The New Book of Goddesses & Heroines
In the introduction to this third edition of her useful encyclopedia, Monaghan (Magical Gardens: Myth, Mulch & Marigolds, Llewellyn. 1997) offers a chronicle of changes in technology and research methodology that librarians will appreciate. The encyclopedia opens with an excellent essay entitled "Cultures of the Goddess" that discusses the myths, legends, and goddess worship of every civilization. Clear, well written, and informative, the entries that follow are longer than dictionary entries and shorter than encyclopedia entries. In addition, there are more than 50 photographs of statues, vases, and other artifacts. The book concludes with an excellent index of goddesses arranged by attributions (e.g., love, death, weather, and insects), an index that provides variant names, and a listing of feast days. The result is an exceptionally fine reference work that is both readable and well arranged. Highly recommended for public, school, and college libraries.?Gail Wood, SUNY Coll. of Technology Lib., AlfredCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.