Mythology Books

Let's face it -- as a fairy tale, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" is pretty flabby stuff. Not a whole heck of a lot happens except for a broken chair and an unmade bed, and while the repetitive, predictable nature of the tale may be "just right" for kids, it's somewhat less enthralling for adults. That's why Steven Guarnaccia's retelling of the old chestnut is so refreshing. His whimsical illustrations set the story in mid-1950's America, making Papa Bear a swingin' beatnik, while Mama wears capri-pants and hoop earrings and Baby comes complete with Davy Crockett coonskin cap.

Goldilocks has been updated as well into a preteen bobby-soxer, sporting a Patty McCormack "Bad Seed" hairdo, an excellent touch.

Guarnaccia's light, humorous tone is perfect for this slight cautionary tale. For those curious, the endpapers include a pictoral labelling of the designers and years of the various furnishings sprinkled throughout the illustrations -- everyone from Terence Conran to George Nelson is represented. This book is great fun for kids and adults alike.

This is Goldilocks like you've never seen it before. My sonand I BOTH adore this book -- he loves the crazy story, and I get akick out of the tres moderne illustrations. In fact, I must confess that I bought 2 copies -- 1 to read and 1 to cut up and use for artwork in my son's room. Enjoy!

I bought this book for a friend of mine who collects 50's Modern furnishings, as a housewarming gift and now I'm back for a copy of my own! It's a must have for anyone who loves Modern design and likes a new twist on tradition. The illustrations are fantastic and very hip. What a great way to turn a child (or adult for that matter) onto Modern design. A definate baby shower gift for me from now on.

This excellent book is a collection of essays from folklorists and academics regarding the persistence of fairy faith beliefs in the Celtic lands, their diaspora, and related cultures both ancient and modern. The contributions have been well and thoughtfully selected to present a diversity of views and studied regions, so there's likely to be something in there of interest to most people familiar with the genre. There's plenty of discussion of Celtic lore as carried across the ocean, both as cultural curiosity (Canadian Celts using fairy terminology to describe the tangles in their horses' manes, but no longer believing in actual beings) and as living practice (down to a discussion of why some Irish fey could cross the ocean with immigrant families, not being rooted in the soil, and others couldn't). Plenty of the studies are from the original Celtic nations, and there are also excellent comparisons of Celtic and Norse approaches to resident land-spirits; Asatru folks are likely to find that essay of interest. It's solid scholarship which still reads well to the layperson -- I'll be buying a lending copy as well as keeping a reference copy for myself.

Peter Narvez has written a book for those of us who are Celtic and for those of us who wish to see the Other, be it fairy or alien, in a different, perhaps more complete, way. The book is comprehensive to the date of its publication. It offers a number of points for consideration or additonal study. While some essays are stronger than others, and some are clearer than others, in the main, "The Good People" is a wonderful treatment of the Otherworld as it is known in the non-UFO community. Along with folkloric treatments of the Other, Vallee's "Passport to Magonia" and Thompson's "Angels and Aliens," it should be mandatory reading for all of us who are concerned that the debate on extraordinary experiences and alien encounters is too narrow, too full of heat with little light, and too parochial.

Little serious work on the fairy faith has been done in recent times, but this collection of scholarly essays makes up for the lack. As is often the case in this fascinating area of folklore, a few of the essays make you marvel at the enduring and oddly consistent character of the accounts. It gives me a wee chill to read recordings of interviews with Scottish schoolchildren done in the 1970s, and realize that they repeat notions noted among Welshmen by Sir John Rhys fully three-quarters of a century before. An excellent, entertaining and scholarly book that should be in the collection of any folklorist interested in the fairy faith.

Most books on fairylore are collections first published in the nineteenth century or draw primarily from the author's imagination. Those wishing to know more must fall back on scholarly journals that may not be readily available to most readers. This book makes such studies available in an affordable form that you will reread many times. The studies in this book reflect beliefs and attitudes among people of the late twentieth century in communities of maritime Canada as well as Celtic countries. What is most illuminating is the consistency between recent attitudes and those collected earlier.

I was very impressed by how organized and informative this book was. Reading this book was like attending a fascinating and positive lecture designed especially for men.

The book begins by telling the "Grail Castle" myth, and then follows with a clever discussion that looks at the myth from several perspectives. The discussion is especially practical because it focuses on how the myth applies to the issues of "today" that many men face, such as the feminist movement and the effects of having been initiated into manhood by the mother alone.

Later the book describes the four common male archetypes (Warrior, Lover, Magician and King) and the differing ways they relate to the Grail Castle. The descriptions, again, cater to today's issues and include both the positive and negative aspects of the archetype, offering suggestions for continued improvement. There is even a short quiz for the reader to take as an aid to discover which archetype he most fits. It is clear that the four archetypes parallel several common personality tests of today, and that they have a legitimate basis in the field of psychology.

I was most impressed to discover that this is not a book that talks down to the reader or monotonously relays dry information; while reading this book it was as though I was listening to the advice and perspectives of two mentors (the two authors), learning what was "really" on their mind. The information in the book seemed pleasantly balanced.

The end of the book instructs the reader to write his very own male myths, each one representing each seven year time span in his life.

Each chapter is followed by a handful of endnotes indicating the sources of information that were used. The two authors of this book have really done their homework and have put together this intriguing and very insightful book on male myths and mysteries in the Celtic tradition. The content would seem both honest and realistic without being offensive to anyone. I am very glad to have purchased and read this book.

In today's world of increasing balance between the sexes, sometimes men's spirituality is left unexamined or even ignored. No longer! This book delves deeply into the male side of myth and mysticism and seeks to help men answer difficult questions such as: What do I really want out of life? Why do I feel the need to bury my feelings? How can I become more fulfilled and complete a person? With a mix of psychology and Celtic mythology, the authors examine the four male archtypes -- Warrior, Lover, Magician, and King -- and through stories and examples help men analyze their motivations, how they think, what they lack, and finally, how to heal and to start down the road of wholeness on all levels of life. Included is a quiz to discover which of the four archtypes one embodies the most and meditations to promote understanding of your archtype(s). This book is one of the best on male spirituality out there, especially if you already have an interest in Celtic culture.

This is no trivial "new age", pop psych, pot boiler. This is an extremely well written book of sacred wisdom. This is a book of the Quest, and of the Grail. Personally, I've read it three times in my life, and took the time to carefully consider and fill out the the "personal myth section."

The book welds the ancient celtic myths with Jungian type theory. I defy a man not to see himself as a Warrior/Hero, Lover, Magician/Wiseman, or King/Father (as expressed positively or negatively.) The book points out that as we mature we may evolve towards a more mature archetype (i.e. from Warrior or Lover towards Magician or King.) This is the result of the Quest, for both the true Magician and true King have descended into hell, and returned, to earn their gifts. There is a sophisticated understanding here that we are not supposed to strive to be an equal, homogenous, conglomeration of all these roles, but that there are separate, mature, archetypes that we are to embrace and develope towards during a lifetime. Like an acorn, we are to grow towards oakhood, or if an pine cone, to pinehood.

Here also is the explanation of the "The World Tree" universal to all mythologies. This tree is the link between the worlds, with it's branches in heaven and it's roots in hell. It is that which magician and shaman must be crucified on to transcend the world- or be destroyed. Indeed, there is a profound understanding here of shamanhood- and an emphasis on the complexity of this role.

This book also explains the failure and despair in so many modern lives. The sacred wound that never heals- the inability to accept and grow in spiritual undestanding. The wasteland resulting in a failed king's inability so realise that he and the land, and the people, are one....

I seldom say that I love it book, too many people use that phrase too carelessly. But this book of deep truth, deep myth, deep wisdom, I do not hesitate to say that I truly and deeply love.

I have other books on Appalachia folklore, and this is at the top of the list. It's fun, colorful, and gives you the creeps! Like the late Charles Edwin Price, Randy Russell and Janet Barnett have compiled a rich array of stories from East Tennessee; the perfect book to read -- whether to yourself or to others -- on those "dark, stormy nights."

This is a great book I love ghost stories and think they are really good I read this book about 5 times and was scared eveery time! (a REALLy good book will do that u know!!)

First of all, I like ghost stories rooted in history and place. All 25 stories in this collection are wonderful examples of folklore and of the people of the Cumberland and Blue Ridge mountains of Tennessee. You can almost touch the trees in the forest and hear the water moving over rocks. Did you know you can tell your future by counting the number of seeds in an apple? One story here tells you how. More importantly for me as professional storyteller, I found the authors had a very good ear for dialogue and *voice*. I havealready used two of the stories, Footprints in The Snow (Pigeon Forge)-- and the title story Granny Curse, and both met with very good success! Great for reading aloud -- but don't read them alone at night.

I enjoyed reading this book and I found the artwork to be most interesting. This book explains two of our strangest creatures, the flying squirrel and the bat, who can fly although they are not birds. The excitement builds up as the birds find a way to make wings for the little animals, no bigger than mice, to prepare for the ball game. The action of the game itself is quick and intense, as the animals and birds battle it out. Can you guess who wins? You'll find yourself cheering for Bat as he dips and dives for the ball, but watch out! Bluejay drops the ball just at the crucial moment. I give this one an A+ for enjoyment.

I am happy to find a book that describes the game of stickball the way it was originally played here in the southeast. We Cherokees called the game "the little brother of war" in the old days. Even now our villages near the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina play against each other in the traditional was, by setting up goal posts at both ends of the ball field. You will hear the teams taunting each other just as described in this book. Thanks to the writer and the artist for helping to keep our culture alive.

What more could you ask from a picture book? The Great Ball Game of the Birds and Animals is a wonderful tale that explains how the bat and the flying squirrel came to be. Duvall's version of this story sticks closely to the original Cherokee legend with expanded imagery and character development. Like all great stories, this one teaches a lesson for human beings. Jacob's beautifully detailed drawings will hold the imagination spellbound as the story unfolds in crisp black and white. This book won the 2003 Oklahoma Book Award for Design and Illustration. I am proud to own a signed first edition that I obtained while visiting Tahlequah, Oklahoma during the Cherokee National Holiday. I highly recommend this book to art collectors and readers alike.

An hilarious folk tale told in the vernacular. "Oh law!" Must be read it out loud for maximum hilarity and it'll "witch ye sure." My 4 year old loves it so much she has learned to read it, hillbilly slang and all. There aren't many children's books this delightful. I just wonder why it was allowed to go out of print, and why it hasn't won any awards.

The Green Gourd is hilarious. I enjoyed reading it because the dialect was fun to do. The kids adored the silliness of a "witchy green gourd" chasing the old lady and "fumping" everything on the way. We both loved the illustrations. I love this book so much that I'm going to see if I can locate a used copy (it's out of print). Someday I'd like to read it to my grandchildren.

This children's book is so funny, that it is hard to read out loud. My children loved the story, of an old country woman who needs a gourd and picks one before it's ripe. It is bewitched and proceeds to "fump" her and anyone & everything else in its path.Each time the fumping episode occurred, I laughed out loud and my kids asked me to read it to them each night ("one more time, one more time!!!" Expect to be delighted as the illustrations are beautiful, too.

I thought this book was an enjoyable one. Well written and only a little bit off on some of the American information, which I guess can be forgiven. The stuff attributed to the Aztecs, were really Maya, but I guess that's a common misconception. Other than that very interesting and a different outlook on plants and our shared history with them. I would definitely recommend it and will keep it in my library.

The most beautifully written and illustrated book of it's type that I have ever come across. Don't miss this one!

Ever since I researched my book "Tales of the Trees" I've been fascinated by the uses humans have made of plants throughout history. It's not just the practical uses - wood to build our houses, wheat, cabbages and apples to eat, oak for our ships - plants have had strong spiritual value too. Our religions have given us the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden, the Ceiba tree of the Mayans, the Bodhi tree (fig) or Tree of Enlightenment of the Buddhist religion and "Yggdrasil' (ash) the Norse world tree whose roots reached the Underworld and whose branches reached the heavens. Then there were the sacred oaks of the Druids - don't get me started.
Michael Jordan (no, not the athlete) has put together a masterly piece of research into the uses, practical and spiritual, of trees, plants and herbs of all kinds, in civilizations around the world. The book is well illustrated, using many of Jordan's own photographs.
In his overview of great writings about herbs Jordan quotes Charlemagne's definition of a herb "The friend of physicians and the praise of cooks." The oldest existing record of the use of herbs in medicine comes from Babylonian times, some 1700 years before Christ. The Chinese, however, were probably the first people to write "herbals" or documents about the uses of herbs.
A Greek philosopher, Theophrastus, was the first European to take a stab at classifying plants in 372 BC. His work strongly influenced other botanists for almost 2000 years. As recently as the 18th century the use of herbs in medicine was very hit or miss. Some pain killers, such as salicin, from the willow, were well-known and effective. Other nostrums relied on superstition - haemorrhoids were treated with a plant called Lesser Celandine because its roots were the shape of haemorrhoids.
It wasn't till the early 19th century that pure drugs such as morphine and quinine were extracted from plants. Meanwhile from time immemorial housewives had been growing herbs in their gardens and treating their family's illnesses with lore learned from their mothers and grandmothers. The church and paid physicians were not happy about this so they resorted to burning a few "wise women" as witches.
But Jordan does not restrict himself to actual real plants, he has a whole chapter on "Plants of the Imagination" which looks at plants featured in legend and mythology. In the Middle Ages it was said that a Barnacle Tree existed whose fruits matured into birds. In England it was said to grow at the edge of the sea and its fruits were barnacle shellfish. When these matured and fell off they split open, grew feathers and became Barnacle geese.
In his conclusion Jordan looks at gardening throughout the ages and ponders the possible effects of global warming and climate change on our "Green Mantle". He is hopeful that a new respect for our land and our environment is emerging and that the plunder of the Green Mantle is becoming less acceptable. Yet we are still losing plant species throughout the world. The Sahara desert is encroaching on vast areas that once were green; the forests of South America are being slashed and burned at an insane pace.
Jordan is hopeful, as I am, that our headlong race to destroy our Green Mantle may have been checked slightly. We have more knowledge now and even a little more understanding. We have made some small steps towards preserving our plant heritage. Will it be enough to counter the forces of ignorance and greed?

The intuitive travel journal combines nearly psychic visions and intuitions of current (and even long past) events with today's down-to-earth, cultured traveller through her trekking in Wales and a small area of Ireland. The resulting dialogue remains with the reader in a pleasant manner long after the last page has been consumed. The finish came too soon I was sorry the stories ended. This reader hopes the author will again be led to other areas of this ancient land and compelled to record her impressions, document her footsteps and publish a sequel.

Pamela captured the essence of what real history is about...the personal stories of people that were there creating them. It was so refreshing to read a personal account of a present day individual who investigated places, events and people by listeneing to the sounds and images that came to her over a period of 25 years.

Having been a history major in undergraduate school I understand the personal journey to investigate how people interacted, made choices and effected events from the past....Pams personal journey to travel to the places where events unfolded brought it to an even more exciting comparison...It became ancient personal as well a present day personal....

Reading the book was like having a daily story being told to me by a well worded, intelligent person sitting across a table while we both had tea.

I have always been drawn to Celtic information, however it has always had an ancient unreal mystery about it...Pam has brought it to a form that is so real, clear and exciting. It is great to now know how it was from a womans point of view who was actually there...

The voices that prompted Pams personal journey to investigate the celtic ancient cultures was so easily explained and understood in her brief comparison of linear physics and string theory physics. (the most fluid expanation that I have ever been exposed to).... Enjoy!!

The story is woven around many threads. One being Pam's experience in 1982 of hearing the scream of a woman, who she discovered lived in the 5th century! For some, this sounds very weird; however, for those of us who have had, what I call, 'mystical experiences' (and usually unexplainable by our current reality's limited mind processes), it is a fascinating adventure.

It has taken Pam 25 years to complete the story. In the book, she will share with you the 'why' of that. She has come to know that her passions for traveling and 'intuiting history' of a place meld well into the telling of stories of the ancestors.

Another thread was the story of Anaias, the woman of the 5th century. I learned much about my own life by reading of her life. Some of my 'mystical experiences' began to make more sense.

I call this book a 'sleeper' as it is Pam's first book, which I believe will/has opened the door to many more for her. She has the ability to seamlessly weave the reader into her own and Anaias's story. I can hardly wait for the next one, which she is already working on!

May the Flame of Inspiration . . . the 'greenfire'. . . that IS your deepest spirit . . . once again ignite in you!

Fantastic! I pick up a book and scan through it to see if I want to "get involved". Not only did I purchase and read this one, but I bought the next two in the series and read them also. Cyn Mobley writes mysteries in refreshingly entertaining style while departing deep affection and knowledge of the retired greyhound. In Greyhound Dancing, pack behavior and territorial lines are explored through the eyes of greyhounds. Tweeter, the grey queen, is introduced to a new pack and must establish herself and enforce rules of behavior. It is a greyt read. I am sure you will enjoy this book completely.

LOVE this book! Tweeter's adventures are just GREYT!!!!!!! You will not be disappointed by the book or Cyn's wonderful way of writing!!! My 13 yr old son LOVES them too!!!!

Are you all nuts? It sells for far less than that new on the website dogbooks.org.
A hundred BUCKS???
Cyn Mobley

I am an indian and am yet to see a more simple and dedicated book to Shri Hanuman ji than this one. The much revered Hanuman is often regarded by cynics and youngsters as 'monkey god' and the grace,humility and courage associated with Him is not really understood in contemporary times. Philip has done a great and commendable job of getting to the core of Hanuman worship and does so with great humility and respect, not an ounce of the classic western upper lip attitude or assumptions. The book seems a tad too long but definitely commendable reading - for devotees and cynics alike.

An excellent source of knowledge on Sri Hanuman! The writing style of the text is somewhat scholarly, but, it is well worth plugging through. I heartily recommend it to all Hanuman Bhakts and people interested in the mighty Hanuman!

This is THE book on Hanuman. Comprehensive and well-researched, and a labor of love. It will provide help and guidance to many people. I didn't know there were so many aspects to Hanuman.