Oxford Companion to World Mythology

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.


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