Mythology Books

Ripsnorting Whoppers is a great book to read!It's really funny & enjoyable.I got to eat lunch with Mr.Sowash last year at my school.He has a good way of putting things,and he is really funny.I think everybody should get a chance to meet him.He also has another good book out that you should read called Ohio hero's.They are both Great books & once you read them you will be temted to put in a revew!

Rick Sowash is a very intelligent and unique individual and I am glad that he takes interest in the history and the famous people that have come from Lebanon. He taught my whole school about the book for right to read week and it was very exciting.

Enjoyed this book. The stories are appropriate for people of all ages. Definately recommend this book.

O'Hogain has done it again, by providing another invaluable resource for those interested in learning more about Celtic and Irish pre-christian religion. Very well-researched and written, this book will take you on a journey back in time, which you'll never forget! Don't miss his other works either.

Excellent! Very blunt, well put, and provides the information in a way that is no nonsense, straight way. Loved it.

This is a definitive work on the subject. The author surpasses credible to the level of genuine expert. I feel safe in trusting his research and speculations. Being a scholarly work, the book isn't for the faint of heart (it can be thick reading at times), but if your into Celtic studies, the history of Ireland, the history of the Druids, then this book is a must and should be read and referred to again and again. The author uses a wonderful blend of archaeology, literature, and mythology not only of Ireland, but also from a vast range of sources. He ties in accounts of the Continental Celts, the Indo-Europeans, the Greek and Roman sources, and even accounts from India (Vedic, rig Veda, etc). The author gives us a complete picture that is supported by a myriad of sources and language associations. The only thing that I felt could have enhanced the book would be an index. Very great work, well worth the money.

This book is a catastrophe in my opinion. It seems the author, John Matthews, who is an excellent scholar in Celtic matters, has decided to paraphrase a bit of what Robert Kirk wrote in his original secret commonwealth of elves, leprochauns, and fairies, while adding a bunch of stuff which he avers he received ""from the Sidhe themselves" in some sort of channeling? Trance? He doesn't really say.

Frankly, being a fan of the original work by Robert Kirk, which he maligns in his pseudo-paraphrased-fictionalized work, John Matthews has besmirched a work of incalculable value. After suggesting in a fictional part of the book that Robert Kirk's manuscript has been largely corrupted by later scholars, he goes on to write of Robert Kirk's experiences which bear very little resemblance to the original account. I wish I had never bought it.

There's lots of sketches throughout the book.
The print font is pretty neat in that they used one that looks like handwriting.

Comprehension level is about medium because alot of it is expressed in the tongue of 1600's time period. Sometimes it reads a bit awkward because of the expressions being written in a reversed type manner of thought.

This is written in first person of Kirk's ventures in faerieland and eventual move to there. It's presented as a true account and still today is discussed in the region of it's origin as a factual report of his experiences and/or disappearance.

It's filled with faerie fluff and magic of the faerieland. His descriptions are really visual and sure not to disappoint a believer.

This book would be a fine edition to any fae fancier's collection.
;)

excellent little book. i visit and live close to alot of old stone circles and spend alot of time in what some would calm contemplation.
a little after reading the book in 2005 i happened to be on the north face of scheahallion around the summer solstice. where to my puzzlement there appeared to be rock formations that looked like giant plough marks.
immedietly the the thought crossed my mind, where in the journal the sithe or "kee" as the informant was known mention that signs of their agriculture can still be seen on the high hills.
had the privilege of visiting the faery mound at aberfoyle and had a peek at the good revrends apparent grave, the house that he stayed in is just beautiful.
yet there are plenty of mounds around scotland and the earth for that matter. i would suggest reading it in conjuction with, the lemurian scrolls, srimad bagavatam and dream yoga of chogyal namkhai norbu

This is a must read for all believers in the lands of Fae, Elves, Mermaids etcetera. Being written by a Reverand of Old in Scotland, it's truly a find for this era. It's the Reverand Kirk's actual Journal of all he experienced by falling into Faeryland! It's contents clearly describe much of what one could hope to find in the Land of Fae, if they had the chance. Reading it made me feel like I was there. It made me feel so good inside to know what it was like there. Every page made me more excited to read on about a land which has unfortunately seemed to have disappeared in this age from the minds of most. It is beautifully put together as well. You won't be disappointed. I recently saw it at Barnes & Noble 1/16/07, in the bargain book section for $7. Good Luck.

Very good book. Kind of book you'll read over and over - very valuable lessons. Delivery was good.

Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior This was a book recommended by my counselor. I was very skeptical since I am a Christian and this was definitely not a Biblical book. I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED! Trungpa does not try to convert you to Buddha or anything like that. This book is a joy to read. Easy to put into practice. Best of all, the results are more than worth whatever you pay for it! I can relax now, I could not before I read this book. I can fall asleep at night! Get this book, you will thank yourself!

Recognized as the eleventh reincarnation of Trungpa Tulku and abbot of Surmang, Chogyam Trungpa (Mukpo) came to the United States after escaping from Communist-occupied Tibet to India in exile, and living in the UK and Canada. Although Trungpa Rinpoche's writings have spanned broad topics in buddhist studies and secular meditation, "Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior," perhaps more than any other, represents his efforts in bringing basic sanity to the western masses. Based on the inherently simple premise that "in order to establish an enlightened society for others, we need to discover what inherently we have to offer the world," he introduces Shambhala as the result of our examination of our own experience: "there is something basically good about our existence as human beings" (29). The book is not religious in any sense; there is no effort to prosyletize and no overtly religious overtones. Although the student of buddhism will see similarities, Trungpa Rinpoche regularly reminds us that warriorship is not limited to any particular culture, time period, or belief system. Warriorship is the basic birthright of all humans and is particularly accessible in both the secular and the sacred worlds.
This book was moving for me and an excellent example of a true Tibetan teacher's legacy for the western world. I recommend it to anyone who seeks a return to basic sanity.

A shlemazel is someone with no luck, but in this story, a lazy shlemazel finds luck in the strangest way---by digging for it, and instead of finding any, getting paid for his enterprise.

He wants luck, though, not zlotys, and next he turns to the mill to seek his luck, all the while digging with a magic spoon given to him by a neighbor.

As this story goes to show, work, and luck are both what one makes of them, and even a lazy shlemazel can find both.

A wonderful read for little kids, and grown ups alike.

Bright, colorful, animated illustrations enhance this delightfully entertaining story of Shlemazel who is so convinced that he is the most unlucky person in the world that he is afraid to get off his front porch. But when Moshke convinces him that he has the amazing, remarkable spoon of Pohost, Shlemazel learns the pleasure of a good day's work, finds a wife, performs a mitzvah, and discovers that he doesn't need luck to be happy. In an author's note, Stampler explains that as with her previous picture book, Something for Nothing, this story comes form her grandmother, a native of Pohost. The glossary also explains Yiddish terms like tsimmes, mensch, poretz and zlotys. A wonderful edition to folklore collections, the story will be enjoyed by both younger and older readers.

Delightful! A well-constructed folktale that proves the power of motivation and hard work, a value that the author learned from her immigrant grandmother who first told her this story.
Shlemazel (literally "unlucky") has no prospects. The gift of a "lucky" spoon convinces him that he can dig up his luck. He never finds what he is looking for, but his efforts cause him to inadvertently plow a field, help the miller, and find a wife. "Is that not luck?" cries the neighbor who provided the spoon. "That is work, not luck," replies Shlemazel, who admits that he now has all he needs to be happy - without any luck! The bright illustrations boast a flattened perspective and the blocky boldness of folk paintings. They exactly depict what is described in the text, but add another level of life and detail to the story too. The Jewish content may not be obvious to young readers. However, along with a smattering of Yiddish (defined in the glossary at the back), the story teaches Jewish values. The lucid Author's Note explains that in the course of the story, Shlemazel develops a work ethic, begins to celebrate the Sabbath, and finds a good wife, becoming a "self-respecting and worthy individual through actions that bind him to his community and his heritage." An excellent choice for Jewish folklore and storybook collections. Ages 5-10. Reviewed by Heidi Estrin

This book is a wonderful addition to the library of any Tantrik practitioners. Yeshe Tsogyel was an incarnation of the Goddess Sarasvati, and this book documents her life and adventures. I found it a little tough to get into the language at first, but then I was hooked!

Keith Dowman has had the extraordinary good fortune of learning (and learning well) from very skilled teachers, among the best really, including Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and Dudjom Rinpoche. The reader of Dowman's translation benefits much from the depth of his learning and engagement with the material.

And what material! What a joy it is to read psychotropic hagiography, the revelation of many gifted hands. (This text is a terma, or what Gurdjieff might call a 'legominism.' Interested?) In short: first order reading of first order importance for men and women engaged in the Tantric Buddhist path, and those interested therein.

A weakness: I found some of Dowman's exclamations on gender in the commentary a bit undercooked. Just to listen in, I would love to share a pot of coffee with him and Judith Simmer-Brown (have you read her book Dakini's Warm Breath yet? Good stuff, mate!). At least Dowman's honest and well-intentioned.

Thinley Norbu Rinpoche's forward is perhaps as indelible as any other aspect of this text; the interested reader may wish to explore his volume Magic Dance, regarding the manifestation of the dakini.

Finally: Tarthang Tulku's translation of this biography, entitled Mother of Knowledge, is very much worth the reader's time and attention.

Homage to the dakinis!

yeshe tsogyal. apology accepted if you don't know of her. she is the consumate female yogi, and the events of her life-story, with its sweet and bitter struggles as a stunning village-beauty offerred in marriage to the king of tibet, to her tantric initiation and education and subsequent practice (under the guidance of her consort padmasambhava, the mystic yogi credited with bringing tantra to tibet), all serve to exemplify the triumph over ignorance and suffering. this book is heavy at times (she went through some tuff stuff) but you will be a better woman for reading it (males and females alike!)

I read this book because of my interest in keeping venomous snakes. I had a bad case of complacency which this book cured real quick, Although I still hope to work with and keep venomous snakes someday.Anybody considering handling "hot" herps needs to read this book. I was also impressed by the chapter on gila monsters that was included in this book. Good job Doctor.

Russell has obviously drawn upon his extensive personal and technical knowlege and experience in the compilation of the most comprehensive investigation and explanation of snake venom poisoning available in the current literature set. This book does not cater to the esoteric niches so often found in critical and viable research documents nor is it filled with contrite anecdotes to humor the 4th grade intellect normally reserved for this subject matter, but rather addresses both technical and layman questions with direct and thoughtful insight and explains at both levels the immense complexity and the profoundly simple beauty that is snakes and snake venoms. This book is a must for emergency room MDs, EMTs, amateur herpetologists, and anyone interested in the pharmacology of snake venoms.

Doctor Findlay Russell is widely acknowledged as one of the world's leading authorities on snakes and the pharmacology of snake venoms. This text serves as powerful collaborating evidence of the validity of that reputation.

Snake Venom Poisoning is a well-rounded examination of the many facets of serpent life, including natural history, environmental considerations, serum toxicology, clinical indications,legal concerns and even common misconceptions and mythology. The book is definitely written with the clinician in mind, but anyone with a strong interest or moderate grounding in the subject matter will find the work easy to navigate through and profoundly interesting.

Numerous case studies are presented, alongwith some rather disturbing photographs of the physical results of envenomations. The chapters on pharmacology and the chemical composition of venom are extremely technical, but still contain sufficient general information to be of value to anyone, including the layperson.

Snake Venom Poisoning is not light reading. However, to the serious student of toxicology or to those whose vocation or avocation places them in proximity to these fascinating but potentially deadly creatures, this volume is an invaluable asset.

A precious little children's story about two kids who care for birds, especially an injured swan, while their dad is away for the winter fishing. The supernatural "Snow Country Prince" is very grateful to them for their compassionate deeds; perhaps he's responsible for bringing Papa - who also becomes injured - back home safe and sound. This little book teaches the rewards of compassion and caring for others in need.

Renowned illustrator Brian Wildsmith's familiar hues, his beautiful creatures drawn against vivid impressionistic landscapes, is wonderfully showcased in this lovely little book.

"The Snow Country Prince" relates the story of a young boy and his sister in a fishing village in the snow country who care for an injured swan through the harsh winter, while their very ill father is being treated at a distant hospital. Through caring for the swan, the children awaken their compassionate spirit as well as a strong hope for their father's recovery. As the swan regains its strength, the children record its progress in drawings for their mother to take to their father in the hospital as encouragement.

"The Snow Country Prince" relates the story of a young boy and his sister in a fishing village in the snow country who care for an injured swan through the harsh winter, while their very ill father is being treated at a distant hospital.

Through caring for the swan, the children awaken their compassionate spirit as well as a strong hope for their father's recovery. As the swan regains its strength, the children record its progress in drawings for their mother to take to their father in the hospital as encouragement.

_SOMA: Divine Mushroom of Immortality_, No. 1 in the Ethno-mycological Studies series, by maverick investment banker turned ethnomycologist R. Gordon Wasson is a fascinating account of the role played by the fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) in the religious development of the Indo-European (Aryan) peoples. Wasson, who wrote extensively on the role of hallucinogenic mushrooms, developed a fascination with the mushroom when he and his wife Valentina Pavlovna, a Russian pediatrician, came upon some wild mushrooms and noticed their entirely different response to the mushrooms. Wasson who was of Western European ancestry was a natural mycophobe; however, his wife, a Russian, picked the mushrooms and later used them in her food. Together Wasson and Valentina Pavlovna wrote a book detailing their experiences with the mushroom called _Mushrooms, Russia & History_. Wasson also was to undergo a hallucinatory experience with a shaman in Mexico leading to his writing about the role of the hallucinogenic mushroom in Mesoamerica.

This book principally discusses the role of the hallucinogenic mushroom in the writings of the earliest Indo-Europeans (Aryans), in the Rg Veda (as Soma) and the Zend Avesta (of the Zoroastrians, as Haoma). This book also discusses the role of the fly agaric in Europe, Eurasia, and Siberia among the shamans there. The book is divided into three parts, "Soma: The Divine Mushroom of Immortality" which outlines the role of the fly agaric as Soma in primitive Indo-European religion, "The Post-Vedic History of the Soma Plant" written by Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty which explains various theories concerning the origins of soma in the Rg Veda, and "Northern Eurasia and the Fly-Agaric" which explains the role of the fly agaric among shamans in Siberia as well as in Northern Europe. The book concludes with a series of exhibits from various writings concerning both the fly agaric in Siberia, the linguistic aspects of the fly agaric, and the theory that the fly agaric was the source of the beserk rage of the Scandinavian warriors.

The first section of the book discusses the role of the fly agaric as "soma" in the Rg Veda, the earliest Aryan writings. The author traces the evidence and attempts to show that indeed the soma mentioned in the Rg Veda that was later mysteriously lost was the fly agaric (Amanita muscaria). The author shows evidence in the form of "roots, leaves, blossoms, and seeds of soma", all referring to aspects of the divine mushroom. The author also discusses the role of the fly agaric as the "haoma" mentioned in the Zend Avesta of Zoroaster. In addition, the author mentions the two forms of soma, the first as the mushroom consumed and the second as the urine of an individual who has eaten the mushroom, retaining the hallucinogenic properties of the mushroom. The author also discusses the role of the hallucinogenic mushroom among the Manichaeans and various other early heretical sects. In particular, he notes the Christian revulsion for the mushroom eaters, as can be seen in the writings of Saint Augustine who originally was involved in Manichaeanism. The author also discusses the role of the hallucinogenic mushroom among the Chinese, where it became known as the "divine mushroom of immortality" among the Taoists. This section contains many beautiful pictures illustrating the mushroom in folklore and tradition as well as pictures of the fly agaric itself in its natural environment.

The second section of the book written by Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty relates the various theories which have been proposed to explain the origin of soma. Among others the author discusses theories that linked soma to alcohol and to bhang (marijuana) in ancient Persia. The author relates the development of these theories among Europeans as they sought to understand primitive Indo-European origins in the Nineteenth Century.

The third section of the book discusses the mushroom in Siberia among the shamans, but also the mushroom in Europe. The author notes the practice of the shamans of drinking the urine of an individual who had consumed the hallucinogenic mushroom. He also argues contrary to the beliefs of the comparativist Mircea Eliade that drug use among shamans does not represent a form of decadence and degeneration. Among the Europeans, the author notes the mycophobic tendencies of Western Europeans, arguing that they refer to the mushroom as the "toadstool" and look upon it with disgust. The frog and the snake are also seen as symbols associated with the mushroom and have traditionally been viewed as evil creatures. In contrast, Victorians came to see the toad as a benign creature. The author argues that the mushroom played no role in the development of the Celtic peoples and among the Germans. He also suggests that contrary to a thesis advanced by certain others that the beserk rage of the Scandinavian warriors was not linked to the fly agaric. In addition, while presenting a picture of an early Christian fresco depicting a "mushroom tree" in the Garden of Eden, the author argues that this is not the hallucinogenic mushroom and that the early Christians were not a mushroom cult. There is little reason to think that the Tree of Knowledge represented the hallucinogenic mushroom.

The book concludes with various exhibits from the writings of different individuals referencing the Siberian use of the mushroom. The author also exhibits writings showing the controversy surrounding the alleged use of the mushroom among Scandinavian warriors. Interestingly, during the Second World War, it was rumored that certain Russian soldiers partook of the mushroom in order to provoke battle lust amongst them.

This book provides a fascinating account of the "divine mushroom of immortality". It is an important contribution to our understanding of primitive religion and the role that hallucinogenic substances play in the development of that belief.

"Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality" has been selected for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy." http://www.csp.org/chrestomathy

This is the now classic attempt to identify the mysterious god / plant / substance of the Sanskrit Vedas as the fly agaric mushroom, a fungus known to have mood-altering hallucinogenic properties when properly prepared and consumed. Wasson argues that the cryptic descriptions of the Soma can be explained by the shape and colors of the mushroom, while its effects explain its association with divine powers, and its use in the sacrificial rituals to contact the gods. The conclusion has been widely accepted, and bitterly disputed, with a number of opponents returning, armed with new information, to earlier proposals.

The earlier views are the subject of a substantial section of this thick volume, a survey of the nineteenth and twentieth century literature by Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty, who is now writing as Wendy Doniger. In later writings, Doniger has supported more strongly Wasson's conclusion that Soma was originally a fungus, although admitting to some uncertainty as to which fungus, and to whether the sacred species might have shifted with time and availability. This survey is in itself a useful reference, and Doniger's translations of the some of the Rig-Veda Soma Hymns in her selection from "The Rig-Veda" for the Penguin Classics is a helpful companion as well.

(For the full set of such hymns, I know of only one English version, R.T.H. Griffith's aging complete translation of the Rig Veda -- second edition 1896 -- which, among other problems, accepted Max Mueller's identification of Soma with the Ephedra plant. The theory would make more sense if the species Mueller named was in fact the pharmacologically active Ma Huang variety, instead of just a relative.)

The whole issue is confused by difficulty of disentangling references to Soma as a ritual substance used in offerings to the Devas (the gods), as a substance the control of which was disputed by the Devas and their rivals the Asuras (roughly Titans, relatives and, mostly, enemies of the gods), and as a god itself, sometimes identical with the Moon. As such it forms a parallel to Agni, the fire-god, which is sometimes the actual sacrificial fire, sometimes an abstraction of it, and sometimes a deity with its own myths and cult.

Anyone interested in the subject of "entheogens" (a term coined after the appearance of Wasson's study, and in part as a response to it) should definitely read this book carefully, not least because it is so frequently quoted, quoted out of context, misquoted, and misrepresented -- and I am only talking about those who claim to agree with it.

So far as I am aware, there is still room for a major study, by someone other than an declared opponent of Wasson's thesis, of how closely the older Iranian material on "Haoma" (the expected, and documented, equivalent of the Sanskrit name) does or does not parallel the Vedic texts. It is possible, at least in theory, that more than one plant served the function, and received the name, in the period of Indo-Iranian linguistic unity. (The on-line "Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies" offered a series of articles on aspects of the problem in 2002-2003, which are available in pdf format; some fairly technical, but with up-to-date bibliograpy.)

I would add that while I sympathize with Wasson's endorsement of orthodox Hindu hostility toward alcohol, which already appears in the Vedic texts, it seems quite clear that fermented drinks also filled the ideological role of Soma in other Indo-European cultures. For example, a serious modern comparison of the Indra's theft or recovery of Soma from the Asuras, with the aid of, or in the shape of, an eagle, to Odin's theft of the Mead of Poetry from the Giants, in the form of an eagle, is greatly to be desired. Especially if it is undertaken by a scholar with a full command of the diverse versions of the myth in Indian literature, and an open approach to modern theories of mythic narrative.

John Matthews has done a great service by bringing the old welsh pagan tales to print. The stories teach the old religion and celtic folkways through the eyes of a fictional christian monk. I really enjoyed the book though I did find a few mistakes here and there...no big deal. Try reading the Mabingion along with this book. Or reading Evangeline Walton's fine series based on the Mabingion as well...Great stuff!

John Matthews is a poet and a scholar. In this translation, Mr. Matthews successfully invokes the spirit of the bard, taking these ancient Welsh tales and turning them into a readable, intelligable and excellent writing. The Song of Taliesin is so skillfully done, I recommend it to beginners, middlers and experts alike. Seek this book out if you have any interest in Celtic myth or culture.

This is a book I have bee waiting for for a long time. Both John and Caitlin Mathhews' more (overtly) scholarly books have hinted at the possibility of more primitive, more whole versions of the Celtic stories that we have - and here John fascinatingly reconstructs them. My favorite is 'The Battle of the Trees', which takes hints from the medieval poem 'Cad Goddeu' and fleshes them out into a prose narrative, creating in effect a 'Fifth Branch of the Mabinogi'. The character of Gwydion is as wily as ever. The excitement of reading these stories, as a Celticist in training, was not only in their elegant and evocative narratives, but in seeing where fragments had been stiched together seamlessly. I'm not sure that the Irish stories worked as well as the British/Welsh ones, but the marriage of scholarship and vision is astonishing, from the story born from the poem 'Preiddeu Annwn' 'The Journey to Deganwy' to the wonderful version of the story of Branwen.
Highly recommended to those who are familiar with Celtic literature and those who are just discovering it.