World Mythology (Henry Holt Reference Book) [Paperback]

Roy Willis Ph.D. (Author), Robert Walter (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0805049134 | ISBN-13: 978-0805049138 | Publication Date: October 15, 1996

A New York Public Library Outstanding Reference Book

Filled with more than 500 color photographs, charts, maps, and line drawings, this is an incomparable guide to the world's most important mythological traditions.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The study of mythology does not suffer from a dearth of fine, scholarly reference books, but until now the general reader lacked a good, illustrated collection of the most important myths. In this fascinating and authoritative encyclopedia, scholarly contributors use more than 500 color photographs, maps, and artifacts to describe the myths of Egypt, the Middle East, India, China, Tibet, Mongolia, Japan, Greece, Rome, the Celtic lands, Northern and Eastern Europe, the Arctic, North and South America, Mesoamerica, Africa, Australia, Oceania, and Southeast Asia. An insightful foreword by Robert Walter of the Joseph Campbell Foundation adds further credibility to this oversized, colorful book. Recommended for the general reader and as an introduction for the student and scholar in any library.
- Gary P. Gillum, Brigham Young Univ., Provo, Ut.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A comprehensive and comparative survey of the myths of nineteen cultural regions. "-American Libraries

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks (October 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805049134
• ISBN-13: 978-0805049138
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #602,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mythology in a nutshell, January 4, 2003

By 

Joseph F. Ragusa (Bronx N.Y.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: World Mythology (Henry Holt Reference Book) (Paperback)

With each chapter written by an expert, plus beautiful illustrations, this is a great anthology for those seeking a bird's eye view of the World's myths and legends. It is also fun to read and is not dense to the point that it cannot be read from cover to cover. I took off a star because there was nothing on Finnish mythology. Also, the mythology of Persia was just one page long, which I felt was too little.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I lusted for this book!, May 17, 2000

By 

C. Seawell (hammond, la United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: World Mythology (Henry Holt Reference Book) (Paperback)

I was doing a paper on Greek Mythology and found this book in the Reference section of our library. There was so much great infomation in it that I had the librarian xerox half of it! The layout includes vivid pictures of ancient artifacts and art work on just about every page. The book also has sidebars and "boxes" of information that are helpful--kind of like the impulse buy section at the check-out! As the title says--it shares myths and religious practices from all over the world; each country is broken down into logical topics. I really enjoyed this book and had to own it! It's ideal for anyone taking a Humanities, Literature or Anthropology course! I know I will use it again in the future!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN EGREGIOUS COMPHENDIUM!, June 15, 2006

By 

Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: World Mythology (Henry Holt Reference Book) (Paperback)

The great myths of the world gather significance since the fundamentals events of the human life: birth, death, conflict, loss reconciliation, the cycle of the stations. They talk us about the own life in an understandable tune, but filled of a fascinating mystery.

This text is an extensive compendium, well documented of the main mythological traditions, in which the interest of the narrations blend with the required information for its total comprehension.

Roy Willis is investigator of Social Anthropology in Edinburgh's University, author of Man and beast(1975) about the animal symbolism in the beliefs of the African nations.

Robert Walter, is Director of Joseph Campbell's Foundation, entity without profit purposes destined to preserve, protect and perpetuate the work of Joseph Campbell(1904-1987) one of the most eminent and zealous studious of our age.

An essential reference text!