The Great Mystery: Myths of Native America [Hardcover]

Neil Philip (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2001

This authoritative guide to Native American myth and legend explores the powerful themes and dramatic stories that explain the great mysteries of life, death, how the world was created, and how it will end. A description of the nature of Native American myths, examining the common themes found in the rich mythology of the First Nations, is followed by chapters on main culture groups that include numerous excerpts from the myths themselves, many of them humorous. Folklorist Neil Philip has created an enthralling and multilayered book, handsomely illustrated with photographs printed in duotone, that will be treasured by anyone intrigued by Native American culture or mythology.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-This exhaustively researched book explores the similarities and differences among the tales told by various Native American cultural groups about the creation of the world, life, and death. Following an introductory chapter that describes the importance of lore and myths to our understanding of a cultural group, the text is organized by region. Within each area, the relationships among the tales of specific groups are discussed as well as the basic themes present in the stories of other peoples outside this area. Surprisingly, considering Philip's other work, the dry text reads more like a research report than an engaging narrative. Some of the retellings incorporated into it as illustrative examples reflect the work of an excellent storyteller while others lack this spark. Numerous sepia-toned archival photographs that loosely relate to the material discussed are found throughout the book. Their substantial captions contain a great deal of additional, explanatory material along with information on the source of the photograph, photographer, and date. The extensive bibliography is organized by geographical area. While not a title for students interested in leisure reading, it is a worthy book that will support research on Native American folklore.

Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York City

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 8-12. Philip, who wrote A Braid of Lives: Native American Childhood (2000), here examines the themes and stories in Native American mythology. The book is divided into eight chapters, each examining the common themes and stories told by tribes in a single region. Because of this structure, there is not always uniform coverage of topics among regions. Each section contains stories of creation, but then topics diverge to relate trickster tales, stories of the buffalo hunt, the ritual of pipe smoking, and other tales that provide the spiritual foundation for the activities of daily life. The rather complex lacework of stories and their variants, coupled with the names of numerous gods and mortals mentioned in the text, makes this best suited for sophisticated readers who have some familiarity with the myths but want a bigger picture of Native American spirituality. Well-captioned photographs by Edward S. Curtis and other late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century photographers illustrate the text, which includes both an index and a lengthy bibliography. Randy Meyer
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (September 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039598405X
• ISBN-13: 978-0395984055
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,375,926 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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