Overview

Building on the best-selling tradition of previous editions, The World of Myth, Fourth Edition, offers a uniquely comprehensive collection of myths from numerous cultures around the globe. Featuring a thematic organization, it helps students understand world mythology as a metaphor for humanity's search for meaning in a complex world. Author David Leeming provides a sweeping anthology of myths, ranging from ancient Egypt and Greece to the Polynesian islands and modern science. Students will be captivated by stories of great floods from the ancient Babylonians, Hebrews, Chinese, and Mayans; tales of apocalypse from India, the Norse, Christianity, and modern science; and myths of the mother goddess from Native American Hopi culture and James Lovelock's Gaia. Leeming has culled myths from Aztec, Greek, African, Australian Aboriginal, Caribbean, Japanese, Muslim, Hittite, Celtic, Chinese, and Persian cultures, offering one of the most wide-ranging collections of what he calls the ""collective dreams of humanity.""

Full Product Details

9780197685150

Table of Contents

Reviews

"""World of Myth is a broad, inclusive survey of world myth in primary source materials that leaves room for rich small group conversations and stimulating creative writing assignments."" - Michael Bobo, Norco College ""The intro essays to each section are thought provoking and offer valuable insights into the study of myth -- they are why I, and my students, love the book. The selections of world myth are comprehensive and interesting, facilitating study of worldwide myths and their cultural relationship."" - Julie Keenan, Harrisburg Area Community College"

Author Information

David Leeming is Emeritus Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of Connecticut. He is the author or editor of numerous books on world mythology, including The Oxford Companion to World Mythology (2009).

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available