read it.

This book is so timely. I thought it was great. I gave it to a couple of friends and I think that everyone should read it.

Brooke Newman's The Little Tern: A Story Of Insight is a thoughtful modern-day parable of inspiration, suitable for readers of all ages and faiths. When a tern loses the ability to fly, he fears that he has lost all that is important and central to his life... but then he makes new friends who bring him to a fresh and self-renewing perspective. Soft, watercolor-style illustrations by Lisa Mann Dirkes add a pervasive and gentle beauty to this heartfelt tale. Enthusiastically recommended for personal reading or as a fine giftbook for a friend or loved one, The Little Tern is a truly memorable and touching story.

I found the Little Tern both moving and inspirational. A welcomed piece of wisdom to all of us during these difficult times. The writing and illustrations work brilliantly together to create a memorable journey for the reader. A book not to be missed!

I loved this charming story. This Little Tern is a character of great importance to anyone who has gone through difficult times in their lives. The bird has such resiliency; finding ways out of his struggles that he truely is a hero of mine. I highly recommend this beautiful book!

THE LITTLE TERN is a philosophical fable that has been designed as a picture book. It tells the tale of a little bird who suddenly cannot fly. All birds are supposed to fly, and a tern is designed to fly and soar through the skies, darting for food in the sea.

Since the Little Tern can't fly he's forced to live on the beach, walking awkwardly in the waves and watching the fog roll in, pondering who he is and his purpose in life. Is a bird still a bird if he has to remain earthbound?

Season follows season and gradually the Little Tern makes some friends. He searches for meaning in the little things he observes --- things he never noticed before when he could fly. As he gradually learns to make the very best of things as he finds them, he discovers a secret that enriches his life. Will it help him fly again, or will it just help him live without being able to fly?

THE LITTLE TERN is a charming story with beautiful watercolor illustrations. The words themselves draw their own pictures for you and will make you think about what the purpose of living really is.

--- Reviewed by Tamara Penny

Eros on the Nile
I have just ordered Love Songs of the New Kingdom and have three comments. One of the poems quoted in Eros on the Nile,(which I have and recommend) is from Love Songs of the New Kingdom. It is a beautiful and charming translation of this poem. Second, I have clicked above to read an exerpt from the book and notice that the hieroglyphs are well and economically drawn. I have been studing Middle Egyptian for about two years, and have been struggling with the problem of writing some of the glyphs quickly and yet with a bit of style. So I look forward to adopting Foster's renditions of them. Third, for those bothered by the comment of another reviewer that the hieratic has been transcribed by Foster into hieroglyphs, I have read that this is a near universal practice of Egyptologists in rendering hieratic text for publication.

Let's go way back to the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, specifically the reign of the Ramesside pharaohs (roughly 1305-1080 BC). To put the era in its proper historical perspective, this was half a millennium before the blind Greek poet Homer composed The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Literature, mainly for moral instruction or in praise of deities, already thrived in the days of the pharaohs. We have some poems and stories inscribed on papyri and ostraca (bits of pottery or limestone). There are temple inscriptions. In terms of size, the most impressive achievement is The Book of the Dead, a bewildering mish-mash of myth and ritual incantation which remains essential reading for morbid-minded folks till today.

Ancient writing can seem intimidating and arcane to our impatient modern sensibilities. There are all these references to gods and demi-gods, whose hierarchic structure and tangled web of familial relations would put any soap opera to shame. You feel that you should just chuck it all aside and down a few cappuccinos instead.

But wait! We have with us today about 60 secular love poems,translated from Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics by the American John L. Foster. They are delightfully accessible, and more entertaining than a month of TV dramas. Some of these poems were discovered in archeological digs conducted just a few decades ago. What's even more amazing is that they read as if they were written not in the 12th century BC but yesterday.

Yes, the poems are all about love. But this isn't the hackneyed,soppy mush that you can get today. This is love not just as sweetness 'n' light but as game-playing and subterfuge, as sexual warfare, as delicious torment. In terms of psychological complexity, they match the blues and torch songs recorded early in our own ravaged century. There's no moralising here. Foster's book is called Love Songs of the New Kingdom (1974) but it could have been tagged "Papyri Don't Preach".

Instead of being goody-goody, love poetry should acknowledge the violence, kinkiness and deception which exist in any reasonably interesting relationship. The Ancient Egyptians knew this, for they were wise.

An example? Listen to this young man's melancholic cry:

"I think I'll go home and lie very still / Feigning terminal illness / Then the neighbours will all troop to stare / My love, perhaps among them / How she'll smile when the specialists / Snarl in their teeth! - / She perfectly well knows what ails me."

Appreciate the startling, passive-aggressive psychodrama being played out here. Although the authors in all cases are unknown, their works range freely through the human sensorium. The agony and the ecstasy brought about by lust, affection, jealousy and longing get full play.

The poetic personae are men and women but, unlike in some ancient Greek and Persian poetry, entirely heterosexual. Despite this handicap, there's a whole lot of kinkiness going on. Check out this guy's sado-masochistic relationship with his dominatrix girlfriend:

"How clever my love with a lasso / She'll never need a kept bull! / She lets fly the rope at me / (from her dark hair) / Draws me in with her come-hither eyes / wrestles me down between her bent thighs / Branding me hers with her burning seal / (cowgirl, the fire from those thighs!)"

Something even more delightfully perverse can be found in this straight man's transvestite fantasy, which reminds me of the great Prince song If I Was Your Girlfriend:

"I wish I were her Nubian girl, / one to attend her (bosom companion), / Confidante, and a child of discretion: / Close hidden at nightfall we whisper / As (modest by day) she offers / breasts like ripe berries to evening - / Her long gown settles, then, bodiless, / hangs from my helping hand."

This touching fantasy reminds me of the way I spent Valentine's Day ... but I digress.

Poetry from the Ramesside period is significant as the oldest extant literature spoken by non-deitic females. Some of the personae are worldly and sexually explicit ("Would your fingers follow the line of my thighs/ Learn the curves of my breast, and the rest?") but others are artfully naive and ingenuous, like this voyeuristic girl who is "accidentally" at the right place:

"I just chanced to be happening by / in the neighbourhood where he lives / His door, as I hoped, was open - / and I spied on my secret love."

Some of the poems may seem sweet and simple, but they already use striking similes ("Love of you is mixed deep in my vitals/ Like water stirred into flour for bread"). Nature, represented by flowers,gardens, orchards and, of course, the Nile, also provides poetic settings and metaphors in a way which anticipates the Western pastoral literature that emerged centuries later.

The fact that the poets are so good is surprising without being surprising, if you catch my drift. I mean, their ancestors built the Pyramids (in the era known as, ahem, The Old Kingdom), which are structures of such weirdness, ingenuity and complexity that we still haven't found out everything about them.

The poems, too, are creatures of remarkable engineering. They teach us about the twisty, turbulent, uncanny mysteries of love and lust, which still survive in today's blessedly pagan pop culture. Read them instead of writing to newspaper agony-aunts about your tacky little problems. The poets show us that love is a battlefield, sex is a weapon, and we all sleep alone. Confused? But that's the story of, that's the glory of, love.

If you want to warm your lady's heart through her mind, the potency of this book has no equal. I bought this for my girlfriend two years ago and she still reads it over regularly. You know guys, the gift you are looking for to prove that your mind functions outside of the physical? If she is even remotely open to ancient civilization this is the ticket, this is "The Gift." I am not usually into poetry but I like this a lot. This is the Total Recall of poetry: just enough plot, just enough action. Seriously, she will love this and you will not mind it yourself ;).

Finally a book of Egyptian love poetry for people with enough of Budge to recognize a hieroglyph or two :-) More seriously the hieroglyphs are primarily "atmosphere" in this text. Curiously, the hieroglyphs are not the original but rather transcriptions of the original cursive hieratic ... a bit of posturing that mildly concerned me when I first saw the book. Fortunately, the quality of the translated poetry more than compensated for my qualms.

Having been introduced to Egyptian love poetry by the use of Michael Fox's work in a class on the Song of Songs (aka Song of Solomon), I was delighted to find this gem. The poetry is translated without footnotes - a feature I appreciate.

An example of the joys of the poems: "He had made a hushed sell in the thicket, for worship / to dedicate this day / To holy elevation of flesh"

Because of the relationship of Egyptian love poetry to the Song of Songs, this scarely known poetry has had an effect on our culture - one as worth exploring as the Greek or Latin.

I LOVED it! I bought it on an impulse, having found it on the backshelf at a bargain store. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but, like I said, I loved it! It is SO romantic! "when I hold you close, and your arms steal around me, I am like a man transplanted to Punt, or like someone out in the reedflats, when the whole world bursts into flower. In this land of south-sea fragrances, my love, you are the essence of roses!" HOW ROMANTIC! I would love to have been that woman to whom the poet was saying such things! I highly reccomend this book to anybody, especially those wo are just getting into poetry, like me. It is truly a beautiful book.

In another book called The Commanding Self Idries Shah says that the desired effect of these Teaching stories depends upon someone not knowing the intended effect. And this in a Teaching narrative that next tells us that the person he said this to, an editor for one of his books, then asked for an introduction explaining the intended effect of the stories. If you don't think thats funny, you probably won't like this book. There are no explanations here, no descriptions of spirituality, or theories about personal development. What is here, is very finely crafted Teaching stories and narratives that Shah collected from both oral and written sources, adding some of his own when "Sufic comprehensiveness demanded it". The stories are beautiful, challenging, disturbing, and often banal. And then one reads them again and finds that they are none of these things; that those were simply some of your own personal reactions to them. This book is a remarkable acheivement; a mirror for what can't be written down.

This book not only entertains, it educates as well. The tales and vignettes in it are called Teaching Stories because teaching is precisely what they do. They teach the reader how to escape from the confines and limitations of usual, normal thinking processes. They do so by showing the reader to himself or herself, reflected in the actions and motivations of the characters in the tales. The reader can learn how to operate more free of bias. The effect is similar to suddenly coming across riches, the riches buried within ourselves. Repeated readings reveal more layers and depths, each guiding the reader to greater understanding and freedom. 'The Magic Monastery' is, for these reasons, quite a catch.

About Sufism, it has been said that "in the West it's become very complicated because spiritual authority is understood on the wrong levels."

Shah's delivery is often times directed toward certain constructs of the ego within this reader's psyche. Painfulness is almost always imminent because he is capable in pointing out the fractures of this reader's brittle comprehension of Life. He points out how I can be my own worst enemy that keeps me from taking necessary steps needed to live a healthy and fulfilling life. In this sense, his tone can, in some instances, become characteristic of a stern father, a strict sensei, or a tough coach helping me steer clear of self-imagined obstructions. These moments aren't really ever pleasant, as they tend to turn my insides, and I feel singed. But, with some help, I am able to understand that this is an essential prerequisite for transformation in the Sufi way; therefore, I choose to understand these types of stern approaches in terms of "tough loving" that help bring equilibrium to my egoic ratios (inflation:deflation), and step in the direction of freeing myself of myself.

The Sufi stories within the Magic Monastery are, for me, the best times of diligent reading and mindful inner listening. I definitely become more aware of any inner voices compelling reactions and responses. Self-punishing? or self-rewarding? You make what you want of it.

Do you want to get to know yourself? That's what I did. Each of these stories is an opportunity to discover another aspect of your personality. Like me, you will find stories which you will like or find amusing, perhaps others that will annoy or startle you. Each is a mine of possibility that enriches with subsequent readings. Spend time with Idries Shah... and get to know You.

Here are 157 pieces of literature, most on a single page. Each one is like a room in a monastery; not the one in the title story, which is the product of the illusions of the greedy, but a genuine, inner one. Some rooms have windows through which to see the world around us more clearly. Some rooms have mirrors in which to see ourselves more clearly. Both windows and mirrors are specialized to help us see subtle things that we would otherwise miss. Then we realize that the windows have become mirrors, and the mirrors, windows. A handbook for inner work.

My parents had been trying to get me to read this series for a number of years. I tried once or twice, but whether it was the wrong time or I was in the wrong mood, I just couldn't get into the characters. I then was in a position of driving, alone, from New York to Texas, and stopped in a bookstore for something to listen to on the way.

First, the Master and Commander that I listened to was not Simon Vance. Happily it was well enough done to make me continue the series. At this writing, I have 3 and 1/2 books left. Simon Vance is so good though, that I am purchasing his version, of this, the first book. I also had ordered, without checking, the last book. When I received it from the used seller, and discovered that it was read by someone else, I dropped that in the charity bag, and ordered another with Mr. Vance. He does not intrude on the story, but he is definitely a part of the family. I couldn't imagine finishing up with anyone else.

I have not done any more long car trips, but have listened piece meal during day to day driving. The story holds up, and I have spent quite a bit of time sitting in the driveway "just finishing up a bit" I always keep the next book ready in the car.

There are many reviews of the books, probably much better than I could set out. I was not an audio book listener until we listened to the Harry Potter books, read by Jim Dale, on a number of long car drives. (The last one on the drive that got me to New York from Texas). I had tried several other books, including favorites of mine, and really have decided that the reader makes all of the difference. I have listened to books that I love, and not been able to finish them, because the reader just didn't get the material. Simon Vance gets this material.

I have added the paper books to my library and will read them the old fashioned way some day. These CDs will stay in my permanent library as well. They certainly match the gold standard of "re-readability".

O'Brian was a master storyteller. This is must-read swashbuckling literature. The movie, although a sort of mish-mash of stories, was great too.

I highly recommend the performance of Simon Vance. His reading is excellent. Jack Aubrey's vibrant personality comes alive, as does Maturin's more subtle character. Killick is a riot. I have all recordings up to "The Thirteen Gun Salute" by now, and Vance keeps the individual voices consistent across all books. He is a true pleasure to listen to and even does the women well, which can't be easy. His mediterranean accents are not so good, but this is a minor hitch. These CDs are very good value for money.

Listening to Simon Vance read Patrick O'Brian's words is like having silk poured in your ears. A fantastic book made even better!

I came late to this table, intrigued by the excellent Russell Crowe movie. (A note for new readers arriving by the same route: the movie is an amalgam of several of the books in the series, then modified even further by the supposed needs of Hollywood.)

When I bought this 13½ hour CD reading of the first book, I was delighted but also somewhat baffled: the language is extremely challenging, even to one with years of sailing experience. How could this series have sold millions? Another Amazon reviewer set me straight: the books are written so that they could be understood and enjoyed by the characters themselves, and describe the harsh sensibilities of the times without apology or explanation.

An extremely difficult feat to pull off, writing in the 1970s. Being a rather proud writer myself, at first my anachronism police came out in full force, looking for missteps. Oh they are there, if you want to get curmudgeonly, but instead, why not just enjoy the author's magnificent accomplishment? The book has become my nightcap: one chapter per night, with a rewind each morning to the point I fell asleep. It has also become my traveling companion: I ripped all 11 CDs down to one mp3 disk, and traffic jams immediately stopped annoying me. (For people wishing to do the same, it can be encoded at a generous 256bps and still fit on one CD). And there are still another 21 novels to go...

To the meat: You will have to put up with sometimes excruciating detail: is it really necessary to have an unbroken five-minute naming of parts? The top mizzens, each and every backstay, the exact length of each spar? But perhaps it is. The internal voice of Aubrey: a sympathetic man whose company I would nonetheless not enjoy, the utter callousness towards human suffering displayed. We wouldn't judge Jane Austen for having archaic sensibilities; Patrick O'Brien should be given the same leeway.

But with your investment in place, the rewards are enormous. The battles, the tactics, the seamanship displayed and the characters involved are described at close to the level of Conrad. It is impossible to read (or listen) without trying to imagine your reaction to being hauled off a side-street, impressed into the Navy, given your 14" of hammock-space and sixteen hours of daily work, with the lash readily available if you ever care to demur. And as a reminder, the monthly reading of the Articles of War, with almost every infraction being followed by: "...and shall suffer death." O'Brian probably accurately describes this monthly litany as comforting and reassuring to the men.

The reader, Simon Vance, does an excellent job. He trips up occasionally by repeating himself, and his occasional Scottish accent is strictly from the James Doohan Hollywood school, but those are hardly gripes: his friendly voice is accurate and his personality is quite invisible, as it should be.

"Aubrey! May I trouble you for the salt?"

I bought this for use in my classroom, and took it on vacation to review with my nieces and nephews. We all loved this book. The pictures were fun to look it, and all the stories we read promped great discussion! I am back on Amazon to look for other books by American Storytelling.

My mom and dad bought this book as a gift for me. My teacher likes to tell tales from other countries and I find that interesting. I love this book! I read it in less than two days because it was so good. My teacher would love this book. There are good illustrations too!

My dad bought this as a gift for me. My teacher likes to tell tales from around the world so I've been interested in stories from other countries for a while. I loved this book! I read it in two days and I go back to it and reread certain parts. I want to show it to my teacher. He would love it too!

This is a supurb collection of multicultural tales! It's a delight to read and the stories have many classroom uses. DeSpain knows how to make each story come alive and he keeps them short and to the point. Boys especially like to read this collection. I recommend it to everyone.

I have been using this great collection of stories in My San Francisco classroom for 5 years now. My classes are always composed of children from a wide variety of different cultures. It is so powerful to have one book that so many students can relate to. With stories from Japan, Africa, Guatemala, Russia and many others, children can usually find a story that represents their personal culture. These stories are excellent tools for opening the door to group discussions. These discussions present opportune times to discuss morals, cultural differences/similarities and human nature. It is obvious that Pleasant DeSpain is a master storyteller and writer because the stories are so easy to read aloud. I could not recommend these tales to tell more.

This book looks like new! I saved money and the book is in great condition. The seller was very helpful.

This book is fascinating to say the least! When I first got it I spent an hour flipping though looking at pictures and reading the captions. When I finally got around to reading the 'book part' it was even more intriguing. Some might be unnerved by the pictures of the mummies, and its hard not to be with some of them (pg 66 for example ;) But I was glad to finally see what alot of other books only describe. This book is an excellent buy for the price. Great for those with an interest in Egyptian traditions/history and in mummies in general. Strong stomach recommended ;)

This book is worth 10 stars. there is so much info in this book and it is very easy to understand. when i first looked at this book of 192 pages i thought i would never get through it all but it was so easy once i picked it up i couldn't put it down. if you are interested in learning about ancient egypt this is the book to buy.

I looked for a book on mummies after seeing the excellent television documentary hosted by Egyptologist Dr. Bob Brier. I saw this book and was a little skeptical. The title "Mummies, Myth, and Magic" sounded like a book that may sacrifice scholarship for a more mainstream account to appeal to those wanting to read about mummy curses, etc. I could not resist the fascinating photos in this book, so I bought it despite my reluctance over the title. I soon realized I was wrong to be the least bit skeptical. It is a very scholarly account by an obvious expert in the field. Christine El Mahdy details how mummies were buried during different periods; the mummification techniques; how Egyptians bargained with, communicated with, and regarded their various gods; animal cults, etc. A short section on the "curse" of the tombs is included at the end and is expertly written: "...the dead positively welcomed the living. Their immortality depended on the survival of their name..." (174). The author assumes nothing in her analysis and gives a clear, erudite account of every subject examined. She offers an excellent description of what it was like for a robber or collector like Giovanni Belzoni to enter a tomb. She also explains what information can be gathered from mummies; from age and health to the duties Egyptians had under certain titles. The illustrations in this book make it a must for the serious Egyptologist to the casual enthusiast. Symbolism and the design of sample tombs are clearly diagrammed. The photos and x-rays of mummies are fascinating. There is a disturbing photo of an unknown mummy that some witnesses to its discovery believe was buried alive that will stick with you long after you put down this book. In addition, a chronology of the different dynasties is included at the beginning of this book which is essential for readers like me who have a very limited background on Egyptian history. What impressed me most of all was the deep respect the author demonstrated towards this subject: "Few of the living were ever permitted even to gaze for long upon the face of a pharaoh--so perhaps it is presumptuous to demand more of them dead than they gave when alive" (91).

"Mummies, Myth, and Magic" explores practically all facets of its chosen subject matter: burial, preparation, symbolism, even the excavators charged with elaborating on all of the above. The essays spent on modern mummy examinations are fascinating, not to mention the fabulous photography. The affect of various periods in Egyptian history--such as the Intermediate periods and the Amarna period--on the country's religious beliefs/expectations is also discussed. Oh, enough with my being well-spoken.... Just read it! :)