Books
The Myths We Live By
Mary Midgley argues in her powerful new book that far from being the opposite of science, myth is a central part of it. In brilliant prose, she claims that myths are neither lies nor mere stories but... (more)
The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons
This dictionary covers over 1800 of the most important deities and demons from around the world. From classical Greek and Roman mythology to the gods of Eastern Europe and Mesopotamia, from Nordic... (more)
Thinking Through Myths: Philosophical Perspectives
Myths, it is often said, are more than false stories: they disclose alternative worlds. Yet from the perspective of most modern philosophy, the belief in mythic worlds is still seen as primitive and... (more)
Patterns in Comparative Religion
In this era of increased knowledge the essence of religious phenomena eludes the psychologists, sociologists, linguists, and other specialists because they do not study it as religious. According to... (more)
Beautiful Angiola: Great Treasury of Sicilian Folk and Fairy Tales
In one of the most startling literary discoveries of recent years, Jack Zipes has uncovered this neglected treasure trove of Sicilian folk and fairy tales. Like the Grimm brothers before her, Laura... (more)
Ancient Pagan Symbols
This book covers some of the origins of a few of the symbols we use in our Pagan religions. Descriptions include the elements, tree of life, sun, moon and wheels and other images we use for... (more)
Shamans/Neo-Shamans: Ecstasies, Alternative Archaeologies and Contemporary Pagans
Shamans and shamanisms are in vogue at present. In popular culture, such diverse characters as occultist Aleister Crowley, Doors musician Jim Morrison and performance artist Joseph Beuys have been... (more)
The Fairy Tale: Magic Mirror of the Imagination
It includes a general history of the form, analysis of exemplary texts, chronology of significant events, works, and figures from the genre's history, notes and references, and an extensive... (more)
An Instinct for Dragons
From J.R.R. Tolkien's treasure-hoarding Smaug to the bright red beasts of the Chinese New Year's celebration, this magnificent, fire-breathing creature is ingrained in our culture. But where did the... (more)
Greek Mysteries: Archaeology and Ritual of Ancient Greek Secret Cults
Mystery cults represent the spiritual attempts of the ancient Greeks to deal with their mortality. As these cults had to do with the individual's inner self, privacy was paramount and was secured by... (more)
The Myth and Ritual School
The enduring importance of his book The Golden Bough keeps J.G. Frazer's name prominent on the list of the most significant figures in modern religious studies. But by no means was Fraser the sole... (more)
1000 Symbols
Symbols are often identified as an international language and, to some extent, they are. But that language is far from universal. Different symbols can mean radically different things in different... (more)
British Folk-Tales and Legends
In 1970 Katharine Briggs published in four volumes the vast and authoritative Dictionary of British Folktales and Legends to wide acclaim. This sampler comprises the very best of those tales and... (more)
Complete Fairy Tales
The tale of 'Cinderella' is told wherever stories are still read aloud and everyone is familiar with 'Rapunzel' and 'The Golden Goose', but who has heard all the wonderful stories collected by the... (more)
Hero Myths: A Reader
This Reader collects 25 stories of heroes of all kinds from around the world. Included are both non-Western and Western, female and male, modern and ancient, young and adult, lowly and noble, comic... (more)
Heaven: A History
What do Christians believe they will experience after a virtuous life? What will an eternity in the hereafter be like? In this copiously illustrated, lively book, Colleen McDannell and Bernhard Lang... (more)
Who's Who in Non-Classical Mythology
This comprehensive reference covers in detail characters from cultures and religions throughout the world, encompassing the Near East, Europe (including the legends of the Celts, Teutons, Slavs and... (more)
Creation Myths: Man's Introduction to the World
Explore a truly astonishing range of interests, philosophies, religions, and cultures -- from alchemy to angels, Buddhism to Hinduism, myth to magic. The distinguished authors bring a wealth of... (more)
The Gods of Ancient Rome
This is a vivid account of what their gods meant to the Romans from archaic times to late antiquity, and of the rites and rituals connected with them. After an introduction into the nature of... (more)
Dictionary of Jewish Lore and Legend
This richly-illustrated dictionary captures the richness and vitality of Jewish religion and culture: the web of legend and folklore crucial to understanding Judaism. The result is a vital and... (more)
Fearless Girls, Wise Women and Beloved Sisters
A definitive sourcebook of folktales and fairytales and the first of its kind to feature a variety of multicultural heroines. Dismayed by the predominance of male protagonists in her daughters'... (more)
Theorizing Myth: Narrative, Ideology, and Scholarship
In Theorizing Myth, Bruce Lincoln traces the way scholars and others have used the category of "myth" to fetishize or deride certain kinds of stories, usually those told by others. He begins by... (more)
Dictionary of Symbols
From early cave drawings to modern corporate logos, graphic symbols have been used to convey meanings both tangible and abstract. This dictionary covers approximately 2500 Western graphic symbols.... (more)
Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology
Since the spectacular discovery of Nineveh 150 years ago, countless excavators have been searching for the lost civilizations of the ancient Near East. We now know the names of thousands of gods and... (more)
Concept of the Goddess
This volume is an up-to-date, highly readable study of the female aspect of religion both in past and present mythologies. It explores the function and nature of goddesses and their cults in many... (more)
Soulfulness: The Marriage of Shamanic And Contemporary Psychology
This book brings the wisdom of the ancient healing practice of shamanism together with the insights of contemporary psychology to provide an integrated approach to the treatment of traumatic... (more)