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....

"Most people have heard of the Celts--the elusive, ancient tribal people who resided in present-day England, Ireland, Scotland and France. Paradoxically characterized as both barbaric and innocent, the Celts appeal to the modern world as a symbol of a bygone era, a world destroyed by the ambition of empire and the spread of Christianity throughout Western Europe. Despite the pervasive cultural and literary influence of the Celts, shockingly little...

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.