Customer Reviews

The Encyclopedia of Mythology: Classical, Celtic, Norse

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This handsomely bound work is sure to be
invaluable to anyone interested in European
mythologies. Written by Arthur Cotterell, a
well-respected scholar of mythologies and
ancient civilizations, the degree of detail
is remarkably complete. Entries vary from a
few sentences to over a page, depending upon
the subject. In addition, special feature
spreads provide more detailed examination of
specific mythological themes.

The reference is also a work of beauty. Every
page is copiously illustrated and the heavy-
stock paper is well suited to high-quality
color reproductions. The magnificent artwork,
almost entirely by well-known and respected
artists, is thoroughly cited.

Best of all, this wealth of information is
easily accessible. A thorough index refers
readers to all pages in which a subject name
appears, with main entry pages designated by
bold-face type. The entries themselves offer
effective, yet non-obtrusive, references to
related entries or themes.

This reference is highly recommended for
anyone interested in Classical, Celtic, or
Norse mythologies. Undoubtedly helpful to
scholars, it should also prove fascinating to
casual readers and to all who appreciate fine art.

This is mostly a picture book. It is in dictionary form, with three dictionaries, one each for Classical, Celtic, and Norse myths. Many of the illustrations are lavish and excellent, including oil paintings, museum pieces, and story-book illistrations circa 1900. Other illustrations (about a third) are meritless; evidently drawn to fill up space in the book.

The text covers major entries that could be found in any dictionary of mythology, but falls severely short on minor characters and places. It is also missing several obvious entries: for example 'dwarf' and 'giant' and 'troll' are missing from the Norse dictionary.

The Norse dictionary includes a smattering of characters from Baltic and Finnish (Kallevalla) mythology but it is even more incomplete than the Scandenavian entries.

This is the most amazing reference book I have ever seen. The book itself is a work of art, not mentioning the BEAUTIFUL illustrations and descriptions of the gods, goddesses, heros, legends, monsters, giants, ect. inside! I recomend this book to anyone who is interested in a good book to cuddle with, learn from, or just read in general! This is such a interesting way to learn, and the artwork is magnificent. I, myself, am making a mozaic dedicated to this book. I love it so much. If you just leafed through it you would be caught by it too.

The Encyclopedia of Mythology, by Arthur Cotterell, is a gorgeous, hardcover book filled with illustrations and text covering Classical, Norse and Celt mythology. Each section opens with full-color, glossy images that outline what you'll be able to find in each section. Every page is just as beautifully illustrated.

The encyclopedia provides a great deal of information on not just the familiar gods and goddesses, but also more obscure ones. It is a terrific educational tool for children and adults. It is also a great book for coffee table discussion.

Writers and artists will also find the encyclopedia to be a wonderful tool for striking the flame beneath the imagination. Most of the artwork to be found within its pages are by artists well-known for their fantasy images. My favorite artist in the book is Alan Lee, whose beautiful paintings are highly regarded by those who enjoy the sword and sorcery, AND the Tolkien realms.

The Encyclopedia of Mythology is a must have for any mythology buff.

This encyclopedia is a great book for people who are interested in mythology. It is a great resource book for me. I use it a lot for information in some of my classes that deal with mythology. I would definatley recommend this book to anyone interested in learning some wonderful stories of the Classical, Norse, and Celtic mythology! And there's a great bonus, the pictures are encredible!