Product Description
A comprehensive and accessible survey of one of the world's richest mythological traditions. It covers the people, themes, concepts, places, and creatures of Celtic mythology, saga, legend, and folklore from both ancient and modern traditions, in 4,000 entries ranging from brief definitions to short essays. An introductory essay explores theorigins and identity of Celts, the history of the Celtic revival, and the meaning and role of mythology. An excellent source for those curious about the mystical myths of the Celts.Amazon.com Review
The full richness of Celtic mythology, with legends, sagas,and folklore, with traditions, places, and personalities, are nowevocatively yet concisely conveyed in James MacKillop'sdictionary. The 4,000 entries include brief descriptions (such as theshort explanation of Arthen, the bear-and-river god of early Wales) aswell as extended stories of bloody vengeance (following actual orsupposed treachery), romantic love, and frequent adultery, plus talesof mysterious monsters on lonely hillocks. From Deirdre andCúchulainn to leprechauns, from Galahad, cauldrons, andarchaeology to druids, MacKillop provides an impressive amount of loreand research in a reliable, browsable, and enjoyabledictionary. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Must-Have for Celt-o-philes and Celtic-leaning Wiccans and Pagans!
So you listen to Loreena MacKennitt and love you a good Celtic knot. You know vaguely that Brigid is a Christian saint who started as an Irish goddess, and that Taliesin had something to do with bards. If you want to learn more, pick up this book. Sure it's a dictionary, but if you have a couple hours, you could read it cover to cover and come away with more colorful stories of heros and gods and beasts than you ever could have imagined. For being a reference book, it reads as well as most short story compendiums. Informative and a fun read!

awesome dictionary of celtic icons
My copy of this tremendously helpful book is completely dog-eared.Interestingly enough, I bought the book not because of my interest in Celtic and Druidic studies, but because I play an online multiplayer game called Dark Age of Camelot.As I was playing I noticed a couple of "mobs" (monsters) which seemed curiously in tune with their natural meanings.I work at a bookstore and picked this book up on my break to look up a few more of the mobs and found them all in there.Over time, I found that the game was startling on target with mobs, non-player characters and mythic storyline.

I have since used it for a number of other Celtic "look ups" and just love having this book handy.It is nearly indespensible in my mind.

Great in some area, but very imbalanced overall
This book is wonderfully useful for Irish and Welsh mythology. Irish and Welsh entries are generally quite comprehensive and individually mostly of a high quality.

The major flaw, and it is quite a major one, is the horrific dearth of Scottish and Breton entries, which appear quite randomly and often are only of very low quality. So for instance, Irish "kings" of minor historical or mythological importance occur in abundance, yet figures such as Macbeth, Malcolm II and Malcolm III are totally unaccounted for. Dublin has a huge entry, Glasgow has no entry (although admittedly St. Kentigern does). There may be entries for Goidel Glas and Scota, of supreme importance in medieval Scottish origin myth, but nothing is said of them in relation to Scotland or in how they were used there. Every half-significant Irish geographical feature has an entry, yet a location like Scone has nothing. Likewise, there are no entries for the "Prophecy of Berchan" or the "De Situ Albanie." I could go on and on.

Useful but flawed
Quite frankly, if this is the best reference work on Celtic legends and culture, this only goes to show how very bad the rest are.Other reviewers have pointed out the irrelevant English items and very bad etymology; I would like to add that the book is infuriatingly uneven in its references.Some I have been able to track down; other entries have no origin listed at all, which has resulted, in one case, in a desperate and completely unavailing trawl through EVERY TITLE in the Brittany bibliography - and that for a reference which is absolutely fundamental to my research.I know this particular character and folk-tale exist; they must, because other facts I encountered confirm that they must; but because Mr. MacKillop has not given his source for his description, I am unable to proceed.And that is not the only case in which the entries let me down.It is pointless to write a reference dictionary if you are not going to give references!

Mostly Good
There is much in this book that is useful about Celtic folklore and mythology. However, the etymologies are usually incorrect. This may not matter to some. It does to me.

The back cover claims that this book has "authoritative...etymologies for Celtic names..." when they are in fact neither authoritative nor correct.

For example, MacKillop gives for the entry Deva an etymology from Latin meaning goddess "[L. goddess]." However, the Latin for Goddess is _diva_ not _deva_. The word _Deva_ is transparently Brittonic from (Proto)-Celtic *_deiwa_.

Especially annoying for me is the etymology of English words used as headings, which are out of place in a Dictionary of Celtic Mythology (I believe).

So, while the entry for "Stag" is indeed useful, giving the etymology of 'Stag' from "[OE stagga]," (while at least correct in this instance), is just absurd.

As for careerist motivations and cut and past "druidical" names: ...

Lastly, my motivations were not careerist, but one of informing others. A book that claims to be authoritative in Celtic etymologies, I belive ought to live up to that claim. Unfortunately, this one doesn't, and others should be aware of that. ... Read more

Product Description
Anthropology and theory of myths and myth-making.According to Wikipedia: "Andrew Lang (March 31, 1844, Selkirk - July 20, 1912, Banchory, Kincardineshire) was a prolific Scots man of letters. He was a poet, novelist, and literary critic, and contributor to anthropology. He now is best known as the collector of folk and fairy tales." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not Exactly the Blue Fairy Book
If you're only familiar with Andrew Lang from the [color] fairy books and are hoping for a book of tales, this isn't that.

What it is is a scholarly position paper in a then-current debate over the nature and origin of mythology. Andrew Lang is attempting to refute the theories of Max Muller, who argued that mythology was "a disease of language." This book is Andrew Lang's refutation of that theory and endorsement of the countervailing theory that mythology is a survival from the misperceptions and reflexive animism of primitive peoples.

I can only imagine this text being of interest to those who are truly *dedicated* to the study of comparative mythology. ... Read more

Product Description
For lovers of music and poetry the legendary figure of Orpheus probably suggests a romantic ideal. But for the Renaissance he is essentially a political figure. Dealing with plays, poems, songs, and the iconography of musical instruments, Robin Headlam Wells reexamines the myth, central to the Orpheus story, of the civilizing power of music and poetry. In doing so he acknowledges a debt to the New Historicism and its recovery of political meanings that traditional historical scholarship has sometimes been guilty of obscuring. But he is also critical of certain faulty premises in New Historicist criticism that have led to some radical misinterpretations of the period. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Rambling but informative
In Secret Agent 666 the author engages in massive speculation, rambles from one item to another, one year to another, one place to another, one topic to another, yet despite all this I would still recommend it. Why?

Despite the speculations, useful names and data are given that provide an excellent review of what was happening in the pre-WWI era into the 1940's. The author paints a lurid tale of intrigue and depravity with Aleister Crowley as its epicenter.

It becomes clear that the various British intelligence agencies were deeply involved not only in pre-WWI Germany and Russia, but also deeply imbedded in these United States, sniffing out information and seeking to influence American opinion. The Brits were trying, by any means possible, honest or dishonest, to get the U.S. into the war against Germany.

Crowley figured into that scenario as a secret agent for the Brits, under the cover of occultism. It is well known, as he has become somewhat of a cult figure these days, that Aleister Crowley was influential in the occult movements of the early 20th century, when interest in such things was at a peak in the U.S., Europe, and Russia.

It is also commonly known that Crowley's personal life was one of sexual depravity and drug addiction. His rituals included on-stage sodomy. Yet, despite his personal shortcomings, the British government found his abilities useful. Crowley's contacts among the wealthy and powerful all over the West were significant.

Now, to one more essential point that most reviewers will not touch on: Crowley was involved with several movements that might be placed under the general heading of "Rosicrucian." At the start of the 21st century, when interest in occult and mystical matters is rising phenomenally again, many sincere seekers will look at the personal life and habits of Crowley, the heroin addict wheeler-dealer, and wonder how such a man could be so high up in anything Rosicrucian. Here is the answer:

An ancient, mystical, noble, and lofty tradition--namely Rosicrucianism--was infiltrated by the likes of Crowley, for all the wrong reasons. Here was a man whose primary goals were personal pleasure, money, power, and influence at any cost. A novice in the subject, sincere but unlearned, could easily be turned off towards mysticism and Rosicrucianism when learning of the involvement of someone like Crowley.

Such seekers are cautioned to remember that the British government at that time was purposely infiltrating so-called "secret societies" because many influential scholars, artists, politicians, noblemen, and even royals were themselves involved in mystical societies and Rosicrucianism, in its various manifestations. The Brits' goal was information at any price.

Crowley, using occult societies as his cover, did spy work far and wide for decades. Be assured, this man is NOT to be taken as a true representative of Rosicrucianism, and in many occult circles, even at the time, was considered a Black Magician. Some, more recently, have speculated that Crowley personally influenced Adolph Hitler, but this author tells us that Hitler rebuffed or ignored any overtures from him.

Again, I recommend the reading of this book, but realize the multitudinous speculations for what they are, and realize Crowley for what he really was.

Regarding Crowley, this book is 90% inference and 10% fact
As stated in the title, the vast majority of this book presents information that is only inferred about Crowley's intelligence work for the British.Although the author has obviously done a great amount of research, he weakens his position by constantly inserting Crowley into situations where little or no evidence supports his presence.For example, there are dozens of examples in the book where the author writes something along the lines of "Did Crowley do ______?", or "Perhaps ________ was Crowley's doing?"

Overall, this book reads more like a history of British intelligence throughout the WWI and WWII with information about Crowley added in for flavor.The research is extensive, but the author's insistence upon inserting Crowley into every scheme and secret intelligence action becomes inane and lessens the book's overall appeal.Additionally, dozens of typographical errors plague the book, leading me to believe that production was rushed.

What Didn't This Guy Do?
First of all, I had no idea Aleister Crowley did anything more than create a popular deck of tarot cards.Whew!I had no idea that was so far down the list with this guy.

The writing style makes this book more like a textbook.Sometimes it is hard keeping track of all the characters introduced into the mix.Although it is dry, it is still well written, and the author did a lot of research to come up with all the information and references to corroborate events.

There are just too many coincidences and strange occurrences to deny that Crowley was in some manner involved with British Intelligence.What is more interesting is the people who crossed his path. The people who are connected to AC or his occult organization reads like a "lifestyles of the rich and famous" for that period...Aldous Huxley, Ian Fleming, L Ron Hubbard, etc.

The book also shows the connections between all the intelligence communities and the Freemasons and other mystery schools of the occult.With all the Freemasons in positions of worldwide power and politics, it would seem to be a perfect cover for passing confidential information among spies.

Definitely worth reading.

What research doesn't find
I quite enjoyed this book. In a world where we are six degrees separate from anybody else, it seems that Aleister Crowley had first and second hand experience of pretty well everybody who was moving and shaking both world wars! In a world that is saturated with speculation and axes to grind on the Crowley Conundrum, Mr. Spence has done an amazing job of connecting the dots - albeit largely 'created' out of possibility and probability. It is not his fault of course, by his own account he does, "rely more on circumstantial evidence and informed speculation" than he would like, due to the tampering, withholding and loss of established records.

While I applaud his attempts to release Crowley from the sensationalist, satanic shadows that many of his biographers have cast him in, I find it a bit rich, in a book like this, that he condemn another writer's interpretation of 'the facts' as "pure fantasy", for example:

"(Amado Crowley's claim that the Beast used this 1897 sojourn to meet with the later-to-be-notorious Grigori Rasputin is pure fantasy. Rasputin was then busy siring in far-off Siberia." In a time where people are highly mobile between Europe and the U.S. Tibet and China, is it all that inconceivable that Rasputin could not take time off from fathering children to visit Crowley in St. Petersburg? Spence then goes on to quote from Amado Crowley's Secrets when it suits him as he also chooses to do so from sources as wide asyahoo.com message.

I think this book is a valuable compendium to weigh up what has already been written about Crowley,and it makes you wonder how some arrive at the conclusions they do - but the question still has to be asked, 'how objective' even is a 'researcher' from their own biases, even taking into account the valiant effort from such limited resources?

agree with the rest..
this particular book is full of facts and backed by evidence.the man does his research!! ... Read more

Product Description
"Most say there are no dragons" - but this has never stopped poets, artists, story-tellers and musicians from exploiting the fascination these mythical beasts exert on the human imagination. Jacqueline Simpson gathers and examines the material to be found in folk tales in England, Scotland and Wales, together with folk customs using the dragon. In addition there is a brief general history of dragons. This book brings together the various mythic forms of the dragon as treasure guardian, voracious beast to be killed, the luck-giving snake and many others. All of these are drawn from the rich dragon folklore tradition of Britain including the Dragon of Wantley, the Lambton Worm and the Muckle Mester Stoor Worm. A full appendix and a gazetteer of places with dragon legends and a full listing of dates relevant to British dragon lore accompany this revised edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

LAMBTON WORM, MUCKLE MESTER STOOR WORM & OTHER DRAGONS FROM ACROSS THE POND
From the cover:This book brings together the various mythic forms of the dragon as treasure guardian, voracious beast to be killed, the luck-giving snake and many others.All are drawn from the rich dragon folklore tradition of Britain including the Dragon of Wantley, the Lambton Worm and the Muckle Mester Stoor Worm.A full appendix and gazetteer of places with dragon legends and a full listing of dates relevant to British dragon lore accompany this revised edition.Also includes a history of dragons from England, Scotland and Wales. ... Read more

Product Description
Reminiscent in theme and style to his Whitbread Award-winning Hopeful Monsters, Nicholas Mosley's The Hesperides Tree tells of a young man frustrated by the inability of his two chosen courses of study--biology and literature--to adequately define the world. Baffled by several life-shaping coincidences that seem to be part of life itself, he embarks on a physical and intellectual journey in search of a girl he fell in love with years earlier. This journey leads him to a desertedisland off the coast of Ireland and, perhaps, to the mythical Garden of the Hesperides, home of the Tree of Life. ... Read more