Mythology Books

I have been getting these books for years. They are good to read nice little bits of info ing them. Better than the "farmers almanac" which tells the the signs but more confusing.

This is a hard to find product and I have bought several over the years- the price was great and it shipped super fast! I use it every day and it is the very best addition to any wiccans daily routine, full of info and facts. I will continue to purchase thru Amazon and merchant every year! very satisfied!! A++++

I have looked forward to the annual purchase of the Almanac for years now. I like the newer directions that are being taken with the publication. This is always an informative ,entertaining, and professional publication for the practioner as well as the curious. The astrology section is always my favorite and the window on the weather has never been wrong! This has become a tradition in the Magickal world and one that I hope continues for quite a long time.

This yearly book is full of all types of information for witches, pagans,or anyone interested in history,the earth,facts& the magical and mythyical world we live in.

The team at The Witches' Almanac have done it again! Not only do they have great artwork and beautiful mideaval woodcuts throughout the book, this edition has to be one of my favorites they have produced so far.

This edition is all about divination and prophesy. Great recipees, folklore and much more! A great treat, you won't be disappointed. This alamanc belongs on the shelf of every witch!

I personally collect these every year and they are great fun to go back through them from time to time and comb the pages for the vast knowledge they contain.

Much Love & Many Blessings,
Thorn Nightwind

"The World before This One" was a motivating book for me. I wouldn't recommend this book for younger people, because the vocabulary and names are very challenging, even for me. It was also hard for me to follow what was going on in the book, so if you have a short attention span, this book isn't for you. This book is a good book for scholars in the literary area. It is a very good legend, but if you aren't interested in a novel told in legend, I would definitely not recommend this book.
The main characters in this book are a young man named Crow, and his grandmother. The setting is at a lodge, and in the forest. The climax is when grandmother asks Raccoon, Crow's old friend, to spy on him and see why he doesn't bring home hardly any books from hunting a full day in the forest. The plot is how grandfather stone tells Crow the legends of the world before this one, and it is up to him to see if his fellow villagers are ready to hear the legends.

I enjoyed this book very much. It touched my heart and mind by teaching lessons that mean something today as much as they must have in "The World Before This One." Certainly a worthwhile read - and then some.

In THE WORLD BEFORE THIS ONE a stone speaks, transporting the listening Seneca boy, Crow, and ourselves, to an older time; a world of myth and legend where integrity and nobility of action bring rewards. The stories Grandfather Stone tells Crow transform the listening boy, his people, and ultimately ourselves.

Rafe Martin, a gifted storyteller, posesses a rare ability to bring to life for adults and children alike the world of magic inherent in nature. THE WORLD BEFORE THIS ONE is partly a coming of age story, as Crow finds his true path as a tale teller and guardian of his people's wisdom. Martin's retelling of these Seneca legends reaches all of us to touch a deeper consciousness within, and imbues our present world with meaning.

If you are looking for a book to read aloud to your children, you'll love this one. The imagery and folk lore are as interesting for the parent as for the children. Because many of the Native American legends and customs are the same as my children are learning in school, this book was a great way to have fun while reinforcing learning.

This book is about a boy and his grandmother who have to move away from the village. He finds a rock that can tell stories. I like this book because it has different stories in it. I think it is part fantasy and part realistic fiction. I would recommend that other people should read it because it is good if you like realistic fiction or fantasy.

This was a great book. I especially like the fact that you described Ryan instead of Ian. I have read it a few times and love it everytime. My favorite character would have to be Iolaus, he's cute,and hilarious. Can't wait for the next book.

this book has a great discriptions it takes you right in !!

This is my most favorite book ever! It had plenty of action, tears, and comedy through out the whole book. I almost cried at the beginning when Hercules left his mom. My fave character is defidently Iolaus because he's soo funny! This story is actually based on the YH movie, but I liked how they changed Ian Bohen into Ryan Gosling as Young Hercules. It took me 2 days to finish this book because I just couldn't put it down! I can't wait for the next exciting book to be published. Anyone who hasn't read this book is missing out on a lot.

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let EVERYONE know that this book is my favorite from now on. It is very detailed with laughs, cries, and feelings. I can imagine every scene - and it's so vivid! Even though the main reason I bought it was because of Ryan Thomas Gosling (I luv u!) - It is the greatest book I've read yet. To the author - you really did a great job with this - keep writing more books! Because we book freaks love to READ!

I loved this book .If you have ever seen the show than you would love this book.It shows how it all started ,What "Young Hercules"(Ryan Gosling)was like before.I am a huge fan of Ryan Gosling and I could just picture him so clearly ,why I was reading this book .Even if you haven't ever seen the show I still sugest that you read it .I promise you won't regreat it..!!!

This is a great book for cats lovers. It's beautifully illustrated and got lots of interesting information.

What a great cat book! Features 99 cat lives, terrific color photos, paintings, and drawings, and fine commentary. Features practically every conceivable (domestic) cat throught the ages, and will provide fun, entertainment, and education for years to come!

I simply cannot keep this pretty volume on my shelf, so lovely are its pages! Adorned throughout with wonderful stories, illustrations, poetry, and photographs- all paying great homage to one of this life's great treasures: Cats - it's indeed a book that's too much an absolute delight for one to help but turn to again and again and again.

Only this morning, long before the sun rose- raving with insomnia, I got up & made a hot cup of tea, fluffed the cushions on the wingback chair by my window, cuddled up with my fat, fluffy cat, Armand, and found myself browsing oncemore through this book --- delving into such chapters as "Cats by Night", "Cats at Sea", "Cats in High Places", and "Church Cats". Armand purred, and nudged my hand with his flat face each time I paused whilst stroking his soft fur. He simply cannot abide having less than my wholehearted attention. Ah, but just how such moments can soothe an old soul is far beyond my own power to describe!

Eloquently, Algernon Swinburne's poem on page 27 grasps that feeling:

"Stately, kindly, lordly friend,
Condescend
Here to sit by me, and turn
Glorious eyes that smile and burn,
Golden eyes, love's lustrous mead,
On the golden page I read."

Truly, not unlike any of my beloved feline family members, this is a warm, aesthetic pleasure to keep somewhere nearby me while in my sanctuary~

I have many, many books in my "cat collection" and this is one of the most beautiful. Not only is the color of the art georgeous, but the essays are thoughtful and informative. This is the one I drag out most often to show off.

Very nice book. Borrowed it from the library and was able to read and understand the book. I plan on renewing the book so I can read over some parts again.

I found this book a very quick read, but incredibly insightful especially with regards to the reasons behind the traditions described. It delves into the consciousness in a personal yet impartial way, which I appreciated.

I wanted to learn something about the traditional beliefs of the Akan people so I ordered this book. It was very readable and very informative. What interested me the most was that the author used structures developed by Fowler and Erikson. Since these two are foundational in the study of western faith and personality development, I felt right at home, even though the destination of the book was halfway around the globe. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a "first book" about this subject.

This book is written by an African who was educated in the US -- rec'd his PhD from Emory U. This is real look at real life in Ghana among the Ashanti and their view of life and death. This book is the result of Dr. Donkor's research for his PhD. This text is suitable for classroom and research purposes or for those who would like to find about their African roots.

The Classics are not so-called because they are old, but because they are most worthy. Plays by Sophocles survive today because they have spoken to every generation between his time and ours. "Ajax" tells the story of one of the great heroes of the Trojan War and how he destroyed himself through his own overweening pride. Hubris remains very much an issue among the powerful today. Ajax's inability to accept that Odysseus could be awarded the armor of Achilles instead of him, Ajax's rationalization that Odysseus could only achieve such an award by scheming against him, and Ajax's unwillingness to admit his mistakes to his superiors, all seem like things that only someone totally foolish would do. Yet the world's political and economic landscape today is littered with leaders and businessmen who are jealous, paranoid, dishonest, and unwilling to admit failure.

There is real drama in reading this play, it does not feel stale or antique but rather resonates and makes the reader want to join the chorus in admonishing Ajax to do the right thing. Sophocles also gives us an engaging depiction of Odysseus. Odysseus shows the reader how to win graciously, lobbying for an honorable burial for a bitter adversary, which he does because he must answer to the gods for his behavior at all times -- the very lesson that Ajax refused to learn.

I recommend this play unconditionally, it is something everyone should read. I do not highly recommend this particular edition, however (thus the 4 rather than 5 stars). The translation seems good and a lot of the notes add interesting information. But some of the marginal commentary consists of overly simplistic questions (e.g., "How does X make you feel?") that seem like they would insult almost anyone's intelligence and not be all that helpful as a teaching aide. I bought this edition because I wanted a slim volume that contained only this play, and it may yet be the best purchase for that purpose. Whether you buy this version or browse for another, read this play.

This is probably the earliest extant play of Sophocles. Sophocles is the earliest known playwright to use painted scenery. He also decreased the importance of the chorus, added a third actor, and abandoned the trilogy format (each play is complete by itself). Ajax is the classical Greek tragedy about the downfall of a man who is sinned against and has a tragic flaw; in this case, insolence and pride. Ajax becomes enraged when Achilles' armor is awarded to Odysseus instead of to him. Agamemnon and Menelaus also exhibit insolence when they refuse to bury Ajax after his suicide. But, Odysseus changes their minds. This play is probably the earliest known example of a play containing a scene of violence on the stage instead of offstage. The play should be required reading of all serious students.

I have always thought of the character of Ajax from the Trojan War to be the prototype of the "dumb jock" stereotype. Next to Achilles he was the best of the Achean warriors, but Ajax was deeply flawed in that he was stubborn and egotistical. I think his intelligence is further called into question by the myth regarding his death, which is the subject of this play by Sophocles. After the death of Achilles it is decided his glorious armor, forged by Hephaestus, will be given to the worthiest of the chieftains. Ajax expects the prize to come to him, but instead the other chieftains vote to give it to "wily" Odysseus. The inference to be drawn is that craftiness and intelligence are to be prize more than brute strength, which is why I tend to identify Odysseus and Ajax with that distinction between brains and brawn. Enraged by this slight, Ajax decides to kill Odysseus and the other chieftains who have slighted him, but Athena clouds his sight and he thinks the camp's livestock are his intended victims. When he comes to his senses, butchering a sheep he thought was Odysseus, Ajax is humiliated to the point he chooses to kill himself. The climax of this play, the oldest of the seven surviving plays written by Sophocles, is not the suicide of Ajax but rather a debate amongst the Achean leaders as to whether or not Ajax should be buried.

The issue central to the play "Ajax" is whether the title character should or should not be considered a true hero by the Greek audience attending the play. Homer, of course, has nothing to say regarding Ajax's fate in the "Iliad," although in the "Odyssey" when Odysseus encounters the shade of Ajax, the dead hero refuses to speak and turns away. However, in his telling of the tale Sophocles adds an important element to the suicide of Ajax. In his first scene when he is discovered amongst the slaughtered livestock, Ajax realizes that his intentions were wrong and that what he has done will make him look ridiculous; he decides to kill himself, ignores the pleas of the chorus, says his farewells to his son and departs. However, in the next episode Ajax returns, apparently reconciled to life; instead of killing himself he will bury his unlucky sword and live a peaceful life. Then a messenger brings the warning of Calchas that Ajax must be kept out of the battle that day. The next thing we know Ajax is cursing the Atreidae and falling on his sword. The change is significant because it makes Ajax's suicide a more rational act. Instead of taking his life in the heat of his embarrassment over what he has done, Sophocles has the character changing his mind twice and ending his life in the grips of a cold hatred against the chieftains.

This sets the stage for the debate amongst the chieftains regarding the burial of Ajax. When Teucer wants to bury the body he is forbidden to do so by Menelaus, who calls Ajax his murderer, focusing on the intentions behind his rampage. Agamemnon also forbids the burial, making an impassioned argument for the rule of law and warning against the reliance of the army upon the strength of a single man, whether he be Ajax or Achilles. Ironically (and we surely expect no less from Sophocles), it is Odysseus who makes the argument in favor of burial. For Odysseus the good outweighs the bad and it is not right to do a man injury when he is dead. This argument certainly echoes the moral at the end of the "Iliad" with regards to way Achilles treats the corpse of Hector. Certainly Ajax was a arrogant brute, obsessed with self-glorification and unfeeling towards his family and people. But when the Trojan army almost succeeded in burning the Achean ships, it was Ajax who stemmed their attack. For Odysseus, and for Sophocles, it is clear that such a man deserves to be considered a hero and demands an appropriate burial. "Ajax" is a minor play by Sophocles, relative to what little has survived of his work, but it does speak to one of the playwright central themes, which is to find that which is heroic in a tragic situation. Having found that spark in the life of Ajax, Sophocles seeks to redeem the tragic figure in this play.

Ajax is the perfect example of what happens to a man when he does not take God into consideration before an endevour. This book, in my opinion, should be read by all Christians and Stoics that like to read the classics.

This gorgeous novel reflects many of the ideas found in "A Room Of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf, with whom Vita had a famous affair. After the death of her husband, the Earl of Slane, Lady Slane shocks her staid family by asserting her own will, leaving the house she kept with her husband, and settling into a small house in the countryside. Finally after seventy years, Lady Slane is determined to live as she chooses, with a life full of contemplation, dreams, and memories. She reflects on her lost ambition to be a painter, but knows that the life she lived was not without merit or value. She finds passion in the freedom to choose, and this gift she bequeaths to the one member of her family who understands its importance.

I meandered my way to this book through Sarah Ban Breathnach's treasure of self-excavation, Simple Abundance. I had read Anne Morrow Lindbergh because of her recommendation too. AML & Charles Lindbergh were good friends with Vita Sackville-West & her husband, Nigel Nicholson. So I finally got around to Vita Sackville-West & this book. It was so moving, wonderful, unforgettable, that I will reread it. I laughed & cried. I will try to find older copies of this to give away to dear friends, old & new. It's one of those books. I'm 41 & have sacrificed much for the men & children in my life that I nonetheless love so dearly. This book helped me bring those feelings of ambivalence into focus. It also helped me realize I'm relatively young & still have time to live the life I've dreamed of since I was a little girl. Maybe this "child-bearing years" thing was just a detour.

This curiously overlooked novel was revived by a Masterpiece Theater production starring Dame Wendy Hiller, which like this novel was superb. The gentle story of an elderly woman's retirement while her forceful children squabble over unimportant matters is at once comic and poignant. The author has peppered the tale with curious, memorable characters, among them the eccentric art collector who is allowed to eat in portrait galleries because museums hope he will donate to them when he dies; the benign landlord Bucktrout, who sees Lady Slain's desire for peace at home; and the coffin maker who pictures people dead to reveal their true characters. This fine little masterpiece deserves to be read today.

How effortlessly Ms. Sackville-West spins her surprisingly moving story of an aging aristocrat who, near the end of her life, decides to do those things she could never do before as she sublimated herself to her strong, successful and controlling husband. This classic British diplomat, who expected to be obeyed because such were the times, was, after all, so much more important than she was and what an interesting life she had in his shadow, didn't she - so conscientious and such a good wife and mother. What she does when he dies, how she perceives her existence and her place in her family - and how they respond - will catch you up in its wake and carry you to the ending, which is perfect and thus bittersweet. I found this a memorable novella.

Wonderful book; fascinating stories; important for women and men. Especially important for the significance of minority women writers.

Zitkala-Sa (Gertrude Bonnin) collected her autobiographical narratives from the Atlantic Monthly (1900-1902), and some fictional folktales, in this 1921 book. Obscure and out of print for decades, it was rediscovered in the 1970s and in 1985 was issued in this facsimile of the first edition, with a helpful forward by Dexter Fisher. It's tempting to call Zitkala-Sa the Native American Zora Neale Hurston, but Zitkala-Sa is too original to be seen as a version of anyone else. The story of her upbringing, and the deceptive luring of her to a missionary-sponsored school in the east, where she found herself held down as her hair was cut (a scene that reads with the intensity of a rape), is riveting and heartrending. Although bitter about her experiences, she achieved a full education in English, expertise on the violin (she performed in Paris), and finally the presidency of the National Council of American Indians, which successfully promoted a law making Native Americans citizens of the United States. The book as a whole reflects her empowerment, but also speaks eloquently in a conquering culture's language of what it is to have no power over your destiny or selfhood. Her integration of several competing selves led her to write this, in "The Great Spirit": "The racial lines, which once were bitterly real, now serve nothing more than marking out a living mosaic of human beings." I for one feel richer for having read this book, and knowing the story of an American hero in her own words. Very highly recommended to all.

I have never read any Native American literature before but, I had to read these stories for a Literature class and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

I would recommend this reading to anyone who is somewhat interested in the history of Native America or who is interest in great story telling. The stories are so visual and Zitkala Sa takes the reader through her childhood memories with passion, emotion, depth and sincerity. Her stories shed light on what happened in that era for those who aren't as familiar with the history of Native Americans. Her experience compels us as humans to take a closer look at our actions and strive to preserve the beauty and differences of all cultures not just of the Native American. Zitkala Sa emerges from her tragic experiences and her loss of culture and spirit to become one of the most notable Native American Activists fighting for the rights of her people and stressing the importance cultural preservation.

All these short stories are beautiful and moving.

I have never read any Native American literature before but, I had to read these stories for a Literature class and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

I would recommend this reading to anyone who is somewhat interested in the history of Native America or who is interest in great story telling. The stories are so visual and Zitkala Sa takes the reader through her childhood memories with passion, emotion, depth and sincerity. Her stories shed light on what happened in that era for those who aren't as familiar with the history of Native Americans. Her experience compels us as humans to take a closer look at our actions and strive to preserve the beauty and differences of all cultures not just of the Native American. Zitkala Sa emerges from her tragic experiences and her loss of culture and spirit to become one of the most notable Native American Activists fighting for the rights of her people and stressing the importance cultural preservation.

All these short stories are beautiful and moving.

North American Indian literature apparently stands alone in its willingness to publicly integrate the profane into the oral storytelling tradition. These stories--some already familiar to me through my former readings in American Indian mythology, most new--are captivating and clever. They are notable purely as art literature, apparently serving no etiologic purpose. If you enjoy these stories, take a look at the Winnebago trickster cycle as narrated in Paul Radin's "The Trickster." Radin's wacky character, by way of his X-rated adventures, ends up establishing much of the Winnebago cosmos.

For many years the "Trickster" and it's charecteristic was unknown to me. I heard this name everywhere when it came to native american studies, but I never knew how important is to get to know my own Trickster. this book help us all to find that within us.

American Indian Trickster Tales is a great way to spend the time, be it on a train, boat or jet. Myths and legends about the Coyote, the Spider-Man, the Raven and Master Rabbit. Shape shifters, fill of greed and cunning, this characters are always getting into trouble. The stories are sometimes funny, sometimes gross and sometimes a tad kinky, but they are old as the first humans to come to America and play an important part of Indian culture, past and present. But NOT for kids.

This is a well written group of trickster tales. It gives us a glimpse of what the Native Americans used to teach their children. The Trickster Tales gives the average person the ability to enjoy a piece of Native American culture. Pick up this book and you will read about a trickster tale lesson!

This book is full of deep and universal thruths. Full of great inspirational and spiritual thought-provoking ideas. "The fruit is already in the seed." Many of us would need to read it several times to understand and appreciate this wonderful book. Great gift idea for anyone who is seeking...

Ano Ano is an exquisite book of poetry that we all can relate to. Even though it encompasses the belief system of the ancient Hawaiian people, it still reads like it was written today. It addresses goal setting, dealing with a loss of a loved one, feeling lonely, and how to be successful! It's like getting advice from your best friend! Words of wisdom-Hawaiian style! The illustrations are so beautiful-keep it on your coffee table. This is a book to cherish forever! You will find yourself giving it as a gift for others to enjoy!

This book was exactly what I needed in my life. I bought it for a research paper that I chose to do about Hawaiian Literature, and I ended up buying a book that would ironically change me as a person. I was amazed. I actually cried at how perfect this book was for me. If you are in search of a sense of security in this world, or just want to really touch base with yourself, you will be so refreshed once you read Ano Ano. I have no doubt in my mind. Peace...

I keep this book close by so that I can refer to it often. It helps me remember "the truth" that we so easily forget in our hectic lives -the reason we are here in the first place. Whenever I feel lost or alone I just open it up (no matter what page) and read that passage. It always seems to bring me back "home". A WONDERFUL GIFT - THE GIFT OF TRUTH. I'm sending a copy to all of my close friends and family members.