Oxford Companion to World Mythology

by David Leeming

Overview

In The Oxford Companion to World Mythology, David Leeming explores the role of mythology in history, revealing how the dreams of specific cultures add up to the larger collective story of humanity.

Appealingly illustrated with nearly one hundred black-and-white halftones, the Companion provides thousands of alphabetically arranged entries covering all aspects of mythology including areas traditionally ignored by mythologists such as Polynesia, Africa, Native North America, Australia, and more. Leeming includes substantial essays on the worlds major mythological traditions, on mythological types and motifs, on mythological figures, and on numerous related subjects such as fairly tales and legends. The Companion also locates myth in our lives today, relating it to psychology, religion, science, politics, art, and much more.

From King Arthur and the Round Table to Jonah and the Whale, from the wicked and destructive Norse trickster Loki to the great mother goddess of Chinese mythology Nuwa, here is a comprehensive and thoughtful look at mythology around the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195387087
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/13/2009
Series:	Oxford Companion To... (Paperback)
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	512
Sales rank:	1,158,711
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

David Leeming is Emeritus Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of Connecticut. His many books include Myths, Legends, and Folktales of America, with Jake Page, A Dictionary of Asian Mythology and Myth: A Biography of Belief. He lives in Riverdale, New York.

Editorial Reviews

"Inclusive and reasonably comprehensive....This work should find a place in any general reference collection."—Choice

"The scope of this companion to world mythology belies its compact, easy-to-hold format...Leeming's Companion has a place in any library."—Voice of Youth Advocates

"The strength of the Oxford Companion to World Mythology lies in its overview articles on mythologies of particular eras and cultures.... Scholarly but rarely abstruse, this reasonably priced volume is particularly suitable for academic and larger public libraries."—Booklist

"Dependable information, clear and concise writing, and well-chosen illustrations make this a useful resource. The volume offers easy access to a broad range of topics....This is a grand book."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Leeming (English & comparative literature, emeritus, Univ. of Connecticut; From Olympus to Camelot: The World of European Mythology), who has authored books on various aspects of mythology, many with a specific regional focus, has compiled a resource encompassing the important mythological topics from cultures around the world. This single volume begins with a list of the broad cultural headings-e.g., African, Chinese, Greek-with references to related subjects. The 2000 A-to-Z entries, which cover mythological figures (e.g., Zeus, Inanna), types and motifs (e.g., "the Hero," "the Quest"), and traditions (e.g., Greek, Native American), include ample cross references. The articles range in length from several pages for the major Greek, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Celtic traditions to shorter entries for particular beliefs, concepts, and characters. Influential mythologists and modern-day philosophies are also covered. Leeming's introductory essay, "The Nature and Dimensions of Myth," defines the scope of mythology in articulating a cultural and universal identity. The book is further enhanced by more than 70 black-and-white illustrations as well as several pages of color plates depicting mythological subjects. Following the entries is a series of appendixes that includes Pantheonic charts, a lengthy bibliography, and a thorough index. Bottom Line This useful resource is comparable to Larousse World Mythology (Smithmark, 1989), yet more concise and comprehensive in its coverage. Highly recommended for academic reference collections.-Eloise Hitchcock, Western Carolina Univ. Lib., Cullowhee, NC Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal