Mythology and Folklore Books

This is a super book by Jeff Klinkenberg. Any Floridian or anyone who loves Florida should read this book....as well as the others he has written.

Visitors to Florida will find some little-known hidey holes to explore in this book. Suburban Floridians can dream of the state's hidden wonders that Klinkenberg writes about -- and maybe be inspired to see them. Subtly hidden among the pages of stories, readers will learn the language of authentic Florida -- a "mess" of anything is just the right amount. Some of the people and places in the stories are lumpy, bumpy, and flawed. But they're all real.

Being from the Mt. Pleasant/Charleston area myself, I can vouch that this as a great collection of Black Charleston folklore. I know some of the areas that are spoken of in this tales. Essentially, Bennett, a sympathetic white Ohioan, collected these tales from African-Americans in Charleston in the early 1900s, but since this was the dark days of segregation and he chose not to patronize the tellers of these tales and treated them with dignity, he and these stories were scorned by White Charleston's establishment until he published this book in 1943.

Even without this basic history, these are wonderfully entertaining stories of ghosts, lost loves, and divine revenge that will be a hit at your next halloween party or your (older) children at bedtime. Read, learn, and enjoy.

Like Edgar Allan Poe, Henry Grady? Don't miss this much under-appreciated masterpiece by the man who started the Charleston Renaissance. Stories culled from the oral tradition of the Low Country's important Gullah culture, this book is an exhilarating alternative to the infinitely heavy and guilt-ridden tomes of Toni Morrison (Bennett was also from Ohio) for any serious student of Afro-American and Southern history. It includes original sketches of landscapes and portraits of black corroborators which firmly ground the stories in local history and folk culture. But this is not just a book for regionalists! One can't help but be impressed with Bennett's phenomenal interest, dedication, and erudition even if he was a bit self absorbed. The new edition, published by the University of South Carolina, is introduced with a lucid piece by Professor and Librarian Thomas L. Johnson.

This book brought back so many childhood memories! I loved how Mr. Greenleaf kept the old Irish charm with the modern revision. Great Job! My nieces and nephews couldn't get enough of the stories and kept asking me to read them again. I also really like the artwork of Mr. Quigley. I definately look forward to any future works of Mr. Greenleaf. A definate MUST HAVE!!!!

Joseph greenleaf has updated this set of classical fairy stories without losing any of the flavor of the original. The illustrations are wonderful, the stories fun to hear or to read. My next suggestion to Mr. Greenleaf is that he produce a CD so that travelers can enjoy these wonderful tales while on the road.

This is a very nice and simple book. Most of my students are Chinese and they love reading this book in English and Chinese. I am using the book in a unit about fables and proverbs. The book has beautiful illustrations and the writing in English is done in an entertaining way. I suspect it is written well in Chinese too, because I see my students reading it and sharing it with their friends.

Written and illustrated by Yong-Sheng Xuan, "The Dragon Lover And Other Chinese Proverbs" is one of those beautifully imaged books that will strongly appeal to adults and children of all ages. Each saying is drawn from Chinese culture and has a story using animals to illuminate human nature. There's a lazy farmer who hopes his food will come to him without effort on his part; a Sheriff who claims to only love dragons as a why of masking his fear; and other proverbial lore showcasing human nature. Wonderfully colored paper-cut illustrations are perfectly matched to the story texts which are printed in both English and Chinese. The painstakingly detailed artwork and the delightfully entertaining stories combine to present an enthusiastically recommended addition to any personal, family, school, or community Mythology/Folklore picturebook collection.

From the beginnings of the Modern Infestation, Pamela Blanpied delivers a wide variety of information on the scientific facts currently known about dragons. Rather than relying on anecdotes or whimsy, she backs up her work with numerous surveys, studies, and up-to-date biological information. This book is the comprehensive guide to current dragon research. It may be a bit dry if technical information isn't your bag, but Blanpied's writing style is engaging, and small details will leap out and surprise you with wit and humour. Of particular interest are the photographs, of course, and the excerpts of the interview with Vlad. I long for an updated edition, with more recent results of the long-term studies mentioned in this work - the population tracking, feeding habits, and especially the budding interest in the percussive language. Highly reccommended for all serious students of dragons.

This entire book is a straightfaced "report" on the lives of dragons and their (re)discovery by humans.

The report contains everything from data to sketches to excerpts from letters among the renowned researchers, and the aerial photos are not to be missed.

If you are a scientist or studying science you must read this book.

Or better yet, give it as a gift but don't tell the person what it is.

Russell Young's Dragonsong requires good reading skills but provides an involving story of a young dragon who must find a gift that will last a thousand years. A search for the prize leads to prosperity for the entire village.

Once every thousand years the four Imperial dragons choose one dragon to be "Keeper of the Mountain". Now, little Chiang-An, being the youngest dragon, must find a gift that will last a thousand years to win the honor of the title. Ching-An searches around the world for the prize, coming into contact with dragons from the West. Each shares his wisdom and gives Chiang-An a meaningful gift. When he finally heads home, he transforms all he has discovered into the gift that will provide prosperity for his beloved village. Dragonsong unfolds a fascinating, original, enthusiastically recommended and memorable picturebook story that is superbly illustrated in full color by Taiwanese artist Civi Cheng.

I loved that Art that goes with this book. Mystical and subtle, they really take you to an other world altered state!
Margot is a professional artist , not a book illustrator, so her paintings do not fall into the trap of overexplaining the author. I believe she did them independently of the author.

This book is about animals that come to us in dreams. Hillman encourages us not to turn them into "dream symbols" because in so doing we lose the animal. Instead we should recognize it as real, as choosing to come to us from the great unconscious. He suggests that we honor the animal for being present by asking it why it appeared in the dream. "What is the animal offering you by coming into your life in the dream?" Through exploration of this idea, Hillman feels we can regain our kinship with animals. He offers the exciting idea that animals are trying to communicate with us in order to stop their exploitation and extinction. The ideas offered in this book are of interest to anyone who appreciates and respects life in this time when many species are driven to the brink of survival. The artwork is hauntingly beautiful.

Herman Pleij created a really thorough study of Cockaigne in an amazing resource for any researchers dealing in utopia, middle ages or folk literature. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. All the best to all of you.

Written by a professional lecturer of Dutch historical literature, Herman Pleij's Dreaming Of Cockaigne: Medieval Fantasies Of The Perfect Life is a meticulously researched and superbly presented history of the medieval fantasy paradise of Cockaigne, a dream world noticeably more accessible than the more exclusive heavenly afterlife. Ably translated into English by Diane Webb, this compendium of actual stories and artwork provide rich reference for the legend of Cockaigne; black and white illustrations add depth to Dreaming Of Cockaigne's extensive historical account of the myths people held. Numerous appendixes, a bibliography, and an index round out this scholarly, comprehensive, and strongly recommended study.

"Dumb-bell of Brookfield" is classic John Taintor Foote writing. Anyone who enjoyed his book "A Wedding Gift" will want to own "Dumb-bell." Those who aren't familiar with Foote's writing but who are into great dog stories, and not only stories about hunting dogs, will also want to buy this book. It is realy special.

As a child my mom read Trub's diary from this book to us. EXCELLENT, been seaching for this book for a while. That story was a really whitty dog's eye view of the world. Don't know about the other stories.

This entertaining and insightful book brings home truth and experience to all who read it. As children read these stories their imaginations takes off to the untamed land of Africa. Deep in the jungle where they have traveled many jewels are uncovered. The children lock them deep in their hearts and journey back to their homes. They come back with wisdom that can not be bought for any price but can only appear after an experience of one's soul.

The wisdom that comes from this book will help children navigate through this difficult land we call America. The course has been set by many. They need to have all the skills in hand to make it a sucessful journey through drugs, sex, violence, and many more obstacles the culture has put in front of our precious children.

As parents and leaders we must take every opportunity available to help our children through life. I believe that Dr. Kituku's insightful stories can help us achieve this goal.

Remember, that it takes a village to raise a child!

Dr. Kituku has created a work of deep understanding for adults and children. The lessons he illustrates are enjoyable on their surface and deep in their meaning. Whether it is the wit of the hare, the wisdom within "The old man and the boy," or the lessons on humility, greed and laziness, the learning is both traditional and current. This is a work to be read aloud, to your children and to yourself. As Dr. Kituku learned his lessons from the elders of his family in Africa, our children can learn from us, and us from them. Buy it, read it, read it again and share it with the children.