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Mythology

Tales' category of mythology contains some of the oldest written texts in history. The mythology books will take you on adventurous journeys through ancient worlds of brave heroes and great gods of the past. Our collection covers myth from all around the world. You can find stories about the Vikings’ Norse gods and sorceresses, but you can also dive into the legendary and heroic tales of Ancient Greece. You can also get wiser on Ancient Egypt and it’s gods and pharaohs. Finally you will find mythology books about Ancient Japan with descriptions of its traditions and customs. Get ready to be inspired by the stories of the past.
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  • by Adam Alexander Haviaras
    £27.49

  • by God Studios & Cyrus A. Parsa
    £16.49

  • by Kim Malaj
    £17.49

    Elis learns the dreams he's been sketching for months are visions of a near future. He's confronted with his greatest challenge since losing his mother. His task is simple, retrieve the urtar stone. His obstacles, monumental.

  • by Theodora Goss
    £21.49 - 33.49

  • by Lady Augusta Gregory
    £15.49

    Originally published in 1902 as Cuchulain of Muirthemne.

  • by Murtaza Syed
    £9.49

  • by Rosie Cranie-Higgs
    £15.99 - 23.49

  • by Various
    £19.99

    This volume features a series of historical and informative publications delving into the dark and mysterious subject of demonology.Intended to guide readers in the historical context of demonology and the myths surrounding the subject, this volume is an illustrative resource of information and knowledge.Featured articles in 'Demonology' include:- 'Obsession and Possession of the Devil' by Augustine Calmet- 'Demons' by Charles Wyllys Elliott- 'Spiritualism and Demonology' by Rev. A. B. Morrison

  • by John Rhys
    £14.99

    A historical collection of the many wonderful folk tales from the Isle of Man.First published in 1901, John Rhys recorded these fascinating folk tales from the Isle of Man, featuring many ancient superstitions and traditional customs. Explore this captivating corner of Celtic legend within this volume.

  • by William Elsey Connelley
    £17.99

    A collection of myths and legends from the Wyandot Iroquoian Indigenous peoples of Lake Ontario, North America. First published in 1899, this collection of Wyandot folklore and legends was collected from the Iroquoian Indigenous peoples who are a union of tribes from the northern shore of Lake Ontario. The author, William Elsey Connelley, moved to Wyandotte County, Kansas, in 1880. This volume features the following chapters:- Historical Review- Notes on the History of the Wyandots- The Myths- The Stories

  • by Various
    £23.49

    An eclectic volume on the history of the supernatural in Britain and Ireland. Illustrating detailed aspects of mysticism and sorcery, this volume is a carefully curated collection of articles containing information on demons, witches, and spirits in the history of the British Isles and Ireland. The contents of this volume feature:- Elizabethan Demonology: Thomas Alfred Spalding- Scottish Demonology and Witchcraft- The Spirit World of Wales- Irish Witchcraft and Demonology: St. John D. Seymour

  • by Moncure Daniel Conway
    £35.49

    Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

  • by Lady Wilde
    £28.99

    This antiquarian text deals with the mythology of the Irish race. It contains information on their mystical superstitions that are thousands of years old, but still influence the daily life of many. This fascinating and insightful book will appeal to those with a penchant for mysticism and fairy-folk, and is a veritable must-read for those with a serious interest in Irish mythology. The chapters of this text include: 'Rathlin Island', 'The Strange Guests', 'The Dead Soldier', 'The Three Gifts', 'The Fairies as Fallen Angels', 'The Fairy Changeling', 'Fairy Wiles', 'Shaun-Mor', 'The Save Fairies', 'The Tuatha-De-Danann', 'Edain the Queen', 'The Royal Steed', 'Evil Spells', etcetera. We are republishing this antiquarian text now in an affordable, modern edition, complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.

  • by John Spence
    £17.99

    A collection of ancient and whimsical folklore tales from the Shetland Isles.First published in 1899, John Spence's collection of folk tales from Shetland explore many long-forgotten superstitious beliefs and stories of magical creatures that linger on in the minds of the islanders. From witches and giants to selkies, mermaids, and the tiny Trows who live in the hills, Shetland has a rich history of mythical beings.

  • by Walter Scott
    £15.99

    This insightful essay delves into old Scottish records to uncover the grisly truth behind the country's witch trials.First published in 1830, this short fascinating volume reveals the true extent of demonology and witchcraft in Scotland. Disclosing multiple tales that evidence supernatural presences, Walter Scott chronicles the eerie history of sorcery in his home country.

  • by Various
    £15.99

    This compact volume is a wealth of knowledge on Neapolitan witchcraft, with a primary focus on the folklore behind the Cimaruta. Delve into the mysticism of rural Southern Italy in the early 1900s and explore the many traditional superstitions and beliefs of Naples. This fascinating collection of notes features an oral transcript between the author and a practising witch. A perfect read for those who wish to learn more about the Italian folk amulet, the Cimaruta, which is worn to ward off the evil eye's curse.

  • by John Ewart Simpkins
    £15.99

    This insightful volume details the horrifying witchcraft trials that were conducted in Fife, Scotland, through the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries.Fife was the worst affected region of Scotland during the country's witch trials between the 1500s and 1700s. The volume is a fantastic insight into the horror of these trials in which an estimated 380 people were accused of practising sorcery. Most of these were women who were then subjected to torture and execution. Uncover the dark history of this ancient county and learn about the appalling history of witchcraft trials.

  • by Anon
    £17.99

    A collection of magic songs, spells, and charms in one of the largest published volumes of traditional Finnish folk music. First collected and published by Elias L¿nnrot in 1880 and later translated into English by John Abercromby and republished in 1896, Magic Songs of the Finns is a beautiful volume of forgotten wonder. Over 600 spells and charms from rural Finland are collected in this book to assist its reader in capturing the sound and passion of a very special culture. These songs were traditionally sung to ask for help from the spirits that the Finnish believed possessed all objects.

  • by Wilhelm Bleek
    £31.99

    This collection of myths, legends, and folk tales from the IXam Bushmen tribe of Southern Africa has been translated from their traditional language and collated in this volume. First published in 1911, these traditional tales from the IXam Bushmen were recorded and translated by Wilhelm Bleek and his sister-in-law. This volume is an important testament to the ancient tribe's beliefs, religion, and customs. This volume's contents feature:- Mythology, Fables, Legends, and Poetry - Sun and Moon - Animal Fables - History (Natural and Personal) - Animals and Their Habits - Personal History - Customs and Superstitions

  • by Gutch
    £17.99

    An exciting collection of Yorkshire folk tales, featuring stories of goblins, ghosts, fairies, and devils.First published in 1901, Mrs. Gutch's collection of magical tales is a wonderful read for those interested in Northern English folklore. Eliza Gutch was a founding member of the Folklore Society and she made many important contributions to the study of folklore in Yokshire and Lincolnshire.

  • by Alfred C. Haddon
    £15.99

    A collection of myths and legends from the Torres Straits that lie between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Alfred C. Haddon curated this mythology collection from the stories he was told by the Torres Straits islanders. The Indigenous Melanesian peoples are geographically and culturally divided into five distinct groups. This volume organises the islanders' legends by geographical order, beginning with the islands closest to New Guinea and progressing southward towards Muralug, the island closest to Cape York, Queensland. Legends of the Torres Straits was first published in 1870 and has been proudly republished by Read & Co. Books in the Folklore History series. This rich collection of mythology is not to be missed by those interested in the indigenous peoples of Australia.

  • by John Batchelor
    £14.99

    An insightful look into the culture, religion, and magic of the native people of Japan: the Ainu.John Batchelor gives a first-hand account of the Ainu people who are indigenous to the Northern Japanese island Hokkaido. Having been sent as a Christian missionary to the community, Batchelor details the Ainu religion and culture. He describes their animistic rituals and their belief that all things, including nature, animals, and objects, possess a godly spirit. First published in 1901. This volume features the following chapters: - The Nature of Witchcraft- The Use of the Fox and Bird's Skulls- External Methods of Bewitching

  • by James Napier
    £17.99

    Yule, Beltane, and Halloween Festivals explores ancient celebrations and feasts that ancient communities of people held in worship of their gods.James Napier shines light on long-forgotten rituals and beliefs in this exploration of ancient religion. First published in 1879, this volume is a fascinating investigation of the festivals and feasts that were held in worship of the sun. These prehistoric communities viewed the sun as the giver and vivifier of all life.

  • by Sean A. Adams, Catherine Hezser & Davina Grojnowski
    £88.99

    Davina Grojnowski examines Life, the autobiographical text written by ancient Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, from a literary studies perspective and in relation to genre theory. In order to generate a framework of literary practices, Josephus' Life and other texts within Josephus' literary spheres-all associated with autobiography-are the focus of a detailed literary analysis which compares the texts in terms of established features, such as structure, topoi and subject. This methodological examination enables a better understanding of the literary boundaries of autobiography in antiquity and illustrates Josephus' thought-process during the composition of Life. Grojnowski also offers a comparative study of autobiographical practices in Greek and Roman literature, demonstrating the value of passive education supplementing what had been taught actively and its impact on authors and audiences. As a result, she provides insight into the development of literary practices in reaction to various forms of education and subsequently reflects on the religious (self-) views of authors and audiences. Simultaneously, Grojnowski reacts to current discourses on ancient literary genres and demonstrates that ancient autobiography existed as a teachable literary genre in classical literature.

  • by Eduard Seler
    £14.99 - 25.49

  • by Wilhelm Wagner & M W Macdowall
    £20.49 - 27.99

  • by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
    £14.49 - 24.49

Mythology
Mythology is the foundation of many of today's stories, take for example the stories of King Arthur and Merlin, a well-known story that goes back to the celtic mythologies. It has fascinated many writers all around the world and with good reason. Myths take you on fascinating and sometimes even magical journeys and into the ancient worlds of the past. The mythologies build on folklore and you can learn a lot about the ancient lifestyles by reading mythology books. The themes in mythologies are often built around honor and bravery, but the tales also have their own universal moral message. 

Norse mythology books
In the Nordic countries we have a long and proud history of folk tales and some of them can be traced all the way back to the Middle Ages and even before that, to what we describe as the Norse period, where all the Scandinavian countries were connected as one and not divided into nations. The North was instead formed by many smaller societies, who lived comparatively insulated and connected to nature. Such a life could be hard and created fertile soil for folklore and the belief in supernatural creatures, which are found in many folk tales. Most of the tales were part of an oral tradition and were often handed down through many generations. The mythology tales were first written down and converted into mythology books many years after they were told for the first time. 
We cannot mention the Norse period without the Vikings. Vikings are known all over the world for their strength, ships and sometimes brutal conquests, but the Vikings were defined by so much more than that. They had for example a vivid and intriguing tradition for mythology. To the Vikings they were so much more than myths, it was their religion. The Norse religion referred to as Asatru consists of multiple gods, goddresses, brave heroes and volvas, which were strong female sorcerers and fortune tellers. If you want to find your way to get started in Nordic mythology you can find a good description and overview in Penguin Book of Norse myths - Gods of the Vikings

Greek mythology books
Some of the greatest and most famous myths are found in Ancient Greece. You might have heard about the gods Zeus and Prometheus, the goddesses Athena and Aphrodite, and the heroes Hercules and Achilles? They are just a few of the unique figures of Ancient Greek mythology. They are found in some of the greatest classics of world literature; the Iliad and the Odyssey written by Homer. At Tales you can get them as mythology books in their traditional verse form, but we would also recommend you to take a look at Stephen Fry’s interpretations of the classical tales. Fry takes the timeless classics into modern times by rewriting the mythologies in a modern, easy understandable english, but he still keeps the essence of the Ancient mythologies. You can find Stephen Fry’s Heroes and Mythos in our selection of mythological books. 

Egyptian mythology books
Another world of mythologies is found in Ancient Egypt. Here we come across Ancient gods and goddesses with faces formed as animals. One of the central gods in Egyptian mythology is the sun god Ra. Ra was the incarnation of the sun, which was the foundation of life. In Egyptian mythology we also find mummies. Mummies were the deceased faraos, who were embalmed and covered in gaze to restore them for the afterlife. The god Osiris would then help them on their way through the afterlife. The mummies were placed in their own pyramid, who would show the greatness of the faraos for the times to come. The pyramids still stand in Egypt and show the history of the past. Among our egyptian mythology books you find the book Egyptian Mythology, which has collected all the fascinating tales of Ancient Egypt and all its gods, goddesses and legendary creatures. 

Japanese mythology books 
You can also find japanese mythology books in Tales’ selection. The japanese myths are little known to people, but contain many amazing stories. You can for example find the story behind the samurais, an Ancient collection of warriors in the japanese armies. A samurai had to live up to certain virtues in order to keep his status. A samurai should both be loyal and have a high level of endurance, modesty, and honor. You could learn a lot about a country from its mythology, because it is the foundation of the country’s culture, although a lot of changes have found place since then. If you aren’t familiar with japanese mythology, we recommend you to read the Handbook of Japanese Mythology among our collection of japanese mythology books. 

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