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Vainglorious gods and irresistible seductresses. Beastly beasts and brutal warriors. Stories centuries in the making, and centuries worth of stories, are explained in this fascinating guide to mythology!
Mythology forms our understanding of our origin, history, and traditions. They tell of our heroes and deities. Myths are vehicles for understanding religion, learning language, and understanding society, but they can often be difficult to understand and confusing. From a world of gods and goddesses to classic heroes and epic journeys to beastly monsters and irresistible seductresses, The Handy Mythology Answer Book answers nearly 600 questions and offers fun facts about the treachery and violence, the inspirational and epic, the supernatural monsters and heroic mortals found in mythology, including …
A glossary of commonly used terms and an appendix of parallel mythology exploring universal themes, motifs, and archetypes from across various cultures further explains the world of mythology. With many photos, illustrations, and other graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.
"… helpful guide … substantial information … very accessible to the student or general reader. … Highly recommended …"— Booklist
"Starred Review. … likable and helpful work is recommended for public and high school library collections … suited for circulating collections to be enjoyed by mythology fans." — Library Journal
"Starred Review. This guide to mythology is everything the title promises and more. ... an ideal starting point for reports as well as an entertaining and informative read for interested students." — School Library Journal
"... interprets myth as a means of accounting for natural occurrences and human cares." — Choice
"... this is well-written, authoritative, and engaging, making it an excellent resource for middle school and high school teachers or students that love to study mythology." — Children's Literature
"... a valuable work for larger school and public library collections and as desk references for humanities and world history teachers." — VOYA magazine
"David Leeming presents a comprehensive picture of world mythology ... offers conciseness and clarity that high school students and adults can appreciate." — Christian Library Journal
David Leeming, Ph.D. received his B.A. in English from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in comparative literature from New York University. He spent eight years teaching at Robert College in Istanbul and twenty-six years at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, where he is an emeritus professor of English and comparative literature. He has traveled widely, studying mythological traditions around the world. His books include a biography of James Baldwin and many books on mythology, including most recently Myth: A Biography of Belief (Oxford 2002), Jealous Gods and Chosen People: The Mythology of the Middle East (Oxford 2004), The Oxford Companion to World Mythology (Oxford 2005), Creation Myths of the World (ABC-CLIO 2010), Medusa: In the Mirror of Time (Reaktion 2013), and a revised edition of The World of Myth (Oxford, 2014). He is also editor in chief of The Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion (3rd edition, Springer, 2014). He resides in Rhinebeck, New York.