Mythology (Eyewitness Books) [Hardcover]

Neil Philip (Author, Compiler)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Discover the captivating stories told by different cultures to explain the mysteries of our world.

Here is an intriguing and captivating introduction to the culturally diverse world of mythology. Stunning photographs of masks, jewelry and sculptures offer a unique "eyewitness" view of mythology and its gods, heroes and monsters. See the world in a sealskin, Quetzalcoatl's spectacular headdress, Native American love dolls, a fire-breathing dragon, African trickster Eshu, the one-eyed Cyclops and golden Garuda, an animal idol. Learn about the supernatural powers of the gods, the mystical powers of shamans, the purpose of the Native American Sun Dance, the story behind the stunning medicine beaver mask and why Romulus and Remus were reared by a wolf. Discover who swallowed the Sun god Ra, the secrets of the towering totem pole, the sacred art of sandpainting, how many animals make a Chimera, who had snakes for hair and the magical powers of Thor's hammer, and much, much more!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4 Up-Covering creation, the cosmos, the sun and moon, supreme beings, floods, the natural world, fertility and birth, ancestor worship, forces of evil, divine weapons, war, spirits, love and happiness, tricksters, idols, mythical beasts, death, and the end of the world, this book leaves few stones unturned. Collected from museums worldwide, lavish photos of figurines, paintings, mosaics, masks, textiles, and other treasures display a veritable gallery of culture within these pages. Philip points out similarities of world myths and provides quite a bit of introductory information, though the sound-bite presentation that makes this series so popular cannot go into the detail that the subject deserves. There is no sense that any of the practices, such as shamanism, still exist, and the overall tone of the book is rather patriarchal. Report writers may glean a few facts, but will have to look further for more information or for the actual stories mentioned. The wealth of illustration far outweighs the literary value, but as a browsing tool, this is bound to be used.
Angela J. Reynolds, West Slope Community Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

...a mini museum between the covers of a book. [Eyewitness series] -- The New York Times

These books' striking visual impact will draw in even the most casual readers. [Eyewitness series] -- School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789462885
• ISBN-13: 978-0789462886
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,659,172 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully illustrated, broad focus, not very in-depth, August 5, 2011

By 

Dienne (Cicero, IL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Eyewitness Mythology (DK Eyewitness Books) (Hardcover)

This beautifully illustrated book is a good introduction to mythology for younger kids (perhaps elementary age), which will hopefully whet their appetite for more in-depth study of specific mythological beliefs of different cultures.

This book defines mythology as "a collection of stories that help people make sense of the world". "Myth" is not used in the sense of something that's not true, but in the sense of stories transmitted within a culture. Hence, every culture throughout time, including our own, has had "mythology". The book makes little if any attempt to distinguish "religion" from "mythology". Hence, elements from modern religions including Christianity/Judaism, Islam and Hinduism, are included along with ancient mythology such as Norse and Roman. True believers of any religion may be offended by such inclusion, but it makes sense if you refer back to the definition above.

Rather than provide an in-depth coverage of various mythologies of specific cultures (e.g., Norse, Greek, Roman, Chinese, etc.), this book looks for common themes that cut across various mythological systems. After the introduction, for instance, the book discusses creation, the cosmos, the sun and moon, the making of humankind and supreme beings. Later sections cover specific kinds of gods, including trickster gods, gods of war and gods of love. The final sections cover beliefs about death and dying and about the end of the universe or the end of life as we know it.

Personally, I don't prefer this type of organization. I'd much rather read in-depth accounts of each mythological system individually. That provides a greater understanding of the general relation of all the elements of each mythology and provide a better understanding of the worldview engendered by such mythology (as well as the physical and cultural existence of the people who believe(d) such mythology, since culture and religion/mythology mutually interact and influence each other).

But on the other hand, this organization works for this book which is, after all, only a broad survey introduction. Furthermore, it has the advantage of showing that religious/mythological beliefs of different cultures living in different times and places share more similarities than differences, which, in turn, shows that humans themselves share more similarities than difference, regardless of time, place or culture.

As mentioned, the full-color illustrations are excellent and provide the main draw of the book. Many show artifacts such as amulets and sculptures representing mythological figures, while others show artists' renderings of stories from various mythological systems. These pictures provide a rich visual feast which can be studied far longer than it takes to actually read the book and, in fact, tell us more than the written words can.

Recommended for any library, including home collections.

0 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, March 30, 2010

By 

Joseph Adams "brother" (Superior, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mythology (Eyewitness Books (Trade)) (Hardcover)

This is one of the best books in the series. The word myth means legend. The myths here are not of Christian origin. You can take all the myths you want and you won't get any better than the King James Bible. Everything is explained in the Holy Bible. God created Adam & Eve, who had Cain & Abel. The Christian God created this world Earth in 6 days. Noah's Arc gave rise to all living creatures in the world wide flood. Dragons gaurded their treasure and featured in many myths, though still exist it's not an every day thing. Also covered are the cyclops and witch. Still a worthwhile read and exceptional in the series as a whole. I'd recommend it.