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An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, & Other Supernatural Creatures Paperback – August 12, 1978

by Katharine Briggs (Author)

32 customer reviews

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A complete guide to fairy lore from the Middle Ages to the present. Both an anthology of fairy tales and a reference work with essays about the fairy economy, food, sports, powers and more.

An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, & Other Supernatural Creatures

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Perhaps she should have called it "Everything You Wanted to Know about Fairies, but Were Afraid to Ask." This book covers every type of "little people" from abbey lubbers to Young Tam Lin. Not just the tiny, translucent winged pixies of popular art, but brownies, goblins and bogies, even larger creatures like dragons and mermaids. Exhaustive in its coverage, while still entertaining.

Review

"If myths are both the food and fruit of the imagination, then Katharine Briggs has prepared a banquet.... There seems to be no end to the information in this enchanted almanac."

-- New York Times Book Review

"Oberon would have revelled in this convocation of his subjects."

-- Peter Opie

"An Encyclopedia offers a supernatural host of legends, ballads, folk tales -- and more than enough hobgoblins and dragons to fill minds little or large. The entries are informative and scholarly without being stuffy. A good thing, too. Fairies like to play tricks on the serious." -- Time Magazine

"What Briggs has done is to recover fairies from the nursery (and to a degree from formal literature and painting as well) and restore to them their diversity, complexity, and astonishingly subtle relationship with mortal men and women.... These stories are designed to awaken consciousness." -- Peter S. Prescott

Newsweek

"An Encyclopedia of Fairies is a work that is at once beguiling and trustworthy .... A valuable reference book and a most readable one." -- Richard M. Dorson

"Dr. Briggs brings to her subject both a formidable background in folk scholarship and a lively pen. This absorbing, sensitive, and well-written book will be a valuable single-volume reference work in the study of folklore, mythology, and literature. Even for the general reader-browser, it is a treasure as sprightly and appealing as the fairies themselves." -- Southern Folklore Quarterly

"Katharine Briggs is the magic mirror on the wall. Ask her what you will, but have a care of this wonderful book. Dip into it for two minutes and you'll be gone for an hour. No hour could be better spent." -- Richard Adams

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Product details

Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Pantheon Books; First US Edition edition (August 12, 1978)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 039473467X
ISBN-13: 978-0394734675
Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 6 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #654,517 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #127 in Books > Children's Books > Education & Reference > Reference > Encyclopedias
- #203 in Books > Reference > Encyclopedias & Subject Guides > Children's
- #262 in Books > Reference > Encyclopedias & Subject Guides > Mythology & Folklore

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4.8 out of 5 stars

5 star		88%
4 star		9%
3 star		3%
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Top Customer Reviews

An Odyssey to Find, but the Absolute Best!

ByBeckyon September 22, 2013

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I was reading The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (which uses elements of the Water-Horse legend, which can be found in this book) and in the author's note, she recommends this book. She's my personal hero, so I go to purchase this at the bookstore. Then on that bookstore's website. Then on a different one. NOPE. Apparently, this has been out of print since the 70s.

That's why you should jump on this right now. It's the absolute best. I also bought all the other Katharine Briggs' works I could find on Amazon (Folktales of England, The Vanishing People, etc.), and those are great, but they really tell the tale itself, like a story (which is fun to read, and you should buy those, too). This gives you another angle: here, she recounts the lore, but she also includes entries about prominent figures in the study of folklore, as well as essays on things like "Captives in Fairyland" and "Time in Fairyland." Basically, she allows you to understand folklore as an organic entity, really, giving you all the background information to have it really develop into a world.

It's just the best. I can't even explain it. Gah, I'm literally bouncing up and down with how excited I am to have this.

Seriously, Katharine Briggs is the be all and end all of folklore, and this is like her magnum opus...you need this. You just do.

22 comments 17 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

A good academic-style reference on the Fae

Bycoi00koo0eeon May 25, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

A good academic-style reference on the Fae. The contents range from different creatures such as Pixies or Selkies, items of significance in fairy lore (four-leaf clovers allowing a person to see faeries, iron and bells repelling them, ext...), and important terminology and locations. Most of the encyclopedia describes specific figures from fairy tales like Morgan La Fay. Many entries have examples of folk stories in addition to a description. There are a few entries that include art of the creature, but not many.
There is an entire subsections under the entree ‘Fairy’ that include their food and clothing, morals, economy, work and trades, and even funerals.

The encyclopedia focuses on faeries of England and the surrounding area. Sometimes I would find entries that include descriptions of German or French variations of the English fairy, but the book doesn't go outside of western Europe.

This encyclopedia was exactly what I was looking for: a reference guide. The entrees were simple and straightforward, providing satisfying descriptions.

0Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

A Must Have

ByKaton March 6, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book is a must have for ones library if you are of an open mind ;) a seeker of mysteries and esoterica and generally walk off the beaten path. Now out of print, this book can be found second hand from reputable dealers here on Amazon. Purchased some time back and extremely happy with the knowledge it imparts. So grateful for Ms. Briggs' gift to the world.

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

But it is a great resource and a book that I will keep using ...

ByOmegaon March 7, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Very thorough. My only complaint is that I wish there was an index that I could look up creatures by type. (ex. dogs, sea creatures) or country of origin. But it is a great resource and a book that I will keep using as a resource. In fact with all of the types of creatures it is one of the best reference books i have found on the subject.

0Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

This book is a fascinating and fun read- the authoritative source on many hobgoblins and bogies.

ByG. C. Fosteron August 15, 2012

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I originally found this book in a local library and, due to my interest in folklore, I loved it. It isn't actually an encyclopedia, per se, because the name encyclopedia implies that you would look things up in it- this book, however, you are skimming and finding fascinating things to do further research on. For instance, a banshee, (bean sith) is a well known folk tale creature, however this book delves into the origin of the myths and the various beliefs about it. This book is an invaluable tool to have for any folklore specialist interested even remotely in Ireland and the surrounding area.

0Comment 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

... folklore of fairies that will serve me as a great reference for my studies as a fairyologist

ByMelva V Sparkmanon June 13, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This is a very informative book on the history and folklore of fairies that will serve me as a great reference for my studies as a fairyologist.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Ultimate Faerie Reference

ByAnastasia Storeron March 29, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The only thing I wish about this book is that someone would digitize it to make it easier to take with me everywhere. If you only get one book on Faerie, this is the one to get.

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

A must have reference of Folk Lore!

ByKindle Customeron July 10, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

A wonderful reference. With a brave title. After reading it, it becomes clear that a safer name would have been An Encyclopedia of Good Folk. :)
If you are researching folk lore, this is a must have.