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The Myths of the New World's full title describes it as.. a treatise on the Symbolism and Mythology of the Red Race of America, an attempt to analyse and correlate scientifically, the mythology of the American Indians. Note: Brinton advocated theories of scientific racism that were pervasive at that time. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia)...

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Myths/Legends

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Donald Alexander Mackenzie (1873 – March 2, 1936) was a Scottish journalist and prolific writer on religion, mythology and anthropology in the early 20th century. His works included Indian Myth and Legend, Celtic Folklore and Myths of China and Japan. As well as writing books, articles and poems, he often gave lectures, and also broadcast talks on Celtic mythology. This volume deals with the myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria, and as these reflect the civilization in which they developed, a historical narrative has been provided, beginning with the early Sumerian Age and concluding with the periods of the Persian and Grecian Empires. Over thirty centuries of human progress are thus passed under review. (Summary extracted from Wikipedia and the Preface of this book)...

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Myths/Legends

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Thomas Bulfinch (July 15, 1796 - May 27, 1867) explains the his work is an attempt tell the stories of mythology in such a manner as to make them a source of amusement. We have endeavored to tell them correctly, according to the ancient authorities, so that when the reader finds them referred to he may not be at a loss to recognize the reference. Thus we hope to teach mythology not as a study, but as a relaxation from study; to give our work the charm of a story-book, yet by means of it to impart a knowledge of an important branch of education. The Bulfinch version of myth, presents the myths in their literary versions, without unnecessary violence, sex, psychology or ethnographic information. The Bulfinch myths are an indispensable guide to the cultural values of the American 19th century. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Myths/Legends

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Bulfinch (July 15, 1796 - May 27, 1867) explains the his work is an attempt tell the stories of mythology in such a manner as to make them a source of amusement. We have endeavored to tell them correctly, according to the ancient authorities, so that when the reader finds them referred to he may not be at a loss to recognize the reference. Thus we hope to teach mythology not as a study, but as a relaxation from study; to give our work the charm of a story-book, yet by means of it to impart a knowledge of an important branch of education. The Bulfinch version of myth presents the myths in their literary versions, without unnecessary violence, sex, psychology or ethnographic information. The Bulfinch myths are an indispensable guide to the cultural values of the American 19th century. (Summary from Wikipedia) This is the third of Bulfinch's series of three mythologies. recordings of the first two books are at: /bulfinch-age-of-fable/ The Age of Fable /age-of-chivalry-by-bulfinch/ The Age of Chivalry...

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Myths/Legends

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The Mabinogion is a collection of eleven prose stories collated from medieval Welsh manuscripts. The tales draw on pre-Christian Celtic mythology, international folktale motifs, and early medieval historical traditions. While some details may hark back to older Iron Age traditions, each of these tales is the product of a highly developed Welsh narrative tradition, both oral and written. Lady Charlotte Guest in the mid 19th century was the first to publish English translations of the collection. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Ancient Texts, Myths/Legends

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This is a collection of stories collected over thousands of years by various authors, translators and scholars. They are an amalgam of mythology and folk tales from the Indian sub-continent, Persia, and Arabia. No original manuscript has ever been found, but several versions date the collection’s genesis to somewhere between AD 800-900. The stories are wound together under the device of a long series of cliff-hangers told by Shahrazad to her husband Shahryar, to prevent him from executing her. Many tales that have become independently famous come from the Book, among them Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and the voyages of Sinbad the Sailor. This collection comes from the first of sixteen volumes translated by Richard Francis Burton. The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 01 )...

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Fairy tales, Myths/Legends

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Balder Dead is a beautiful epic poem by Matthew Arnold. It draws from Norse mythology to retell the story of the the death of Odin's son, Balder, instigated by the treacherous jealousy of Loki. (Summary by Nathan)...

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Poetry, Myths/Legends

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In writing her 'Drama of Exile', Barrett's subject was 'the new and strange experience of the fallen humanity, as it went forth from Paradise into the wilderness'. The bizarre, lyrical scenes that follow powerfully describe the grief and guilt of Eve, the sorrowful pride of Lucifer, and the redeeming power of love. (summary by Patrick Beverley, quotation from the preface)...

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Literature, Myths/Legends, Play, Poetry, Religion

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Bulfinch’s Mythology, first published in 1855, is one of the most popular collections of mythology of all time. It consists of three volumes: The Age of Fable, The Age of Chivalry, and Legends of Charlemagne. This is a recording of the tenth edition of the first volume, The Age of Fable. It contains many Greek and Roman myths, including simplified versions of The Iliad and The Odyssey, as well as a selection of Norse and “eastern” myths. Thomas Bulfinch’s goal was to make the ancient myths accessible to a wide audience, and so it is suitable for children. (Summary by Kathleen Gatliffe aka TetoYasha)...

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Religion, Myths/Legends

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The Legends of Genesis is the English translation of the introduction to Gunkel’s massive commentary, Genesis . Gunkel uses form critical analysis on the text of Genesis to determine the various genres of the biblical legends and their significance to the authors. Gunkel also uses form criticism to uncover buried clues as to the constituent sources of the text. Gunkel offers his hypothesis to explain how the various sources came to be combined and redacted, and how the text later came to be attributed to Moses. (Summary by JoeD)...

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History, Myths/Legends, Religion

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The full title of this book is Immortality and the Unseen World - A Study in Old Testament Religion . Oesterley describes the beliefs that pre-Christian Hebrews and Semites held regarding the afterlife and the immortal nature of humans. The nature, form and evolution of these beliefs are derived from the Tanakh (Old Testament), comparisons with the beliefs and mythologies of neighboring cultures, and archeological finds. To develop a full study, additional beliefs of these people are also considered, including the beliefs of the constituent parts of humans; demonology, angelology, shades and the Satan; the home of the dead, ancestor worship, necromancy, and burial customs. Oesterley also hypothesizes on how primitive beliefs in immortality may have developed in pre-Christian times. (Summary by JoeD)...

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History, Myths/Legends, Religion

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All mythology and/or Hawthorne lovers unite! Here is a delightful collection of charming stories from Greek Mythology. This collection features some very popular characters like our beloved Jason, Ulysses, King Pluto and Theseus (and of course, our favorite, Mr. Minotaur, too). Written in Hawthorne's interesting and beautiful style, these stories will be a great delight to read AND listen to. (Summary by Neeru Iyer)...

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Myths/Legends, Children

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The Angels of Mons is a popular legend about a group of angels who supposedly protected members of the British army in the Battle of Mons at the outset of World War I. The story is fictitious, developed through a combination of a patriotic short story by Arthur Machen, rumours, mass hysteria and urban legend, claimed visions after the battle and also possibly deliberately seeded propaganda....

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Myths/Legends, War stories, Religion

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Atlantis: The Antediluvian World is a book published during 1882 by Minnesota populist politician Ignatius L. Donnelly, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during 1831. Donnelly considered Plato's account of Atlantis as largely factual and attempted to establish that all known ancient civilizations were descended from this supposed lost land. Many of its theories are the source of many modern-day concepts we have about Atlantis, like the civilization and technology beyond its time, the origins of all present races and civilizations, a civil war between good and evil, etc....

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History, Myths/Legends, Religion

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Most of the tales have some basis in history. It is an oral language so all histories have to be remembered and retold. To help with this memory retelling the carvings all have relative information and prompts, stories of Atua (sort of gods) and other people (pakeha) that have been encountered are all blended into the stories. One of the amazing things to listen to is a person's whakapapa (family line). My son's father can tell his whakapapa right back to first landing in the canoe Aotea. It takes hours with the stories of battles, moving and resettling and then the invasion of British soldiers and settlers. Those pale fairies in one of the recent stories would most probably have been Malaysian or Portugese fishermen/explorers. The Tikanga (way to behave/live) is quite strict and the stories support keeping people in line. This strictness is a kind of policing I think because it doesn't matter what time in history or what country, human nature doesn't change. There are greedy, silly, great and strong leaders and followers throughout time. A Taniwha is often found in a tapu (sacred or restricted place) That might be a dangerous bend ...

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Children, Myths/Legends, Fairy tales