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New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology
A marvel of scholarly & pictorial art--Detroit News
This wonderful book is a revelation--Dame Edith Sitwell
Here, in all their wonder & splendor, are the mythologies of humankind--from pre-biblical Egypt & pre-Homeric Greece to the furthest reaches of Africa, the Orient, the Pacific & the Americas--all gathered into one mammoth volume of unprecedented scope & beauty, & illustrated with an incomparable assemblage of authentic paintings, sculpture, symbols, idols, ritual & sacrificial objects, many rarely seen by modern Western eyes.
This monumental work is the 1st complete encyclopedia of world mythology. Originally published in France by the famous house of Larousse, it contains of course all the well-loved myths of Classical Antiquity. But more than half the book is devoted to the strange & unfamiliar mythologies of civilizations other than our own--from Peru to Persia, from Tahiti to Togoland.
This wonderful book is a revelation--Dame Edith Sitwell
Here, in all their wonder & splendor, are the mythologies of humankind--from pre-biblical Egypt & pre-Homeric Greece to the furthest reaches of Africa, the Orient, the Pacific & the Americas--all gathered into one mammoth volume of unprecedented scope & beauty, & illustrated with an incomparable assemblage of authentic paintings, sculpture, symbols, idols, ritual & sacrificial objects, many rarely seen by modern Western eyes.
This monumental work is the 1st complete encyclopedia of world mythology. Originally published in France by the famous house of Larousse, it contains of course all the well-loved myths of Classical Antiquity. But more than half the book is devoted to the strange & unfamiliar mythologies of civilizations other than our own--from Peru to Persia, from Tahiti to Togoland.
500 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1959
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 4, 2011
It's not bad, an overview that doesn't really go very deep but tries to cover everything. So for an introduction to myths, it's probably ok.
The chapter about Slavic myth - the ones I'm most familiar with, is based on three books (or so the bibiliography shows) two of which are about Russian tales and myths and one is from 1956. It isn't quite what I hoped for. Too little about other Slavic countries than Russia, and some mentions of the errounous old mistakes - like mixing Lithuanian and Polish gods and not mentioning the controversy over Byelobog (did he even exist?) and wether there was such strong duality in Slavic myths or not.
The chapter about Slavic myth - the ones I'm most familiar with, is based on three books (or so the bibiliography shows) two of which are about Russian tales and myths and one is from 1956. It isn't quite what I hoped for. Too little about other Slavic countries than Russia, and some mentions of the errounous old mistakes - like mixing Lithuanian and Polish gods and not mentioning the controversy over Byelobog (did he even exist?) and wether there was such strong duality in Slavic myths or not.
April 14, 2009
Perhaps too scholarly for the casual reader, for those looking for tidbits of info on this or that deity, or at least some understanding of his/her/its cultural underpinnings and development, this is a must.
July 15, 2020
Well, this one is for the mythology enthusiasts, but its a litte bit too broad and unspecific.
A good one though.
A good one though.
September 25, 2014
Here's another example of my poor memory: I remember buying this book, looking through it and starting it, but I cannot recall finishing it. Indeed, I recall being very frustrated by its lack of anthropological and sociological contextualization and had thought that that had caused me to put it down, unfinished. However, a recently discovered typescript of books finished in 1973 indicates otherwise. Apparently, I did plough through the thing, though I doubt that I read it very carefully.
The buying of this tome is the pleasanter memory. I was with Michael Miley at the Golf Mill Shopping Center on Chicago's NW side at one of the big bookstore chains. The Encyclopaedia had been remaindered and was for sale very cheaply. The color plates alone seemed worth the cost and I had just read Neumann's Origins & History of Consciousness and needed some background beyond Bullfinch to evaluate his treatment of world mythology, so I got it.
While standing in line for the purchase Michael and I argued about something obscure and erudite. He was then, as now, an earnest student of anything with soteriological significance: philosophy, religion, psychology etc. Like myself, then as now, he felt, deeply, the need to know who he (in a species as well as in an individual sense) was and what he ought do. Like myself, he had once been very lost and unhappy, but such studies had been helping. Usually our arguments were along the lines of him propounding some salvific truth and me expressing skepticism. Zn any case, it was heated snd, as stated, quite heady, It was also getting loud, which made me think of the other people in the line and there about us. Although concerned not to be disruptive, I was primarily moved by two thoughts. First, it's good for them to hear this because it's important. Second, I am most fortunate to have such a friend.
Now, as then, both propositions seem to hold true.
The buying of this tome is the pleasanter memory. I was with Michael Miley at the Golf Mill Shopping Center on Chicago's NW side at one of the big bookstore chains. The Encyclopaedia had been remaindered and was for sale very cheaply. The color plates alone seemed worth the cost and I had just read Neumann's Origins & History of Consciousness and needed some background beyond Bullfinch to evaluate his treatment of world mythology, so I got it.
While standing in line for the purchase Michael and I argued about something obscure and erudite. He was then, as now, an earnest student of anything with soteriological significance: philosophy, religion, psychology etc. Like myself, then as now, he felt, deeply, the need to know who he (in a species as well as in an individual sense) was and what he ought do. Like myself, he had once been very lost and unhappy, but such studies had been helping. Usually our arguments were along the lines of him propounding some salvific truth and me expressing skepticism. Zn any case, it was heated snd, as stated, quite heady, It was also getting loud, which made me think of the other people in the line and there about us. Although concerned not to be disruptive, I was primarily moved by two thoughts. First, it's good for them to hear this because it's important. Second, I am most fortunate to have such a friend.
Now, as then, both propositions seem to hold true.
June 16, 2007
albate man ba'zi bakhsh'haye in ketabo ke be farsi tarjome shodeh khoondam.dar bareye asatire aghvame bastanie va khoondanesh jalebe.
April 19, 2012
A good Mythology reference book a good learning aid.
April 27, 2014
Everyone should own this. You. me. Everyone.
November 26, 2015
Gives an overview of all the worlds myths. And it can only be an overview as there are so many. Really very interesting.
June 14, 2026
Potential readers should know that this book was originally written in the 1950s and updated in the late 1960s. That means the descriptions and analyses of the mythologies it contains are nearly 70 years old. Much has changed in anthropologists' understandings and interpretations of cultures and their religions since then.
Potential readers should also know that the book's chapters were written by a group of French academics, and their priorities, preferences, and most important, prejudices of their time are on full display. Greek mythology gets a full quarter of the book--114 pages. Indian mythology is second at 54 pages, Egyptian mythology comes in third at 40 pages.
Almost all the rest--prehistoric, Assyro-Babylonian, Phoenician, Roman, Celtic, Teutonic, Slavonic, Finno-Ugric, ancient Persian, Chinese, Japanese, and (Pacific) Oceanic have to make do with 20 or so pages each.
Even ALL of the Americas get barely 25 pages, and over half of that is devoted to pictures.
Perhaps worst is African mythology: the entire continent is given just 13 pages, and again, almost half of that is photos, and the Africans themselves are treated as little better than savages. This despite--or maybe because?--France had so many colonies in Africa.
Surely there are better--more current, more complete, less prejudiced--books on the mythologies of the world out there. You'd be better served to search for them and skip this book.
Potential readers should also know that the book's chapters were written by a group of French academics, and their priorities, preferences, and most important, prejudices of their time are on full display. Greek mythology gets a full quarter of the book--114 pages. Indian mythology is second at 54 pages, Egyptian mythology comes in third at 40 pages.
Almost all the rest--prehistoric, Assyro-Babylonian, Phoenician, Roman, Celtic, Teutonic, Slavonic, Finno-Ugric, ancient Persian, Chinese, Japanese, and (Pacific) Oceanic have to make do with 20 or so pages each.
Even ALL of the Americas get barely 25 pages, and over half of that is devoted to pictures.
Perhaps worst is African mythology: the entire continent is given just 13 pages, and again, almost half of that is photos, and the Africans themselves are treated as little better than savages. This despite--or maybe because?--France had so many colonies in Africa.
Surely there are better--more current, more complete, less prejudiced--books on the mythologies of the world out there. You'd be better served to search for them and skip this book.
December 28, 2023
The Encyclopedia of Mythology is exactly that - it does what it says it is - so 5 stars. It gives so much information about so many parts of the world and the myths/religions the people believed/worshipped throughout many ancient civilizations. It can't go too deep into everything because it's trying to cover everything, so for me it has served as an excellent reference book that references many other books to explore if you want to learn more about specific myths/religious texts. I also especially love all the photos / artifacts displayed in the book.
July 24, 2022
Not a treasure like THE BOOK OF COSTUME by Millia Davenport. I used to have a copy in paperback and the binding was subpar at best. It does give a good overview of the different mythologies of the world but does not go into a lot of depth about each of them. There could have been way more illustrations in this volume and if I had known then what I do now, I never would have purchased the book in the first place. God bless and have a great day!
November 2, 2021
I was expecting a more philosophical approach to mythology and an analysis! But instead we got a description of the characters that made the religion of older times! And that’s great too~ just something I am already a little familiar with and didn’t need!
Interesting none the less!
Interesting none the less!
November 7, 2020
Good book for reference or learning, and getting a general idea about a broad range of mythologies of different cultures.
July 5, 2011
A little disappointing that the content is overwhelmingly Western.
April 19, 2012
A good reference book ideal for students of Mythology.
October 19, 2012
If I could only bring one book with me on a desert island, this would be it. Mythological stories and amazing art from all over the world.
April 6, 2013
Great for research.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews