Mythology Books

Professor Abimbola not only dissects the basic structure of the Odus, but his explanations of Ifa spirituality are unsurpassed in transparency and logic. If you are confused and looking for a knowledgeable guide to this ancient wisdom, this is what you need. Prof. Abimbola's English is as impeccable as his erudition, and the book is never heavy or unnecessarily complicated.

This book is a master work by a scholar of the first order. Mr Abimbola has complete command of his subject. In reading many work on the Ifa corpus this book is far and away the best. Do not cheat yourself out of the experience.

Many people are unaware of the magic of the Orishas. The
Europeansthat first encounterd this form of divination called it witch craft and mislabeled the greatness of it. In A dogmatic christainsoceity of today it seems more and more people are going back to pagan roots. Yoruba is a very old relgion in Africa, and possibly it does have connections to that of ancient kemetaka Egypt. I myself being a white person so enchanted by the nature of African spirtuality probally cannot turly understand the Orisha or how deep it goes for a person of African ancestry.
I do not practice this form of whorship,but I love the concepts of the relgion. The book is the Vedas,Bible,Ouran, Bhavagad Gita to those individuals that are dedicated to the divination of Ifa.
If you want to see the wisdom of an ancient people and relgion shine through please pick up this book.

I heard him read some of his poems tonight and they are absolutely amazing!! I bought the book and absolutely love it!!

this is the most gorgeous book i've ever seen, and it's a date book so it's completely versatile. it's the perfect size to put in your bag and bring with you. there's also a description of each of the 4 minor solstices with a poem or legend about it. each page is filled with beautiful poetry written in caligraphy paired with artwork. it's the best book i've ever seen, and since it isn't year specific (there aren't days of the week along with the dates) you can buy a new one every year and use it all over again!!!

I never thought that I would fine a book like this! It was absolutely amazing because it was written so well. It helped me a great deal in finding out about Celtic traditions, folklore, and many other things! If you are at all interested in Celtic folklore and would like a book that's easy to read and understand, this is the book for you! I promise, you won't be disappointed! Happy reading!

WYBIWYG what you believe is what you get; somehow this idea developed in my mind after studying intensely the Illustrated Dictionary of Mythology by Philip Wilkinson; fortunately my mind was flexible to the concepts of mythic images by virtue of my hero, Joseph Campbell, and by being a penpal with his co-author of Mythic Images, MJ Abadie; however i [small ego] was still a little unprepared to the individual diversity of who the idol was [is?] and exactly what they did or what the meaning of their image is in the current people holding those ancestral images; and these people may still reside in their ancestral homeland where the 'comfort' of sharing these common, though personalized, meanings with living elders, who may have spun the mythic web with childhood bedtime stories; and CERTAINLY unprepared for the INTENSE desire to defend ANY intellectual assault on the images or simply on the rebuff of NOT including that native people in a forum DEFINED to focus on a specific other native people ??? so in this milieu, i appreciated the simplicity and even generality of Wilkinson's definitions; stay flexible cultural anthropologists! LOL

If you enjoy reading myths and want to know more about the characters, god, animals, symbolism and cultures in which the myths are based, don't miss this excellent work.

Not only is the book filled with beautiful art, ancient relics and descriptions of all the characters you could ever wish to read about....you will know be able to look up your favorites in the wonderful index for quick reference.

The sections are divided into Western Asia, Ancient Egypt, India, China and Japan, The Classical World, Northern and Eastern Europe, The Americas, Africa, Australasia and Oceania.

If you are reading say, The Odyssey, you can look up "Poseidon, God of the Sea." You will find a description and picture.

A book that belongs in every Myth lovers collection.

You might also enjoy:

Myths and Legends by Neil Philip which has a magnificent picture of seductive sirens trying to lure Odysseus from his boat.
A First Book of Myths by Mary Hoffman for young readers
Signs & Symbols by Miranda Bruce-Mitford

~The Rebecca Review

WYBIWYG what you believe is what you get; somehow this idea developed in my mind after studying intensely the Illustrated Dictionary of Mythology by Philip Wilkinson; fortunately my mind was flexible to the concepts of mythic images by virtue of my hero, Joseph Campbell, and by being a penpal with his co-author of Mythic Images, MJ Abadie; however i [small ego] was still a little unprepared to the individual diversity of who the idol was [is?] and exactly what they did or what the meaning of their image is in the current people holding those ancestral images; and these people may still reside in their ancestral homeland where the 'comfort' of sharing these common, though personalized, meanings with living elders, who may have spun the mythic web with childhood bedtime stories; and CERTAINLY unprepared for the INTENSE desire to defend ANY intellectual assault on the images or simply on the rebuff of NOT including that native people in a forum DEFINED to focus on a specific other native people ??? so in this milieu, i appreciated the simplicity and even generality of Wilkinson's definitions; stay flexible cultural anthropologists! LOL

Wow. This is a book which I picked up pretty much on spec. The description on the back sounded intriguing and it was on sale. And then it sat on my bookshelf for a long time waiting to be read. And now that I have finished I am somewhat dazed, uncertain as to what exactly I have just read. But I have given this story five stars, why? Because it is so rare for a book to leave me thinking - what was that really about, what was I supposed to take from this story, I understand some of what the author was trying to convey but part of me thinks I missed something very important.

In the shape of the boar is essentially a story in two parts. The first a poetic retelling of the greek myth of the hunting of Kaldyon boar heavily footnoted and referenced to original sources, the second half being the tale of the a middle aged Jewish author in the seventies, observing an old friend turn his poem covering the hunting of said boar into a movie. As the author interacts with his childhood friend who has lived many years in America he remembers his youth in Romania, his fleeing the Nazi's overland to Greece, his time with a partisan unit and then his participation in the hunt of a senior Nazi officer which forms the basis of his poem. Or does it? Did the events that he describe really happen, or as another childhood friend would accuse years later, was the officer just a minor official who died elsewhere.

In the end I take this book to be a meditation on the urge to survive, the need for heroic myths in time of upheavals and the banality of evil in the lack of a true monster. If you are looking for something challenging and very intelligent I would recommend "In the shape of a Boar"

This book kept me transfixed from the moment I picked it up. The first section's epic poem lays the framework for figuring out the rest of the story, which is riveting.

I can't wait for Norfolk's next one.

This is a Very Serious Work, one that cannot be read (or summarized) quickly without doing it an injustice. A newly created, "classical" epic for the first hundred pages, it has larger than life heroes from Greek mythology fighting great, ancient battles in which the survival of a culture is at stake. King Meleager of Kalydon, the lone huntress Atalanta, her dog Aura, and her cousin Meilanion are, with sixty other hunters, trying to conquer a ferocious boar unleashed upon the country by the angry goddess Artemis. As the other hunters fall prey to jealousies, duplicities, and betrayals, these three alone face the final battle, the outcome of which is never clear.

The rest of the book tells parallel stories from three 20th century time frames, involving modern characters whose lives involve similar battles with "the boar" and what it represents. Solomon Memel, Ruth Lackner, and Jakob Feuerstein are teenage friends in Romania in 1938, when the Russians and, soon afterward, the Nazis, occupy the country, create ghettos, and bring the Holocaust. In 1952, Solomon publishes a poem, "Die Keilerjagd," in which he describes his World War II experiences with partisans in Greece, paralleling the boar hunt of the ancient heroes, as they chase a Nazi field commander through the same mountains in the war's waning days. Some years later, when Sol is 49 and a heroic icon to schoolchildren, Ruth, a successful theater figure, decides to make a film of his poem and experiences, and the accuracy of his poem and memory are challenged publicly. Sol's battles to fill the gaps in his memory and to recall uncertain events represent yet another battle with the boar.

Time is flexible here, filtered through the consciousness of Sol, as memories from all three time periods crowd his life in no particular order, and he recollects one event after another, perhaps imperfectly. Norfolk does not always dot all the I's and cross all the T's as Sol tells his story, requiring the reader to bring his/her own consciousness to the interpretation of events, and, like Sol, to keep an open mind to alternative interpretations. His concern with myths, both ancient and modern, how they are created, what they reveal about human needs, how they reflect reality, and why they are perpetuated give tremendous impact and broad scope to his several stories. The hypnotic, musical cadences and the elaborate, minutely detailed descriptions lend a weightiness appropriate to an epic. The action is intense, the themes are universal, and the scope of the author's vision seems almost limitless. This is a slow, but ultimately rewarding, reading experience, sometimes requiring the reader to fight his/her own battle with the boar. Mary Whipple

This mammoth volume (over 570 pages) truly is the Indians' own book. Natalie Curtis served as collector, editor, and arranger. The elegant and eloquent simplicity of the tales give testimony that these are the Native American's own words. Not only that, but since it was first published in 1905, these are the memories of chiefs, elders, and holy men that still remembered the old days and the old ways. Plus, the marvelous illustrations were all done by tribe members (except for the photographs) and really contribute to the overall magic of the whole. The songs are all authentic and are given in both English and the original tribal languages (with pronunciation guides.)

While not a comprehensive reference of all the tribes it does give a good range of peoples from the eastern coast, northern woodlands, plains, southwest, and pacific coast. The tribes included are: Wabanaki, Dakota, Pawnee, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Winnebago, Kwakiutl, Pima, Apache, Mohave-Apache, Yuma, Navaho, Zuni, San Juan, Acoma, Laguna, and Hopi.

This book is a great monument to all the peoples and their respective ways of life. It is proof that the social engineers and bureaucrats did not kill the spirit and culture of the rightful inhabitants of this land. As long as such a book exists the way back to the old, centered way of living can be tracked.

This is a moving book. Even Theodore Roosevelt was moved by the "depth and dignity" of Indian thought.

This is a monumental work of history. Thanks to the efforts of Natalie Curtis and other recorders in the early twentieth century, there are many songs and stories of American Indians which have not been lost. The 149 songs recorded (in their original language and in translation), the myths and legends, and the interviews are from tribes all over the United States. These groups include the Wabanaki, Dakota, Pawnee, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Winnebago, Kwakiutl, Pima, Apache, Mojave-Apache, Yuma, Navajo, Zuñi, San Juan, Acoma, Laguna, and Hopi. This is a reference book to be treasured.

Curtis begins this book with, "The Indians are the authors of this volume. ...... The work of the recorder (Curtis) has been but the collecting, edititng, and arranging of the Indians' contributions." The Indians' Book is a collection of "Authentic Native American Legends, Lore and Music".

At the turn of the century, this book was instrumental in a change of attitude towards Native Amaricans. Through it, we see the "depth and dignity or Indian thoughts" (Theodore Roosevelt) from a time when Indians were commonly viewed as little more than animals.

But I don't want to make this sound like a political statement. No, don't missunderstand, this book focuses on the legends and the music. Curtis has transcribed enough songs that you could almost call it a Fake Book of Indian Songs. I've already used many of the songs in this book as inspiration for some of my own compositions.

The Inner Side of the Wind, or the Novel of Hero and Leande

Ever wondered if your life was connected to someone's? Ever thought that it depends NOT only on you?
U can start reading the book from 2 sides. It doesn't matter, as where is the end of the book, there is a beginning. The heroes of the book meet right in the middle of it.

The Inner Side of the Wind, or the Novel of Hero and Leande

Dundes' writing is always interesting to read. He has such wide ranging interests, and his scholarship is thorough and fascinating. This book is a collection of articles that show how he interprets folklore in relation to psychoanalytic theory and by piecing together ways in which folklore is part of a society's worldview. The article on the number "3" in American culture is especially interesting as he charts out ways in which unconscious patterns about numerical sequences greatly influence everyday activities. I also enjoyed his article on thinking ahead. He demonstrates how so many aspects of American culture provide templates for imagining that we are living for a brighter and rosier future. The book also shows how his main interest focuses on psychoanalytical interpretations of folklore and culture. These are always intriguing reading although some interpretations are stronger than others. The great part about this book is that Dundes provides all kinds of ways to look at folklore to show how we can think about everyday aspects of experience to learn intriguing things about ourselves.

I'm a UC Berkeley student who has recently taken prof. Dundes' folklore class...this book is part of the reading list (hehe, well, if you're going to teach, might as well use your own book, right?). You'll enjoy "interpreting folklore" for it's interesting stories and witty writing...Dundes really knows what he's talking about and has always been very clear about getting his point across, even in his lectures...his books, then, are even more succinct and concise. Buy this book and support the work of a down to earth, awesome professor/folklorist who is passionate and dedicated to this topic. ...plus, be entertained and educated at the same time! Great deal!

Not only is he one of the finest folklore scholars in the world, but Alan Dundes is also a witty thinker and a very fine writer. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in folklore studies. Dundes offers a collection of articles that deal with the history of folklore studies, conceptions about the scope and method of study, analysis of folklore within American culture, and an array of psychoanalytical interpretations of folklore and popular culture. Read this book to find out why the number three shows up ubiquitously in ritual, sayings, rhymes, and countless cultural patterns in America. Find out why stories and jokes project anxieties about a range of troublesome concerns. Look at this book to see how the game of football relates to something other than macho expression. Above all, check out this book to see how a creative and innovative thinker solves puzzles that he sees in seemingly mundane forms of cultural expression. You'll never look at the NFL in the same way again!

These recorded lectures are fantastic. If you ever had a great professor in college who taught fascinating classes, then you have an idea what these lectures are like. They will turn you on again to learning and remind you of what college was like at its finest.

The material covered is excellent, a great perspective on Eastern religion and mythology. But what will make it stand out the most is the stories Campbell recounts. They are wonderful. Highly recommended. Rush hour in your car was never this informative and fun - put these in your CD player!

I listened to this series of CD's on my way back from a road trip recently. The poor recording quality of the first cd made me worry that they would all be bad, but whatever the problem was, they seemed to have fixed it for the following lectures because the others sound just fine.

Each cd contains one talk in a series of lectures that Campbell gave on comparative mythology between Eastern and Western traditions. He discusses the nature of myth, its characteristics, domain, uses, and meaning, among many other things. He distinguishes between the emphasis of eastern and western mythology and how they reinforce religious understanding in their respective cultures.

Campbell talks about eastern religion and mythology as supporting the idea that all individuals have the capacity and inherent characteristics of God, or the Divine Consciousness. In eastern religions, everyone has the ability to reach Buddha-hood, or Christ-hood, or God-consciousness. Whereas western religion and mythology externalizes the Divine, and access to its qualities relies upon belonging to a social group that is in relation to that God.

He also talks about the inward journey to the Divine, and how different cultures place different emphasis on this journey. He also draws parallels between experience of the Divine, schitzophrenia, and acid trips. He explains how these are similar and how they differ in great detail and insight.

Campbell uses a number of references and anecdotal stories to illustrate his very thoughtful, profound, and far reaching ideas. His wit, intelligence, and sincerity really comes through in this series. I will come back to these talks to use as inspiration and reference for my own philosophical and anthropological work; there is a wealth of inspiration and insight contained in Joseph Campbell's work, and these lectures are no exception.

And Joseph Campbell spent a lifetime showing our similitaries with each other not our diffenences.

Steve Blamires provides a wonderful well research and theoretically sound book on Irish Celtic magick. Unlike other pagan authors who based their research on second hand translations or other non-myth books, Blamires goes directly to the source and uses direct translations from the Irish Text Society. He connects the tradition directly to the myths. This book is a must for anyone interested in Celtic Magick.

One hopes this book will be reprinted. In it, the author takes the old Irish classic The First Battle of Moytura as the model for his exposition of magical workings. My reservations about it are these: Blamires' style of magic is really patterned on the Hermetic model, and his path workings I find completely unnecessary. One doesn't need path workings to visit the four cities. One needs rather to learn astral projection to find out what they are like. As for the Hermetic model, it is perfectly good, if not old Irish. Considering the corrosion to which the Druid traditions were subjected over the centuries however, one really cannot expect much better than this. One thing that is certain is that Blamires' methods work and do give a beautiful basis for exploring and working with the still potent Irish deities. Blamires' other book Glamoury, based on some of the Duanaire Finn, is similar to this. It brings the reader into another dimention of the magical possibilities of working with the Irish deities. They are quite remarkable.

I first read this book 9 years ago and undertook the journeies within the texts with great determination, mystery and enthusiasm. This book though read many times since still hold the same magic for me thatit did that first time. The journey to sovereinty - that of the All Mother - is truley the most beautiful and emotional journey I have ever had - each time it is taken it is no less magnificent. Much like the book - Steven Blamires has put forth an exceptional work of the Celtic Pagans and their basis of belief. this book is an absolute MUST HAVE for any student of that tradition. No magical library is complete without it!

It All Adds Up, a collection of essays, written with Saul Bellow's great human insight, literary qualities and dry wit. Of course for everybody whom have read Herzog, Humboldt's Gift, The Adventures of Augie March and Henderson the Rain King should just run and get hold of a copy of this book, but honestly: anyone enjoying quality literature and are curious on life, art, politics and about how one of America's greatest authors share of his reflections and anecdotes, will probably enjoy this book. The only collection of essays I can think of, that come near this, is Hermann Hesse's My Belief. It is just such a pleasure to know, that in addition to Bellow's novels, there exist a book like It All Adds Up.

Saul Bellow has limitless intellect,although he would deny he is an intellectual. To him,intellectuals get bogged down in the cul de sac of ideologies;attempting to sort out societies problems and the meaning of life via philosophies infected by the mood of the times;philosohies that ignore mans endless desires of individualism,curiosity and the need to be free.Ideologies that just add further to the mess. Bellow looks for what is human through art and literature,which is a refuge for our soul. All of this beams through Bellows essays.He transcends mere intellectualism and operates on a higher plain.He has no desire to 'do the good thing' or appear 'liberal' if it means having to lie to achieve it.His clash with Gunter Grass-who unbeknown to Bellow and the World at the time had a rather nasty skeleton in his closet-comes to mind. Grass in his politics and self righteous ranting is given the moral high ground by using deception-by doing the right thing;appearing liberal.But as people like Richard Wright found of the 'liberal' North,the attitude was all hot air.The blacks were no more accepted there than the South.They were 'accepted' as long as they stuck to the black belt areas.That truth would have destroyed many a liberal;many a do gooder,as it was a reality they knew of but hid from view.Bellow lives in this area of revelation.
His recollections of Roosevelt,the war,Yom Kippur,Paris....all wonderful. This is a wonderful insight into the greatest mind of the 20th century.

Everything that Bellow writes has vitality. His fictional works are energized by ideas. His faith in literature and his devotion to his craft are unquestioning and are much evidenced in these essays. So are his great learning and committment to the world and life of the mind. I have always had trouble however understanding where Bellow 's overall view of the world really centers. My guess it is in the devotion to the writing life and not in any formal system of philosophical or religious thought, though I know he has been in some way connected with Rudolf Steiner's thought. In any case there is a richness of mind at work much insight in this work.