Customer Reviews

A Dictionary of World Mythology (Oxford Paperback Reference)

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This book is your typical reference book. It tells you the name of the God or Goddess and gives you a very brief explanation and moves on. Plus, some of the entries were incorrect. In the East Asian section there's a story called 'Fujiyama' that covers the rise of Mount Fuji but it mixes two different Japanese myths that can be found in 'Myths and Legends of Japan'. I was very disapointed. You'd think it would be more in depth and correct with Oxford backing it. Oh well. I would skip this one and go for books that deal with a single country or region because they cover more and are more concise. When you try to put all the mythology of the world into one small book its like trying to squish an elephant into a clown car. It just won't work out. But you don't have to take my word for it. Get it and judge for yourself. Its not healthy to be a mindless sheep and do what a perfect stranger tells you to.

This is a useful and readable dictionary especially for young students. It surveys myths of the whole world , of course not completely but most of important deities are included except Allah, Iesus Khristos and YHWH. However many Japanese people are not probably contented with the scantiness of Japanese entries ,and some of these articles are doubtful or uncertain about their sources--- e.g. In the item of FUJIYAMA there is a famous story of KAGUYAHIME maybe based on a classical Japanese literature "Taketori-monogatari", but the story narrated here is very different from the original texts , so I wonder on which version the author took the authority and from what folktale Mr.Cotterell cited this story , I would like to know. I hope that the editor of dictionary should indicate titles & chapter of sources or reference texts at the end of each item.