Folklore studies / Study of myth Books

Book SynopsisOffers thirty-one previously published essays by Tomás Ó Cathasaigh, which together constitute a magisterial survey of early Irish narrative literature in the vernacular.Trade Review“Tomás Ó Cathasaigh is that rare scholar in Celtic studies whose work has much to say not only to advanced scholars in the field but also to specialists dealing with other literatures, comparative mythologists, and undergraduates. Our understanding of medieval Irish epic and saga is immeasurably enriched by his elegant writing style, his erudition, and his wide-ranging critical eye. It is indeed a bounteous blessing, then, to have collected in this volume Ó Cathasaigh’s best, most representative, and most useful work." —Joseph Nagy, University of California, Los Angeles"A turning-point in Celtic studies occurred in 1981 when Tomás Ó Cathasaigh began a series of thematic studies of Irish sagas, starting with ‘The Theme of Lommrad.’ Now, three decades later, his ground-breaking collection of essays has been gathered together in a book. The student experience has been transformed. No essay or article on Irish sagas can be written without consulting Professor Ó Cathasaigh’s close readings. We are all in debt to him, Matthieu Boyd, and the University of Notre Dame Press." —Patrick Sims-Williams, Aberystwyth University, Wales"Tomás Ó Cathasaigh has long been known for his sensitive and superbly nuanced readings of early Irish literature. This impeccably edited collection brings together his most important articles of the past thirty years, many of which appeared originally in anthologies and periodicals not always easy to find outside Ireland. Ó Cathasaigh's deep learning and profound insights are evident on every page. This is truly a 'must-have' book both for specialists in Celtic and for all medievalists interested in vernacular culture and the intersection of native and Latin traditions." —Robin Stacey, University of Washington"To read Tomás Ó Cathasaigh’s essays gathered and ordered in this splendid volume is to explore the web of early Irish literature with a learned and witty guide. Each chapter stops at a particular point in the early Irish literary record, but the light that Ó Cathasaigh sheds on each text or theme illumines the entirety of the landscape. His close attention to the nuances of language and his finely tuned sense of social relationships in medieval Ireland are but two of the qualities that make Ó Cathasaigh perhaps the most skilled reader that early Irish literature has ever had. Coire Sois will be an indispensable vade mecum for generations of students and scholars to come." —Catherine McKenna, Margaret Brooks Robinson Professor of Celtic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University“This book is a credit to its editor, publisher, and (above all) to its author, whose perceptive interpretations and civilized discussions lead the reader to an appreciation of the breadth of early Irish saga literature. It is a book that can and should be read by all those who seek insight into the literature and culture of medieval Ireland.” —breac: A Digital Journal of Irish Studies“This is a book that should be acquired by anyone who is concerned with the study of early Irish literature . . . . This is a very special book, indeed, its sum greater than its already outstanding parts.” —Parergon“This collection of essays, originally published between 1976 and 2011, reflects the life’s work of one of the most perceptive and subtle readers of early Irish literature of the last fifty years . . . . Ó Cathasaigh’s expository style, his close reading of a wide range of texts, and the enduring authority of these essays certainly does provide the reader with a lucid guide to some of the most important debates and texts in the field.” —SHARP News“Ó Cathasaigh’s work combines aspects of the traditional philological and etymological studies of early Irish myth and saga with interpretations of these works as literary works in their own right. Ó Cathasaigh is an excellent guide through the complexities of early Irish literature, whether it be on general issues such as he addresses his essays on The Semantics of síd, The Concept of the Hero in Early Irish Literature, and Early Irish Literature and Law, or more specific themes, such as ‘Cath Maige Tuired’ as Exemplary Myth, Mythology in ‘Táin Bó Cúailgne’, and The Rhetoric of ‘Fingal Rónáin’.” —Fabula

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Book SynopsisThe sagas of the ancient Narts are to the Caucasus what Greek mythology is to Western civilization. This book presents, for the first time in the West, a wide selection of these fascinating myths preserved among four related peoples whose ancient cultures today survive by a thread. In ninety-two straightforward tales populated by extraordinary charTrade Review"An excellent translation of a rare standard of Eurasian mythology, the work blends annotation and commentary to demystify the complex philosophical text."--Library Journal "A new, important resource for those with a general interest in the lore of the North Caucasus, in comparative mythology, and in linguistics... Colarusso's familiarity with the Indo-European traditions is seen in the copious commentaries and notes accompanying the sagas. Meticulous and at times very detailed, they not only serve as a guide to a better understanding of the sagas themselves, but provide an introduction to the vast field of Eurasian myth... Colarusso is to be congratulated for this splendid contribution to the field, for his scholarship, for his devotion to the subject, and for bringing this collection of Nart sagas to us."--Patricia Arant, Slavic and East European JournalTable of ContentsPreface xiii Introduction to the Paperback Edition xix Symbols and Abbreviations xxv Maps xxx Introduction 1 A Selection of the Circassian Nart Corpus 9 1. If Our Lives Be Short, Let Our Fame Be Great 11 2. The Tale of How Warzameg and Yimis Came to Be 12 3. How Warzameg, Son of Meghazash, Won the Damsel Psatina 17 4. Setenaya and Argwana 34 5. The Blossom of Lady Setenaya 48 6. Why the Sun Pauses on the Horizon at Sunset 49 7. Lady Setenaya and the Magic Apple 50 8. Lady Setenaya and the Shepherd: The Birth of Sawseruquo 52 9. How Setenaya Was Led Astray 55 10. The Childhood of Shebatinuquo 56 11. How Far-Seeing Setenaya Rescued Warzameg 67 12. The Ballad of Warzamegyuquo Shebatinuquo 79 13. Setenaya and the Great Nart Warzameg 85 14. Nart Wazarmeg and His Friends Decide What to Do about a Black Fox 87 15. The Old Age of the Great Nart 91 16. How They Made Tlepsh Fashion the First Sickle 96 17. Tlepsh and Lady Tree 99 18. The One Who Committed One Hundred Sins 104 19. The Lament for Nagura Tlepshuquo 106 20. How Nart Tlepsh Killed Bearded Yamina with the Avenging Sword 107 21. Tlepsh's Gold Cellar 107 22. The Story of Nart Totaresh and the Chinta Leader 109 23. Two Fragments of the Ballad of Sawseruquo 112 24. The Ballad of Sawseruquo 125 25. How the Horse of Setenayuquo Sawseruquo Was Killed 129 26. Lady Nart Sana 129 27. Adif 131 28. Wardana and Chwindizh Dwell in the White-Haired Forest 134 29. Warzamegyuquo Yasheruquo's Search for Courage 138 30. How the Nart Khimish Married and How He Was Killed 139 31. The Ballad of Khimishuquo Pataraz 143 32. How the Narts Sought to Reach the Sky 153 33. How Khimishuquo Pataraz Won the Three Magical Whetstones 154 34. How Pataraz Freed Bearded Nasran, Who Was Chained to the High Mountain 158 35. Bound Nasran 168 36. An Old Man Chained to Elbruz 169 37. A Cyclops Bound atop Wash'hamakhwa 170 38. How Bearded Nasran Visited Ashamaz 171 39. The Ballad of Ashamaz 172 40. Lashyn's Satirical Couplets about the Nart Men 175 41. Hymn to T'haghalej 176 42. The Shiblawuj, a Round Dance to the God of Lightning 177 The Abaza Nart Corpus 179 43. The Time of the Narts 181 44. The Burial Ground of the Narts 182 45. The Golden Apple Tree of the Narts 183 46. Satanaya 184 47. How Sosruquo Was Born 185 48. Satanaya and Bataraz 188 49. Satanaya and Tlepshw 190 50. Sosruquo's Sword 192 51. How Sosruquo Attended the Council of the Narts 196 52. How Sosruquo Brought Fire to His Troops 200 53. How Sosruquo Brought Back the Seeds of the Millet 202 54. Shardan 215 55. How Sosruquo Brought Sana to the Narts 216 56. Sosruquo and the Blind Ayniwzh 219 57. Sosruquo and the Inquisitive Ayniwzh 222 58. Sosruquo and the Giant's Skull 227 59. Sosruquo and Six Men 228 60. Sosruquo and Sotrash 236 61. Sosruquo and Sosranpa 244 62. Qaydukh of the Narts 249 63. Qaydukh Fortress 257 64. The Doom of Sosruquo 259 65. Sosran of the Narts 267 66. The Nanny Goat of the Narts 269 67. Badan and Badanoquo of the Narts 270 68. Badanoquo of the Narts 275 69. How the Barrel of the Narts Was Set to Boiling 277 70. The Dream of Ayniwzh, Nana's Son 279 71. Tataruquo Shaway 281 72. Chwadlazhwiya's Tale 290 73. Nasran and Shamaz 296 74. Khmish and Bataraz of the Narts 302 A Selection of the Abkhaz Corpus 321 75. The Mother of Heroes 323 76. The Birth of the Valiant Sasruquo 329 77. How Sasruquo Plucked Down a Star 335 78. The Ayirgs' Sister, the Sister-in-Law of the Narts 344 79. Sasruquo's Sorrow 352 80. The Light-Giving Little Finger 356 81. How Sasruquo Tamed the Wild Stallion 360 82. How the Narts Cultivated Fruit 361 83. Khozhorpas 364 84. Narjkhyaw 366 85. An Account of the Narts 379 The Ubykh Nart Corpus 385 86. The Birth of Soseruquo 387 87. Another Birth of Soseruquo 397 88. The Death of Soseruquo 399 89. Yarichkhaw 401 90. Three Brothers, Their Sister, and a Nart 406 91. The Adventure of Marchan Shaghy 409 92. A Marvelous Sword 411 Appendix: Specimen Texts 415 A. Kabardian East Circassian 417 B. Bzhedukh West Circassian (Adyghey) 455 C. Ubykh 490 D. Abaza (Tapanta Dialect) ("Northern Abkhaz") 500 E. Bzyb Abkhaz 526 Bibliography 543

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Book SynopsisAmazons--fierce warrior women dwelling on the fringes of the known world--were the mythic archenemies of the ancient Greeks. Heracles and Achilles displayed their valor in duels with Amazon queens, and the Athenians reveled in their victory over a powerful Amazon army. In historical times, Cyrus of Persia, Alexander the Great, and the Roman generalTrade ReviewWinner of the 2016 Sarasvati Award for Best Nonfiction Book in Women and Mythology, Association for the Study of Women & Mythology 2015 Silver Medal Winner in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, World History category Selected for The New York Times Book Review's "The Year in Reading" 2016 Shortlisted for the 2014 London Hellenic Prize One of Foreign Affairs' Best Military, Scientific, and Technological Books of 2015 Selected for American Scientist's Science Book Gift Guide 2014 "In her quest to separate reality from mythology, Mayor left few stones unturned, even examining the graves of women with war wounds and mummified tattoos. She skillfully presents her findings with wit and conviction in this superbly illustrated book"--Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affiars "Fluidly written and exhaustively researched, this fascinating book lit up my mind and my sense of humanity, not just with women in it, but under it, above it, flinging out constellations and atoms; carving out grand canyons hand-in-hand with men and beasts and glaciers, too."--Neko Case, singer-songwriter, New York Times Book Review "The Amazons is elegantly written, nicely illustrated and will no doubt excite a lot of attention."--Simon Goldhill, Times Literary Supplement "Mayor specializes in connecting artifacts--paintings, sculptures, coins, bones, weapons, clothing, fossils--with the more diffuse evidence found in literature, lore and legend ... in order to illuminate the lives of the ancient warrior women... Impressive investigative work ... fascinating."--James Romm, London Review of Books "[A] fascinatingly detailed account."--Emily Wilson, Wall Street Journal "Mayor (The Poison King) looks at ancient writings and archeological evidence to argue that yes, 'Amazons' were based on real nomadic women, though much different from the way ancient Greeks or contemporary audiences imagine them... Mayor speculates on the origin of such misconceptions in ancient writings and art, smartly suggesting that, though Amazons are usually depicted heroically in Greek art and mythology, the male-centric Greeks perhaps struggled to understand a society based on equality between the sexes... Her expertise shines throughout."--Publishers Weekly "An encyclopedic study of the barbarian warrior women of Western Asia, revealing how new archaeological discoveries uphold the long-held myths and legends. The famed female archers on horseback from the lands the ancient Greeks called Scythia appeared throughout Greek and Roman legend. Mayor tailors her scholarly work to lay readers, providing a fascinating exploration into the factual identity underpinning the fanciful legends surrounding these wondrous Amazons... Mayor clears away much of the man-hating myths around these redoubtable warriors. Thanks to Mayor's scholarship, these fearsome fighters are attaining their historical respectability."--Kirkus Reviews "A must-read for anyone interested in either Amazonian myth or history."--Fred Poling, Library Journal "No one before has ever marshalled the full sweep of evidence as Mayor does here... The result is a book as erudite as it riveting, one that is surely destined to serve as the definitive work on the subject."--Tom Holland, Literary Review "There are myriad myths surrounding the Amazons, but which are based on truth? ... This is the question which Adrienne Mayor seeks to answer in her hugely informative and entertaining Encyclopaedia Amazonica."--Natalie Haynes, Independent "[A] lively and engaging exploration ... vivid, compelling and detailed ... a rich compendium."--Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, Times Higher Education "A beautiful book... The Amazons by Adrienne Mayor is required reading."--Anna Meldolesi, Corriere della Sera "Driven by a detective's curiosity, Mayor unearths long-buried evidence and sifts fact from fiction to show how flesh-and-blood women of the Eurasian steppes were mythologized as Amazons, the equals of men. The result is likely to become a classic."--Peter Konieczny, History of the Ancient World blog "Mayor writes elegant, jargon free, frequently witty prose."--Barry Baldwin, Fortean Times "If Adrienne Mayor had merely applied her rigorous scholarship and poetic charm to documenting the shifting image of Amazons in classical, medieval and post-Renaissance European culture, she would have written an important contribution to ancient history. But she has achieved much more. By painstaking research ... she has broken down the often impenetrable walls dividing western cultural history from its eastern equivalents... Mayor opens up new horizons in world storytelling and feminist iconography... There may not be Amazon dolls in today's toyshops, but a good substitute would be to read this wonderful book with your children and show them its pictures."--Edith Hall, New Statesman "For anyone who thinks Amazons were as mythical as centaurs or sphinxes, this pleasurable book proves that misconception is wondrously wrong... Mayor's beautifully illustrated book, truly encyclopedic on all things Amazonian, reclaims the historic image of these dauntless figures in the heroic frame they deserve."--Fran Willing, Bust.com "Mayor's book is popular history at its best. Much of her archaeological evidence is new -- such as her descriptions of 'Scythian' female graves with horses and weapons. She chooses wonderful illustrations which makes the book enjoyable and easy to read."--Zenobia blog "Clearly, with this clever, systematic and engaging work by Mayor, Amazons got their classic book. And it is a riveting read, too."--Ephraim Nissan, Fabula "Mayor's fascinatingly readable book convincingly argues that many of their characteristics may have derived from real nomadic womenwarriors of antiquity... It represents a remarkable scholarly breakthrough: no one will ever be able to discuss the Amazon myths again without taking into account the historical evidence she provides."--Tassos A. Kaplanis, Journal of Historical Geography "Adrienne Mayor has written an ambitious 'Encyclopedia Amazonica' as she calls her book, a kind of compendium of information about the Amazons... Her charming and seamless style can certainly provoke a reader's interest in the still distant and unknown terra incognita of the Black Sea and Caucasus regions and their nomadic life."--Eleni Boliaki, Bryn Mawr Classical Review "I can't ... begin to say how great it is to have a book like this, because it's exactly the kind of book I like. Not one that just dismisses old stories as being too tall or made up, but really gives them the benefit of the doubt and tries to correlate and reconcile them with hard evidence. This is brilliantly achieved in Amazons... This in many ways is an exhaustive study, every facet that could be thought of has been included, and very little left out."--Adventures in Historyland "Mayor writes well, and not without dry humour, and although hardly given to the sensational, the sheer depth and breadth of her research and discoveries carry you along. You won't devour this in a sitting, just as you wouldn't eat a whole gooey gateau at once, but each slice of book is appetising enough to keep you coming back for more."--Lynn Picknett, Magonia Review of BooksTable of ContentsIllustrations ix Acknowledgments xiii Prologue: Atalanta, the Greek Amazon 1 Part 1 Who Were the Amazons? 1 Ancient Puzzles and Modern Myths 17 2 Scythia, Amazon Homeland 34 3 Sarmatians, a Love Story 52 Part 2 Historical Women Warriors and Classical Traditions 4 Bones: Archaeology of Amazons 63 5 Breasts: One or Two? 84 6 Skin: Tattooed Amazons 95 7 Naked Amazons 117 8 Sex and Love 129 9 Drugs, Dance, and Music 142 10 The Amazon Way 155 11 Horses, Dogs, and Eagles 170 12 Who Invented Trousers? 191 13 Armed and Dangerous: Weapons and Warfare 209 14 Amazon Languages and Names 234 Part 3 Amazons in Greek and Roman Myth, Legend, and History 15 Hippolyte and Heracles 249 16 Antiope and Theseus 259 17 Battle for Athens 271 18 Penthesilea and Achilles at Troy 287 19 Amazons at Sea 305 20 Thalestris and Alexander the Great 319 21 Hypsicratea, King Mithradates, and Pompey's Amazons 339 Part 4 Beyond the Greek World 22 Caucasia, Crossroads of Eurasia 357 23 Persia, Egypt, North Africa, Arabia 377 24 Amazonistan: Central Asia 395 25 China 411 Appendix: Names of Amazons and Warrior Women in Ancient Literature and Art from the Mediterranean to China 431 Notes 439 Bibliography 485 Index 503

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Mayor’s cabinet of curiosities conveys admirably her sense of the wonder, complexity, and engrossing strangeness of the ancient Greco-Roman world, as well as the richness and diversity of the many ages that followed."---James Romm, Wall Street Journal"Covering much more than just myths and monsters, this book also contains information about ancient science and mirages, and everything from tourism to tattoos. . . . This book has a little something for everyone." * Library Journal *"This is an eminently informative book, for readers of all ages. . . . Mayor is able to give a sense of wonder to her inquiries and, without losing rigor, she brings it back to the academic world. In this sense, the book more than fulfils its objectives: we have found pleasure in reading it." * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *"An interesting gallimaufry of 50 short essays that seek to extract nuggets of truth from mythology, legends, and folklore." * Choice Reviews *"A good bedstand book, for dipping into at will for a bite-sized diversion."---Janet Brennan Croft, Mythlore"In this hugely entertaining new anthology of historical curiosities we reap the benefits of Mayor’s willingness to burrow into the dusty corners of history and to pick up on myths and stories other historians tend to slide past without stopping."---Terry Potter, Letterpress Project"This delightful collection of 50 mini-essays by Stanford University research scholar Adrienne Mayor answers some of the most fascinating questions readers wouldn’t otherwise have thought to ask themselves about classical folklore and the history of science. . . . Mayor’s inquisitive spirit animates the answers she provides." * Christian Century *"Mayor has a vast store of knowledge and is a masterful storyteller. Her latest work is a delightful feast for curious minds."---Diana Bentley, Minerva Magazine"Informative and vastly entertaining."---Anita Guerrini, History Today"A delightful compendium that will provoke fresh scholarship and draw new readers to the study of folklore, myth, and culture."---Timothy J. Burbery, Folklore

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Book SynopsisOne of the special charms of the Odyssey, according to Charles Segal, is the way it transports readers to fascinating places. Yet despite the appeal of its narrative, the Odyssey is fully understood only when its style, design, and mythical patterns...Trade ReviewCharles Segal offers an insightful and literate commentary that will enable readers to enjoy a fresh and informed appreciation for this classic Hellenic adventure tale.... A welcome addition to the growing body of erudite commentary on the enduringly popular epic poetry of Homer. * The Bookwatch *The essays in this book furnish very astute, unswervingly literary interpretations of key themes in the Odyssey.... Refreshingly straightforward criticism of a consistently high order. * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *

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Book SynopsisA collection of over five thousand Yoruban proverbs arranged according to theme. It includes an introduction, which provides a framework and description of Yoruba cultural beliefs, the proverbs are arranged by theme into five sections: the good person; the fortunate person; relationships; human nature; rights and responsibilities; and truisms.Trade Review“Obviously aimed at the specialist, it nevertheless also offers the casual reader considerable rewards. It’s not an inexpensive volume, but it’s a bargain for what it, in many respects, a monumental achievement.”—Complete Review"When it comes to the correct usage of Yoruba proverbs, Mr. Owomoyela should know."—Chronicle of Higher Education“This gigantic collection contains 5,235 Yoruba proverbs, their English translations, excellent brief annotations on usage and contexts, and a 38-page introduction! The tome also comes with a companion website . . . of even more proverbs. Readers will find in the book, preceded by two earlier proverb collections and one trickster tales compilation, a truly majestic culmination of Oyekan Owomoyela’s four-decade long labor at constructing a formidable textual archive of Yoruba oral literatures. . . . The size of this collection . . . attests to Owomoyela’s preeminence in proverb studies. The elephant of contemporary proverb scholarship has rustled the bush again, and only an incompetent liar or a malicious euphemist would report after perusing this book that he has merely ‘caught a fleeting glimpse of something’ in the forest of African proverb studies.”—Adeleke Adeeko, Research in African Literatures

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Book SynopsisThis comprehensive collection of Italian tales in English encourages a revisitation of the fairy-tale canon in light of some of the most fascinating material that has often been excluded from it. In the United States, we tend to associate fairy tales with children and are most familiar with the tales of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, and Disney. But the first literary fairy tales appeared in Renaissance Italy, and long before the Grimms there was already a rich and sophisticated tradition that included hundreds of tales, including many of those today considered classic. The authors featured in this volume have, over the centuries, explored and interrogated the intersections between elite and popular cultures and oral and literary narratives, just as they have investigated the ways in which fairy tales have been and continue to be rewritten as expressions of both collective identities and individual sensibilities. The fairy tale in its Italian incarnations provides a st

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Book SynopsisA brief, accessible introduction to the role of myth historically and in popular culture.Trade ReviewA comprehensive but condensed overview defining and classifying myth, providing examples from numerous cultures, and briefly tracing the trajectory of myth scholarship. . . . A well-knit, generously illustrated, and accessible text." —Religious Studies Review"Required in almost every class I teach. Doty’s excellent introduction to myth studies is accessible and clear, comprehensive and full of excellent illustrations and bibliography (plus a glossary and advice on using Internet and other electronic resources). . . . It is a dynamite ‘soft’ advance reading for Doty’s magisterial Mythography: The Study of Myths and Rituals. But it stands on its own in terms of quality and approachable writing style. The mini-anthology of mythological texts (60 pages) is full of unusual but quite stimulating samples from a number of cultures. I cannot think of another book that accomplishes so much in such tight focus." —Ginette Paris, Mythological Studies Program, Pacifica Graduate Institute"Doty’s thorough, academic introduction to the ongoing relevance and study of myth in contemporary culture provides useful surveys of the history of scholarship and criticism of myth and also discusses recent applications of myth in modern life, such as the Big Bang, Gaia as Earth, the cults of Elvis and Madonna, and the significance of Harry Potter. In clear, elegant prose, Doty conveys competing arguments about definitions and roles of myth in society and admirably delineates crucial similarities and differences between the approaches of influential myth scholars. . . . A useful and candid summary for students and teachers. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty." —Choice

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Book SynopsisA timely rethinking of the archetypal story of Noah, the great flood, and who was left behind as the waters rose Most people know the story of Noah from a children’s bible or a play set with a colorful ship, bearded Noah, pairs of animals, and an uncomplicated vision of survival. Noah’s ark, however, will forever be haunted by what it leaves to the rising waters so that the world can begin again.In Noah’s Arkive, Jeffrey J. Cohen and Julian Yates examine the long history of imagining endurance against climate catastrophe—as well as alternative ways of creating refuge. They trace how the elements of the flood narrative were elaborated in medieval and early modern art, text, and music, and now shape writing and thinking during the current age of anthropogenic climate change. Arguing that the biblical ark may well be the worst possible exemplar of human behavior, the chapters draw on a range of sources, from the Epic of Gilgamesh and Ovid’s tale of Deucalion and Pyrrah, to speculative fiction, climate fiction, and stories and art dwelling with environmental catastrophe. Noah’s Arkive uncovers the startling afterlife of the Genesis narrative written from the perspective of Noah’s wife and family, the animals on the ark, and those excluded and so left behind to die. This book of recovered stories speaks eloquently to the ethical and political burdens of living through the Anthropocene.Following a climate change narrative across the millennia, Noah’s Arkive surveys the long history of dwelling with the consequences of choosing only a few to survive in order to start the world over. It is an intriguing meditation on how the story of the ark can frame how we think about environmental catastrophe and refuge, conservation and exclusion, offering hope for a better future by heeding what we know from the past.Trade Review "Noah’s Arkive is an indispensable book—one that takes on a central charismatic narrative equipped to address the shuddering socio-ecological transition within which we (a vastly differentiated “we”) find ourselves. Magisterial yet wisely irreverent, it touches upon urgent challenges, including ecofascism, decolonialization, and racial justice, while also delivering a learned, meticulously researched exhibit of historical ark narratives."—Stephanie LeMenager, University of Oregon "Aboard Noah’s Arkive you’ll experience the Flood from the perspectives of its human and animal passengers and the multitude of creatures drowning shipside, accompanied by the sanctimonious dove and the raucous raven. This beautiful, deep, funny, ardent, rageful book will float the boat of anyone interested in ecocriticism, material culture, science studies, and design."—Julia Reinhard Lupton, University of California, Irvine

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Book SynopsisSensational tales of true-life crime, the devastation of the Irish potato famine, the upheaval of the Civil War, and the turbulent emergence of the American labor movement are connected in a captivating exploration of the roots of the Molly Maguires. A secret society of peasant assassins in Ireland that re-emerged in Pennsylvania’s hard-coal region, the Mollies organized strikes, murdered mine bosses, and fought the Civil War draft. Their shadowy twelve-year duel with all powerful coal companies marked the beginning of class warfare in America. But little has been written about the origins of this struggle and the folk culture that informed everything about the Mollies. A rare book about the birth of the secret society, The Sons of Molly Maguire delves into the lost world of peasant Ireland to uncover the astonishing links between the folk justice of the Mollies and the folk drama of the Mummers, who performed a holiday play that always ended in a mock killing. The link not only explains much about Ireland’s Molly Maguires—where the name came from, why the killers wore women’s clothing, why they struck around holidays—but also sheds new light on the Mollies’ re-emergence in Pennsylvania. The book follows the Irish to the anthracite region, which was transformed into another Ulster by ethnic, religious, political, and economic conflicts. It charts the rise there of an Irish secret society and a particularly political form of Mummery just before the Civil War, shows why Molly violence was resurrected amid wartime strikes and conscription, and explores how the cradle of the American Mollies became a bastion of later labor activism. Combining sweeping history with an intensely local focus, The Sons of Molly Maguire is the captivating story of when, where, how, and why the first of America’s labor wars began.Table of ContentsPART I Introduction: The Fountainhead | 3 1 “A Slumbering Volcano” | 10 PART II 2 The Black Pig’s Realm | 25 3 The Secret Societies | 44 4 Land and Politics | 62 5 The Molly Maguires | 77 PART III 6 Brotherly Love | 109 7 The Hibernians | 122 8 Another Ulster | 139 9 Resurrection | 166 10 “Brave Sons of Molly” | 183 11 Mars in Mahantango | 193 12 “A Damned Hard Hole” | 203 13 “A Howling Wilderness” | 221 14 Parting Shots | 235 15 The Road to Black Thursday | 254 16 Shadows of the Gunmen | 288 Notes | 319 Index | 357 Illustrations follow page 182

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Book SynopsisFrom fire-stealing Prometheus to scene-stealing Helen of Troy, from Jason and his golden fleece to Oedipus and his mother, this collection of classic tales from Greek mythology demonstrates the inexhaustible vitality of a timeless cultural legacy. These stories of heroes and powerful gods and goddesses are set forth simply and movingly, in language that retains the power and drama of the original works by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Homer.Introduction by Werner JaegerWith black-and-white illustrations throughoutPart of the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library

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Book SynopsisJohn Gregorson Campbell (1834–91) was one of the most outstanding folklorists working in Scotland during the nineteenth century. Based on materials which he had gathered in the 1850s and 1860s, his Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and Witchcraft and Second Sight in the Highlands and Islands were published posthumously in 1900 and 1902. Engagingly written in an anecdotal style, they introduce us to a galaxy of fairies, witches, ghosts and supernatural creatures, as well as general superstitions and the beliefs and rituals of the traditional calendar. Having been written as a single work, they are now reunited as one volume. In a lively introduction, Ronald Black illuminates Campbell’s work with extensive explanatory notes and a radically revised biography of the collector, supported by bibliography, maps and index.Trade Review'Amongst some of the world's finest folklore literature' * Scots Magazine *

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Book Synopsis''One of the great mythic poems of Europe'' The New York TimesSharing its title with the poetic name for Finland - ''the land of heroes'' - Kalevala is the soaring epic poem of its people, a work rich in magic and myth which tells the story of a nation through the ages from the dawn of creation. Sung by rural Finns since prehistoric times, and formally compiled by Elias Lönnrot in the nineteenth century, it is a landmark of Finnish culture and played a vital role in galvanizing its national identity in the decades leading to independence. Its themes, however, reach beyond borders and search the heart of human existence.Translated with an Introduction by Eino FribergTrade ReviewA masterpiece * Spectator *One of the great mythic poems of Europe * New York Times *The Kalevala is a fabulous narrative spiced with exotic images and much hilarity -- Jennifer Cooke * Melbourne Sunday Herald *

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Book SynopsisCures, magic, divination and portents were all connected with the rich variety of available plant life, especially in verdant Britain.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"An authoritative take on the history of the vampire."—New York Times Book Review"Nick Groom concludes this invigorating study of vampires by suggesting that we should try to be a bit more like them. Thankfully this doesn’t entail hanging shiftily around blood donor banks . . . Rather, Groom wants us to think about vampires as a way of re-enchanting the contemporary human condition."—Kathryn Hughes, Guardian (Book of the Day)‘Colossally smart. . . Groom is interested in undead Byron, but he is more interested in the aspects of vampirology that pop culture tends to neglect. . . It is a great relief to meet Groom’s vampire, still icy from the void and unburdened by the aesthetic of Gothic nightingale-lite. When it materializes, on the threshold of a worrisome dream, it looks nothing like what one expected. . ."—Katy Waldman, New Yorker"Groom impressively manages to analyze vampires’ influence on almost every facet of private and public life—social, theological political, medical, cultural, sexual, literary—over the span of four centuries."—Regina Munch, Commonweal“Formidably well-researched study” — Kevin Jackson, Literary Review“With the unflappable pace of a phantom coachman, Groom takes us to year zero - an outbreak of vampire panics stemming from the Serbian communities of the Austrian Empire's newly acquired Balkan marches.” —All About History“Printed with a number of vibrant and shocking illustrations and plates, this is a fascinating work of both cultural history and literary criticism.” —Seán Hewitt, Irish Times“The historical sections of this study are wonderfully nuanced, carefully argued takes on the vampire as a specific monstrous manifestation…Groom’s contention that the vampire cannot and should not be conflated with other monsters and his evidence against an inaccurate history of it as an ancient folkloric superstition are groundbreaking and refreshing.”—Elizabeth Bridgham, Wilkie Collins Journal “In this erudite and engaging history of the vampire Nick Groom explores the blood sucker’s journey through the European Enlightenment and beyond, illuminating broader aspects of religion, medicine and culture on the way. In doing so, Groom provides us with a valuable prehistory of the literary Dracula.”—Owen Davies, author of Grimoires“Groom succeeds in contextualising the vampire thoroughly, for the first time, in the changing cultures of two hundred years of European history: a remarkable achievement.”—Ronald Hutton, author of The Witch“Likely to be the definitive history of the vampire for years to come. In an accessible yet deeply scholarly dive into the archives of medicine, folk-lore, travel writing, theology, politics and literature, Groom produces a compelling account of the vampire as the product of the Enlightenment’s clash with its superstitious Eastern other from the seventeenth century onwards. A blood feast that will sustain every kind of vampirologist, from teen Goth up to Professor Van Helsing.”—Roger Luckhurst, author of Zombies"Our centuries-long fascination with the living dead is given a fresh and welcome consideration by Nick Groom, who mines historical reality—and unreality—with a keen appreciation of cultural meaning and metaphor."—David J. Skal, author of Something in the Blood

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Book SynopsisEver wondered how the Zebra got his wonderful coat of stripes. This story adapted from an original African folklore tale will tell you! This paperback book comes complete with stickers for interactive storytelling which your little one can get involved in the story.

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Book SynopsisThe first international English-language publication of Hampate Ba's acclaimed novel.Trade Review"I think this is perhaps the best African novel on colonialism and it draws very richly on various modes of oral literature." Ralph Austen, University of Chicago "It is a wonderful introduction to colonial rule as experienced by Africans, and in particular, to the rule of African middlemen." Martin A. Klein, University of Toronto "The Fortunes of Wangrin is not only a wonderful novel by one of Africa's most renowned intellectuals, it is also literally filled with information about French colonization and its impact on traditional African societies, African resistance and collaboration to colonization, the impact of French education in Africa, and a host of other subjects of interest." Francois Manchuelle, New York UniversityTable of ContentsForewordOverture1. The Birth2. Diagaramba3. First Confrontation4. The Beginning of a Career5. Where the Calamities of Some. . .6. The Storm Breaks7. The Count's Messenger8. The Trial9. The Donkey Who Drank Honey10. Romo's Son and Beautiful Pugubila11. The Death of a Great Chief and What Came Out of It12. The Ambush13. The Calamitous Bird's Eggs14. A Cumbersome Turban15. Where Each Gets His Due16. The Dream of the Fulbe Shepherdess17. Pretty Much in the Lion's Jaws18. Where Wangrin is Off Once Again to a Good Start19. A Profitable Pledge20. The Reconversion21. An Elephant's Tale22. A Disquieting Arrival23. Pretty Doe of the Markets24. Two Birds with One Stone25. A Narrow Escape26. . . . In Which Romo Keeps His Promise. . .and Wangrin His27. A Souvenir That Bears Wangrin's Trademark28. First Warning: The Hausa Geomancer29. Madame White-White30. Second and Third Warnings: A Fatal Oversight and the Sacred Python31. Madame "Good Offices"32. The Irreparable Loss33. Last Warning: The Dove with a Black Ring Circling Half Her Neck34. Philosopher Tramp35. The Three Bloods and Death36. Adieu

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Book SynopsisYou think you know these stories, don't you?You are wrong.You don't know them at all.Twelve tales, twelve dangerous tales of mystery, magic, and rebellious hearts. Each twists like a spindle to reveal truths full of warning and triumph, truths that free hearts long kept tame, truths that explore life . . . and death.A prince has a surprising awakening . . .A beauty fights like a beast . . .A boy refuses to become prey . . .A path to happiness is lost . . . then found again.New York Times bestselling author Soman Chainani respins old stories into fresh fairy tales for a new era and creates a world like no other. These stories know you. They understand you. They reflect you. They are tales for our times. So read on, if you dare.Trade Review‘Terrifying, chilling, unexpected, and glorious. A must-read for any fairy tale devotee who wants to view classic stories through a new lens’ Medium ‘Sly, subversive and full of teeth – Chainani's reimagining of classic fairytales is an unsettling homage that transports its readers through tales both horrifying and humorous, sweet and scary, and, of course…beastly and beautiful’ Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Wolves ‘These stories cut straight to the heart and will leave you begging to stay in their shadows just a few pages longer. Prepare to rethink all those happily ever afters . . . and love every minute of it’ Alexandra Bracken, author of Lore and the Darkest Minds series ‘This is what happens when fairytales grow up. Fierce, frightening, satisfying, and empowering, teens will devour this . . . unless it devours them first. I love this book’ Adam Gidwitz, author of_A Tale Dark and Grimm ‘A brillaint reinvention of tales we thought we knew. Soman Chainani gives us the fairy tales we need today. A vibrant and necessary addition to every modern collection’ Tahereh Mafi, author of the Shatter Me series ‘Chainani takes 12 time-honored tales and overhauls their traditional tellings, adding an astonishing amount of depth and beauty in the process. Lush, transporting, and occasionally eerie, easily conjuring fantastical worlds … An intriguing and inclusive update for modern audiences’ Booklist ‘A volume that transports readers to a place where the lines between beastly natures and beautiful appearances can be difficult to discern. Expertly crafted … For any lover of fairy tales who seeks alternative endings’ Kirkus

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Book SynopsisProvides a comprehensive guide through the contested terrain of outsider art and the related domains of art brut, visionary art, “art of the insane”, and folk art. The book examines the history and primary issues of the field as well as explores the intersection between culture and individual creativity that is at the very heart of outsider art definitions and debates.Trade ReviewLavishly illustrated, many of the images never before seen by the public, this indispensable volume is steeped in details about the lives of outsider and visionary artists. Authoritative, informative, and accessible, this groundbreaking volume is a work of art itself as well as a monumental achievement in scholarship, one that forces us to rethink conventional notions of art and creativity."" - Michael Owen Jones, professor emeritus, Department of World Arts and Cultures, University of California, Los Angeles.""By exploring personal histories and traumatic experiences of creative people sometimes living at the fringe of society, Daniel Wojcik brings new insights into the phenomenon of outsider art. This comprehensive study will influence how outsider art is now seen and evaluated; it blurs the boundaries between insiders and outsiders and contributes to our understanding of art today. Engagingly written and wonderfully illustrated - in full color! - this is an essential resource that takes the reader on a mesmerizing and inspiring journey. Where are my paint brushes?"" - Peter Jan Margry, professor of European ethnology, University of Amsterdam.""Wojcik's new book seems destined to become an essential text for understanding the field today. Outsider Art: Visionary Worlds and Trauma now brings a great deal of clarity and understanding not only to one of the major hotbeds of activity in the international art market, but to the creative act itself. It is a must-read for anyone serious about better understanding this fascinating subject."" - Roger Manley, director of the Gregg Museum of Art & Design at North Carolina State University and curator of exhibitions of self-taught art at more than forty other institutions, including the American Visionary Art Museum.""Wojcik's informed writing - demonstrated by an almost encyclopedic knowledge of self-taught and outsider art and history - his original research, his balanced and nuanced thinking, the representative examples he discusses, and his ability to articulate his findings make this book required reading for anyone interested in outsider, self-taught, or contemporary folk art."" - Carol Crown, professor emerita, University of Memphis, and coeditor of Sacred and Profane: Voice and Vision in Southern Self-Taught Art

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Few archaeologists would venture into as many regions or across as many disciplinary boundaries as David Wengrow does in his eloquent and ambition analysis."---Christina Riggs, Times Literary Supplement"The Origins of Monsters is a fascinating exposition of the archaeology of the ancient world as a topic that has current resonance. Well written and presented, wonderfully informed and confident, it is well placed to achieve Wengrow's worthy ambition to start a particular dialogue between disciplinary approaches to the topic of monsters."---Michael Punt, Leonardo Reviews

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Book SynopsisAn accessible exploration of how diverse cultures have explained humanity’s origins through narratives about the natural environmentTrade Review“Anthony Aveni has produced an absolutely amazing survey that fully documents Creation stories from multiple civilizations. His achievement is staggering, the fruit of decades of research.”—Simon Mitton, University of Cambridge "Tony Aveni has given us a unique survey of origin stories in many ancient societies written with eloquent skill. This important book will appeal to experts and general readers alike."—Brian Fagan, author of Fishing: How the Sea Fed Civilization“TonyAveni shares imaginative stories of violent struggles to create an orderly universe, of our landscapes' emerging, transforming and metamorphosing, in humanity’s timeless search for meaning and purpose: an anthological gem!”—Ian Mursell, co-founder and director of Mexicolore “Whether there was first darkness on the face of the deep, a void of nothing between fire and ice, or an optically opaque primordial chaos, Anthony Aveni takes us on a worldwide expedition illuminating the mysteries of Creation.”—Dr. E.C. Krupp, Director, Griffith Observatory “In this fascinating book Anthony Aveni turns his forensic gaze to the ultimate question of existence: where do we come from? Exploring creation stories from across the world, this book opens new perspectives on our relationship with time and space.”—Nicholas Campion, author of Astrology and Cosmology in the World’s Religions

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Book SynopsisThese stories have been told for 2,000 years. At their heart stands the great Ulster hero, Cúchulainn and on his shoulder sits a dark goddess in the form of a crow. She is the mistress of chaos, surveying the slaughter as he whirls in fury through an ancient yet still familiar world. Their dynamic force has helped shape the history of Ireland – its tribes, its warrior queens, its dispossessed kings. Harnessing the imagination of a modern storyteller, using often overlooked material, this work is an exhilarating retelling of an epic journey – following our champion from a disputed birth through to the battle of the bulls and beyond.

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Book SynopsisThere are some writings that transcend time and tradition and speak to the ever-present heart of the human experience. Simple yet profound, challenging yet compassionate, the Song of Ribhu is one such example of this. In the same tradition as the Bhagavad Gita or the Ashtavakra Gita, the Ribhu Gita, literally the Song of Ribhu represents the highest declaration of Advaita Vedanta, spoken by the enlightened sage Ribhu to his disciple Nidagha on the slopes of Mount Kedara in the Himalayas. Some 2,500 years later, another awakened master, Sri Ramana Maharshi was touched by these same words, considering them to be one of the most sublime expressions of the awakened state that humanity had ever produced. He spoke of it reverently and would even give copies to his devotees to read. The version that follows is a selection, made by Sri Ramana Maharshi himself, of 45 verses that capture the very essence of the Ribhu Gita - an essence that this fresh and masterful modern translation manages to communicate in simple and elegant English, perfectly adapted to the Western reader. The book also contains the story of Ribhu and Nidagha as told by Sri Ramana Maharshi, as well as excerpts from informal talks with his students to further clarify the themes.

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Book SynopsisThis study examines medieval religious culture and the significance of the widespread belief in ghosts, revealing the ways in which the dead and the living related to each other during the Middle Ages. It discusses Augustine's influence on medieval authors, and monastic visions and folklore.Table of ContentsThe rejection of ghosts; dreaming of the dead; the invasion of ghosts; the marvelous dead; Hellequin's hunt; the imaginary tamed?; the dead and power; time, space, and society; describing ghosts.

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Book SynopsisWhy certain groups tell jokes about other groupsTrade ReviewI recommend Jokes and Targets as a valuable scholarly study where thoughtul analysis is brought to bear on a wide variety of significant materials and the writing style is pleasantly engaging. * Studies in American Humor *Jokes and Targets deserves a wide readership among persons interested in humour as well as comparative and cultural sociology. Davies shows that cross-national comparison can produce good theory and rigorous analysis, without losing sight of cultural specificities. * Sociology *Christie Davies' Jokes and Targets is a well-written and well-researched book. * H-France Review *Jokes and Targets, being an excellent piece of scholarship, helps to further clarify why certain targets have become conventional and what are the rules that govern target choice. * Folklore *Jokes and Targets is well worth the price of admission. It is a valuable addition to Davies's existing and esteemed corpus of humor research. * Cultural Analysis *[J]okes and Targets is an important addition to Davies' significant previous research on various categories of verbal joke. . . [T]his book, like Davies' previous work, contains a valuable repertoire of jokes from important contemporary joke cycles. These important and sometimes hard-to-find examples will be a rich source for other scholars. Vol. 11.1 2013 * New Directions in Folklore *Davies maintains a lively, provocative style—refreshing in a genre that is all too commonly soulless. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *Christie Davies has a very good claim to be the scholar to consult on the universal phenomenon of the joke, with the added bonus that he offers plenty of hilarious examples. * Journal of Contemporary Religion *This is a serious book, clearly written (no sociological jargon from this sociologist!), about something that makes no political difference . . . but that is, after all, deeply embedded in us to the extent that we are social creatures. * Chronicles *Table of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Why Study Jokes and Targets?1. Mind over Matter: A General Theory of Jokes about the Stupid and the Canny2. Blondes, Sex, and the French3. Jewish Women and Jewish Men4. Sex between Men: Places, Occupations, and Classes5. The Great American Lawyer Joke Cycle6. The Rise of the Soviet Joke and the Fall of the Soviet UnionConclusionReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisIn all the world there is said to be nothing more beautiful than the Firebird. When Ivan-Tsarevitch, youngest son of the Tsar, goes on a quest for the amazing bird, he finds himself flying over mountains and woods on a talking wolf, confronting a wicked Baba Yaga, and rescuing an enchanted princess from Koshchei the Immortal. But when he returns from his magical journey, he brings home the most precious treasure of all.Gennady Spirin brings this original version of the Firebird tale from his native Russia and has illustrated it in his trademark rich, luminous style. This retelling of a classic is sure to become the new standard.

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Book SynopsisGeoffrey Ashe''s book on this legendary figure offers a succession of surprises. The Merlin of legend was born to be a magician. He was ''immaculately'' conceived and was able to interpret dreams and utter prophecies. Even his fate was imbued with magic. Like Arthur, he acquired immortality and sleeps on Bardsey Island, in a subterranean chamber with nine companions. Ashe reveals the man behind the myth, establishing beyond doubt the historicity of a Welsh prophet called Myrddin Emrys. Despite his ''supernatural'' status it is Merlin, of all the great characters of the Arthurian world, who has the strongest claim to have existed.

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Book SynopsisIn a book based on more than three years of fieldwork, Nils Bubandt argues that cannibal witches for people in the coastal, and predominantly Christian, community of Buli in the Indonesian province of North Maluku are both corporeally real and fundamentally unknowable.Trade ReviewIn this intriguing study of witchcraft in a Buli community in Indonesia, [Bunandt] sets out to explore the complex nature of witchcraft in that community as something that exists but is unseen.... Overall,this well-written and welcome book adds to the understanding of witchcraft in anthropology, especially in regard to doubt and modernity. * CHOICE *Bubandt likens the witch-menace to nuclear war on terrorism: 'a threat that is both real and yet often absents itself from daily experience.' Witchcraft is, therefore, a paradox: it's everywhere and nowhere, real and impossible,hauntingly vivid yet intangible and invisible.... Bubandt describes a characteristic of the human mind that is universal yet not always obvious to those proud of their post-Enlightenment heritage. Our brains are simultaneously full of knowing and not knowing,believing and doubting, fearing and rationally dismissing fears. We know these to be incompatible opposites, but can't help having them both in play at any one time. And so we comfort ourselves with the illusion of singularity, and of secular triumph. One thing we know for sure is that we have to appear to know things, when really we may know nothing at all. -- Malcolm Gaskill * Fortean Times *The Empty Seashell never strays far from the scene of witchcraft, from the myths that offer historical and ontological explanations for the close knit between human life and witchcraft in Buli through accounts of individual lives rent apart by accusations or attacks to the destructive ramifications of such occurrences for the community, including how incidents may reverberate across generations as old grudges or suspicions are resurrected to animate new ones.... Bubandt is to be commended for highlighting the precariousness and forces of world-unmaking that are as much a part of social life as the assumed sturdiness that prevails in social scientific works. -- Patricia Spyer * Anthropological Forum *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Shell of the Nautilus 1. Witchcraft, Doubt, and Aporia 2. The Origins of Witchcraft and the Doubts of Tradition 3. Hope, Conversion, and Millennial Politics 4. Christianity and Deception 5. The Viscerality of Witchcraft and the Corporeality of the World 6. New Order Modern 7. Subjectivity, Exchange, Opacity 8. Technology, Money, and the Futures of Witchcraft Conclusion: Witchcraft beyond BeliefNotes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe spirituality of a fey person may be quite anarchic and entirely private, having no basis in any organised religion. So it can be a secret spirituality that informs the fey type and this may be largely experiential. It has often been perceived as a threat by people who like ideas to be tied down and under control, and by the organisations that such people have created. Meanwhile, in much of today''s world, fey people have been thoroughly marginalized. In this book, Rae Beth suggests ways in which we might understand Otherworldly realities without abandoning commonsense. Drawing upon her knowledge of traditional faerie lore, she shows how fey perceptions and psychic skills can serve and enhance life.

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Book SynopsisMing and Qing China were well populated with foxes, shape changers who transgressed the boundaries of species, gender, and the metaphysical realm. In human form, they were immoral succubi and good wives/good mothers, tricksters and Confucian paragons. Huntington investigates the fox as alien and attempts to establish the boundaries of the human.

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Book SynopsisThe Loch Ness Monster: a creature that should have died out with the dinosaurs, or a legend built on hoaxes and wishful thinking?Sir Peter Scott, internationally renowned naturalist and president of the World Wildlife Fund, was convinced that the Monster existed. So were senior scientists at London''s Natural History Museum and Chicago University; they lost their jobs because they refused to renounce their belief in the creature. For decades, the scientific establishment was determined to quash attempts to investigate Loch Ness - until Nature, the world''s greatest research journal, published an article by Peter Scott featuring underwater photographs of the Monster. Drawing extensively on new material, Gareth Williams takes a wholly original look at what really happened in Loch Ness. A Monstrous Commotion tells the story as never before: a gripping saga populated by colourful characters who do extraordinary things in pursuit of one of evolution''s wildest cardsTrade ReviewA Monstrous Commotion is surely the best and sanest recent book on LNM: readable, informative and fully referenced. -- James Hamilton-Paterson * LITERARY REVIEW *But does he exist? The author plays his cards close to his chest throughout this entertaining...book. -- CRAIG BROWN * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Williams is a staunch skeptic, but he has the good grace not to spoil the fun entirely. He is fascinated by the curious characters drawn to Loch Ness from all over the world; by the skulduggery and the hoaxes; and by the wacky methods employed by those hoping to capture the clinching piece of evidence. -- RUPERT HAWKSLEY * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Gareth William's excellent book isn't about the Loch Ness Monster; it's about the people who have looked for it. -- Mark Mason * THE SPECTATOR *Gareth Williams is the first to provide a non-partisan account of events at the loch ... Williams brings a dry wit and a scientist's illuminating perspective to the endless spectacle of Loch Ness folly. No one has written better about the great Nature debacle ... an entertaining and reasonably comprehensive account of this enduring animal myth -- Ronald Binns * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Williams gleefully exposes the bogus science, the warped facts, and the misunderstanding of evolution. Sifting the evidence, analysing the hearsay, showing the extent of the leg-pulling, he says that Nessie is no more than the action of the wind and the waves. -- Roger Lewis * DAILY MAIL *

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Book SynopsisGerry Smyth has gathered together myths and folktales from cultures around the world – Native American, Caribbean, Polynesian, Persian, Indian, Scandinavian and European.

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Book Synopsis“An autobiographical account of how a psychiatric nurse specialist became a folk medicine healer; this also explains the origins and practice of one of the oldest forms of medicine in the New World.″—Kirkus Praise for WOMAN WHO GLOWS IN THE DARK   “This is a book that we’ve been awaiting for years—one that unites the best medicine from the ancient past with the deepest needs of the contemporary heart and soul.”—Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Ph.D., author of Women Who Run with the Wolves, The Gift of Story, and Faithful Gardener   “Elena Avila’s book is a combination manual, memoir, and healing chant. I’m so glad these stories and secrets – which have been known orally by our culture for ages – are finally down on paper.” —Julia Alvarez, author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents   “Avila shatters myths about curanderismo and reminds us that it’s just as important today as it was centuries ago.”—The Austin Chronicle   “In this age of impersonal and technologic health care, Elena Avila’s book gives the reader permission to rely on what has all too often been forgotten. Her message—that healing cannot occur without the heart, instincts, wisdom, and compassion of the healer—is given with grace and simplicity.”—Barbara Dossey, R.N., M.S., HNC, FAAN, Director, Holistic Nursing Associates   “Truthful, often painful, always riveting, WOMAN WHO GLOWS IN THE DARK reveals how the practices of curanderismo can heal the soul sickness not addressed by Western medicine.”—Rudolfo Anaya, author of Bless Me, Ultima “Grounded in the earth, at home in both modern and indigenous medicine, Elena Avila is a true emissary of healing, casting a brilliant glow into the dark of all medicine that denies the soul. As a human, I cherish Elena’s light. As a psychiatrist, I welcome her insight.”—Judith Orloff, M.D., author of Second Sight and The Genius of Empathy   “Avila is entertaining and often humorous...Without climbing on a soapbox, [her] narrative demonstrates what’s missing from most American medical practices, and how many patients could be helped so much more than they are now.”—Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisThose magic words ‘Once upon a time’ have been spoken around the flickering flame of the turf fire by storytellers for thousands of years. In this book, author Tony Locke has gathered together the rich tapestry of stories that make up the folklore, myth and legend of County Mayo. This book will take you on a journey through the rugged landscape of the west coast of Ireland, to its holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, and across the foaming waters of Clew Bay. Here you will read of Gráinne Ní Mháille, the Pirate Queen, the spectre known as the Fír Gorta who roamed the famine villages of west Mayo, the monsters that inhabit the deep waters of Lough Mask and the Matchstick Man of Straide. You will also read of the Love Flower and two young lovers, the land of eternal youth that is Tír na nÓg and the night of the Big Wind. So why not pull up a chair and sit awhile? You know you’re never too old for a story.

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Book SynopsisRevealing the Green Man is designed to impart a practical revelation of a deep and ancient mystery through actual archaeological and historic case studies which point to personal intellectual and spiritual enlightenment affecting everyone alive today. The book is not just a lazy stroll through entertaining stories of some lost mystery cult, but a resurrection of a long and ancient religion as old as time itself which is now challenging us to care for our environment here in the modern world. The Green Man proves himself to be a great deal more than a cute chubby face peering at us through a veil of leaves, rather he could be said to be a true representation of the very essence of life itself.

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Book SynopsisThe fairy tales collected by the brothers Grimm are among the best known and most widely-read stories in western literature. In recent years commentators such as Bruno Bettelheim have, usually from a psychological perspective, pondered the underlying meaning of the stories, why children are so enthralled by them, and what effect they have on the developing child. In this book, Ronald Murphy takes five of the best-known tales (Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty) and shows that the Grimms saw them as Christian fables. Murphy examines the arguments of previous interpreters of the tales, and demonstrates how they missed the Grimms'' intention. His own readings of the five so-called magical tales reveal them as the beautiful and inspiring documents of faith that the Grimms meant them to be. Offering an entirely new perspective on these often-analyzed tales, Murphy''s book will appeal to those concerned with the moral and religious educatioTrade ReviewMurphy had done the Brothers Grimm a great service ... But he has done more than that. He has brought home to us the essentially hospitable nature of the stories ... admirable. The TabletMurphy has added several dazzling layers of meaning to the tales. * First Things *

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