Mythologies of the World: A Concise Encyclopedia

216 pp. From the flyleaf: "This is the first desk-top, single-volume reference work ever to identify and describe the myths, gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, good and evil spirits, and important places of all world cultures. It includes nearly 2,000 entries on the myths of China, Japan, India, Egypt, Sumeria, Babylonia, Assyria, the Slavs, Persia, the lands of the Bible, Scandinavia, Iceland, the Celts, North, Central, and South America, Africa, and Polynesia. Here one can see the universal themes that all myths share, for each culture had creation stories and cosmological myths which explained natural disasters and death and inspired belief in rebirth, natural phenomena and ideas were personified--a Great Mother presided over creation and procreation, and an afterworld was fashioned for the dead. To account for the development of technology in ancient times, superhuman heroes performed great feats, and goddesses introduced new skills. Many myths also shared the dualistic principle of good and evil. This book also reveals the distinct qualities of each culture as expressed in its mythology. The Greeks gave beauty and refinement to their dieities, the Romans were practical people and fond of personification, the Scandinavians admired courage and bravery above all, Slavs were concerned with agrarian life and survivial, Chinese myuthology is largely cheerful and optimistic. Mythologies of the World is the key to the riches of the cultures of the globe. Alphabetically arranged and fully cross-referenced for convenience, it is clear, compact, and fun to read. An invaluable reference tool for students and home libraries, a bon to crossword puzzle lovers, and a treasury for those interested in folklore, literature , religion and culture. Rhoda A, Hendricks, comiled the material for hte Cadillac Encyclopedia. Formerly a teacher of Latin and Greek at Westover School, Middlebury, Connecticut..." I like this especially because every entry is followed by a pronunciation. I also like J. E. Cirlot' "Dictionary of Symbols" which I find very useful in dream interpretation.