Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia: Volume 1 & 2 [Hardcover]

Christian Roy (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up–This compact set contains alphabetically arranged entries on more than 150 festivals celebrated in various parts of the world. The major feasts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are described in detail, as are many other important celebrations. Lesser-known festivals include the Ainu Bear Festival of Japan and the Òsun Festival of Yoruba, as well as those celebrated in the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, and Mesopotamia and by the Aztec and the Maya. A number of the longer articles are accompanied by black-and-white photographs, and every article concludes with a brief bibliography. There is considerable cross-referencing, and the index lists holidays that do not have a separate entry. Appendixes provide tables of dates for the major Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Chinese holidays, and a comparative table showing festivals by cultural area and time of year. The articles are scholarly but would be accessible to advanced students. This valuable set covers many obscure holidays that are rarely included in other reference works.–Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

More than 150 traditional festivals from around the world are described at length by historian Roy. The festivals include the major feasts of all world religions and religious groups: Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Voodoo, Bahaism, Islam, ancient Greek and Roman, Native American, and several African tribes. Roy goes beyond the basic facts and descriptions to "provide insight into the festival patterns." As a result, the articles are detailed, and many are several pages in length. The coverage for India and Africa includes only the best-known and -documented festivals because of their sheer number.

Articles cover specific festivals (Divali, Sabbath, Saturnalia) and are arranged alphabetically, with see also references as well as references listing books and a few audiovisual and digital sources. Festival names within the text appear in bold type whether they are entry headings or not, which is contrary to the usual practice of using bold type to point to other articles and may be confusing. Black-and-white illustrations are strewn throughout both volumes. Appendixes chart the main Hindu, Muslim, and Jewish festivals and holidays; the movable feasts of the Western Church; Gregorian dates of Orthodox Easter; and Chinese Lunar New Year's dates. In addition, there are a comparative table of all festivals arranged by season and a full list of festivals within each cultural area.

The more expansive Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World (Omnigraphics, 2005) offers quick facts but less detail on many of the same festivals. Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals (Routledge, 2004) is similar in content and scope to Traditional Festivals. Since the Routledge encyclopedia is organized by theme (Divination, Judaism, naming rituals), it makes a good complement to Roy's compendium, which is recommended for academic libraries with a focus on religious studies, theology, or world religious culture. Public and school libraries may find Traditional Festivals less useful because, aside from the appendixes, it is not designed for locating quick factual data. Sue Polanka
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 548 pages
• Publisher: ABC-CLIO (June 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576070891
• ISBN-13: 978-1576070895
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,540,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.