Myths and Legends: An Illustrated Guide to Their Origins and Meanings (DK Compact Culture Guides)

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Described as straightforward with casual narration, Native American Myths is a good starting point for those looking to take a dive into Native American mythology. Looking for information on the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Otherworld? The Book of Celtic Myths has it. Perhaps King Arthur in Celtic myth? Oh, absolutely. This book even covers Celtic Christianity!

Matt Clayton’s Native American Myths acts as a crash course for Native American mythology. The reader will get the low-down on several myths and legends from an array of Native tribes. On top of this, Clayton discusses heroes, supernatural beings, deities, creation myths, and beliefs revolving around death and rebirth.

Fingal's Cave

We won’t learn much about the geography of Central America from the stories of the twins Hunapu and Xbalanque, but we do get a wonderful glimpse of the Mayan world. Everything, from the narrative and characters to the rhythm of the story, draws us close to the sense of humour, mischief and ingenuity of a whole people. Five of the remaining stories involve the legend of Arthur and his knights. The setting for Culhwych and Olwen is Arthur’s Court and includes a list of his knights. Arthur’s Court is again the setting in The Dream of Rhonabwy, which tells of a story involving Arthur and his knights, fairy heroes and Celtic warriors. We get it: this sounds like a pretty intimidating undertaking for those who are newer to Japanese mythology. Thankfully, with translations provided by Gustav Heldt, the origins of traditional Japanese myths have never been more accessible.

The Tain as translated by Thomas Kinsella offers maps and a pronunciation guide (we all know how handy those can be). Furthermore, it offers insight into the events before the Táin Bó Cuailnge. The story is thoroughly fleshed out, complemented with brush drawings by Louis Le Brocquy. Honestly, one can do no wrong by adding The Tain to their reading lists. Women of Myth: From Deer Woman and Mami Wata to Amaterasu and Athena, Your Guide to the Amazing and Diverse Women from World Mythology by Jenny Williamson and Genn McMenemy Parizi’s Japanese Mythology strives to build a bridge between Japanese mythology and the more mainstream mythologies of the Western world. First accounting for Japan’s history, Parizi goes on to tell the audience several myths and their interpretations. In case you’re worried about mispronouncing or misunderstanding words, the terminology you will need to know is provided. Neil Gaiman is a prolific author as it is. He regularly draws inspiration from ancient mythologies for his works. When his Norse Mythology was announced, it became an instant classic. This illustrated guide to some of the world’s most fascinating mythologies is no joke. The audience is provided with illustrations, photos, maps, and charts that enrich their current understanding of global myths. Covering everything from a civilization’s creation story to its cultural heroes, World Mythology: The Illustrated Guide gives the audience all the information a mythology aficionado could hope to gain.First on our list of best overall mythology books is this four-book collection from History Brought Alive. By giving the four ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia ( Cradle of Civilization), and Egypt center stage, these books allow the audience to take a deep dive into each civilization without being too overwhelming. One can expect myths to be shared alongside recorded history in Greek, Mesopotamia, Egypt & Rome: Fascinating Insights, Mythology, Stories, History & Knowledge From The World’s Most Interesting Civilizations & Empires.

The king of one country threatened by the beast's arrival was advised to offer it a weekly sacrifice of seven virgins. In desperation the king eventually issued a proclamation offering his kingdom, his daughter's hand in marriage and a magic sword to anyone who could destroy the monster.None of this is a surprise. These are stories that have captivated millions of people for thousands of years and continue to do so, both in traditional and more contemporary formats. Egyptian Mythology acts as an all-in-one guide to, well, Egyptian myth. It offers a conclusive mythical timeline, which is certainly handy for keeping myths organized. Moreover, Pinch provides a complete (alphabetized!) compendium of various deities, demons, and religious motifs found throughout Egyptian mythology. Chinese Mythology: Classic Stories of Chinese Myths, Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, and Monsters by Scott Lewis