Here, in all their wonder and splendor, are the Mythologies of Mankind.. from pre-biblical Egypt and pre-Homeric Greece to the farthest researches of Africa, the Orient, the Pacific and the Americas.. all gathered into one mammoth volume of unprecedented scope and beauty, and illustrated with an incomparable scope and beauty, and illustrated with an incomparable assemblage of authentic paintings, sculpture, symbols, idols, ritual and sacrificial objects,...

"Monsters, ghosts, fantastic beings, and supernatural phenomena of all sorts haunt the folklore and popular culture of Japan. Broadly labeled 'yokai, ' these creatures come in infinite shapes and sizes, from tengu mountain goblins and kappa water spirits to shape-shifting foxes and long-tongued ceiling-lickers. Currently popular in anime, manga, film, and computer games, many yokai originated in local legends, folktales, and regional ghost stories....

The primitive roots of the mythology of the world are examined in the light of the most recent discoveries in archaeology, anthropology, and psychology.

Alexander Eliot retells the age-old myths with a directness and vividness that retain their full power. Here in words and images myths from around the world are woven together into a brilliant tapestry of gods and heroes, monsters and mythic beasts, spectacular and ignominious exploits.