African Myths of Origin

African Myths of Origin PDF Author: Stephen Belcher
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 0141935316
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 552

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Book Description
Gathering a wide range of traditional African myths, this compelling new collection offers tales of heroes battling mighty serpents and monstrous birds, brutal family conflict and vengeance, and desperate migrations across vast and alien lands. From impassioned descriptions of animal-creators to dramatic stories of communities forced to flee monstrous crocodiles, all the narratives found here concern origins - whether of the universe, peoples or families. Together, they create a kaleidoscopic picture of the rich and varied oral traditions that have shaped the culture and society of successive generations of Africans for thousands of years, throughout the long struggle to survive and explore this massive and environmentally diverse continent.

African Myths of Origin

African Myths of Origin PDF Author: Stephen Belcher
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 0141935316
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 552

Get Book Here

Book Description
Gathering a wide range of traditional African myths, this compelling new collection offers tales of heroes battling mighty serpents and monstrous birds, brutal family conflict and vengeance, and desperate migrations across vast and alien lands. From impassioned descriptions of animal-creators to dramatic stories of communities forced to flee monstrous crocodiles, all the narratives found here concern origins - whether of the universe, peoples or families. Together, they create a kaleidoscopic picture of the rich and varied oral traditions that have shaped the culture and society of successive generations of Africans for thousands of years, throughout the long struggle to survive and explore this massive and environmentally diverse continent.

The Origins of the World's Mythologies

The Origins of the World's Mythologies PDF Author: Michael Witzel
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199812853
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 688

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Book Description
Michael Witzel persuasively demonstrates the prehistoric origins of most of the mythologies of Eurasia and the Americas ('Laurasia').

Origins of the Specious

Origins of the Specious PDF Author: Patricia T. O'Conner
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN: 0812978102
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 290

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Book Description
Do you cringe when a talking head pronounces “niche” as NITCH? Do you get bent out of shape when your teenager begins a sentence with “and”? Do you think British spellings are more “civilised” than the American versions? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you’re myth-informed. In Origins of the Specious, word mavens Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman reveal why some of grammar’s best-known “rules” aren’t—and never were—rules at all. This playfully witty, rigorously researched book sets the record straight about bogus word origins, politically correct fictions, phony français, fake acronyms, and more. Here are some shockers: “They” was once commonly used for both singular and plural, much the way “you” is today. And an eighteenth-century female grammarian, of all people, is largely responsible for the all-purpose “he.” From the Queen’s English to street slang, this eye-opening romp will be the toast of grammarphiles and the salvation of grammarphobes. Take our word for it.

A Dictionary of Creation Myths

A Dictionary of Creation Myths PDF Author: David Adams Leeming
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780195102758
Category : Creation
Languages : en
Pages : 342

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Book Description


The Origin of Life and Death

The Origin of Life and Death PDF Author: Ulli Beier
Publisher: East African Publishers
ISBN: 9780435900236
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 82

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Book Description
This is a collection of creation myths from West, East, Central and North Africa.

Myths of the Origin of Fire

Myths of the Origin of Fire PDF Author: Sir James G. Frazer
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136852220
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 197

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Book Description
Sir James G. Frazer (1854-1941) is famous as the author of The Golden Bough, but his work ranged widely across classics, cultural history, folklore and literary criticism as well as anthropology. A Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, for 62 years, Sir James G. Frazer devoted his life to research. This volume was first published in 1930.

A Brief Guide to the Greek Myths

A Brief Guide to the Greek Myths PDF Author: Stephen P. Kershaw
Publisher: Robinson
ISBN: 1472107543
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 228

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Book Description
The book leads the reader through these vibrant stories, from the origins of the gods through to the homecomings of the Trojan heroes. All the familiar narratives are here, along with some less familiar characters and motifs. In addition to the tales, the book explains key issues arising from the narratives, and discusses the myths and their wider relevance. This long-overdue book crystallises three key areas of interest: the nature of the tales; the stories themselves; and how they have and might be interpreted. For the first time, it brings together aspects of Greek mythology only usually available in disparate forms - namely children's books and academic works. There will be much here that is interesting, surprising, and strange as well as familiar. Experts and non-experts, adults, students and schoolchildren alike will gain entertainment and insight from this fascinating and important volume.

Myths of Creation

Myths of Creation PDF Author: Philip Freund
Publisher: Peter Owen Publishers
ISBN: 0720618053
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 293

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Book Description
An exploration of mythology, religious belief, and scientific theory on the origins of the universe. A classic study of mythology, this examination investigates stories from all continents and ages—with all their startling similarities and contrasts—to reveal the workings of the human mind and imagination. Philip Freund provides revealing insight into the universality of ideas and faith by examining a wide range of texts such as the Old Testament, the Upanishads, and Gilgamesh in his search for parallels between creation fables. The analysis estimates, for example, that more than 500 flood legends have been told by more than 250 tribes and peoples from around the world. Also featured are clear presentations of the theories of towering figures such as Freud, Jung, Frazer, Campbell, and Malinowski who have proposed variously that myths are primitive history based on literal fact, a means of expressing profound tribal wisdom and psychological and sexual truth, or that they represent a search for kinship with the animal and vegetable world. Fascinating and erudite, this revered book ranks among the select handful of core texts in any mythology collection.

The Origin Myths and Holy Places in the Old Testament

The Origin Myths and Holy Places in the Old Testament PDF Author: Lukasz Niesiolowski-Spano
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134938373
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
'Origin Myths and Holy Places in the Old Testament' examines the biblical narratives which describe the origins of holy places. It argues for the Hellenistic origin or redaction of most of these narratives. Three central questions are addressed: are there common features in biblical accounts about the foundation of places of worship; are there elements in the aetiological stories that reveal the 'real' mythology/rituals of the sanctuary; what were the circumstances of the creation of such narratives?

The E.T. Chronicles

The E.T. Chronicles PDF Author: Rita Louise
Publisher: Hampton Roads Publishing
ISBN: 1612833314
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
The E.T. Chronicles is a startling and comprehensive examination of ancient myths and legends that describe extraterrestrial visitors and their encounters with humanity since the dawn of time. Organized into a chronology that starts with "in the beginning" and ends with the advent of civilization, it brings together myths from many cultures (including the Sumerians, the Greek, the Maya and the Aborigines of Australia) and explores them in the context of current scientific discoveries. The result is a mind-blowing re-visioning of human origins through close reading of ancient texts relating to: • creation• gods and goddesses• heaven• the gods and their toys (space ships or chariots?)• the quest for immortality Could it be that those ancient stories of the gods were more than just the product of someone's fanciful imagination? Is it possible that the writers, chroniclers, and scribes of our distant past actually record an accurate view of our origin? Could it be that we are really children of the stars?