Showing titles in Customs & Traditions

This imaginative and stimulating Very Short Introduction audiobook goes beyond a simple retelling of the stories to explore the rich history and diverse interpretations of classical mythology. It is a wide-ranging account, examining how classical myths are used and understood in both high art and popular culture, taking the listener from the temples of Crete to skyscrapers in New York, and finding classical myths in a variety of unexpected places: from Arabic poetry and Hollywood films, to psychoanalysis, the Bible, and New Age spiritualism. 

Discover where faeries and other mythical creatures are hiding in our modern, urban environment with this beautifully illustrated guide to uncovering magical beings. Like every other being in our world, fantastical creatures have been forced to adapt to the climate, industrial, and cultural...

Monsters are central to how we think about the human condition. Join award-winning historian of science Dr. Surekha Davies as she reveals how people have defined the human in relation to everything from apes to zombies, and how they invented race, gender, and nations along the way. With rich, evocative storytelling that braids together ancient gods and generative AI, Frankenstein's monster and E.T., Humans: A Monstrous History shows how monster-making is about control: it defines who gets to count as normal.

Interact with magical fairy folk and incorporate them into your own witchcraft practice with this detailed account of the ancient wisdom and traditions of fairies and witchcraft. Fairies have long been a part of witchcraft traditions, especially Celtic and Norse witchcraft, paganism, and other...

'Fascinating . . . a riveting tour' MERLIN SHELDRAKE 'Game of Thrones meets the Natural History Museum meets Grimm fairytales . . . fascinating, enthralling and definitely enchanting' CHRIS PACKHAM 'Thrilling, wide-ranging and profound' CASPER HENDERSON The hydra rears its many heads in a flurry...

In the Metamorphoses Ovid retells stories from the Greek myths, arranging them in roughly chronological order, from the origins of the world to his own times. His charming and graceful versions, full of life and interest, express his humanist approach, his feeling for pathos, and his endless curiosity and delight in human affairs. Each tale involves a transformation of some kind, and the whole collection provided a potent source of motifs and images for later art, especially the paintings, sculpture, and verse of the Renaissance.

In the 10 episodes of The Real History of Dracula, folklorists Dr. Sara Cleto and Dr. Brittany Warman, of The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, will shine a light into the dark recesses of our cultural obsession with vampires. Using folklore, literature, history, television, film, and more, Sara and Brittany will show you how—and why—vampires are a potent metaphor for what matters most about the human condition.

The second-largest country in South America, Argentina has been through great changes in recent years. Its journey from dictatorship to democracy has left many scars, but these are largely eclipsed by the pride and resilience of the Argentinian people, who have developed a style, a language, and a joie de vivre that are all their own. Embracing much more than gaucho, tango, and soccer, Argentina is very unlike its neighbors. And, due to the unique way in which it evolved, is quite different from the expectations many visitors have of a stereotypical Latin American destination.

"Atenție, nelegiuiții pe două roți nu mai sunt la porțile orașului! Sunt chiar printre noi!" Așa ar fi sunat titlul vreunui ziar local din America anilor 1960 după ce Hell’s Angels ar fi dat năvală în oraș, doar ca să se distreze în stilul lor caracteristic: motoare, raiduri, femei, droguri și bere. Mituri, exagerări sau adevăruri îngrozitoare? Prejudecăți sau fapte dovedite? Ziariștii îi adorau pentru că le ofereau subiecte de scandal, iar publicul era fascinat de aerul lor amenințător și, într-un fel, misterios de răzvrătiți și antieroi neînțeleși.

An exploration of the largely untapped Medial Woman archetype—the archetype within the psyche who beckons us to an inner journey of intuition—through signs, dreams, myth, and story. Medial Women dance in the dark and return to the light more whole than before. Unlock the hidden power within...

Maat is an ancient Egyptian goddess who represents truth, justice, and balance. She is often associated with the concept of Maat, which is the principle of truth, order, justice, and balance in the Universe. Followers of Maat believe that it is our responsibility to uphold these principles in our own lives and in the world around us.

Journey to the center of the south of France - Provence and the French Riviera! Passport to European Travel Guides offers this comprehensive, yet quick and concise five-day guide to Provence and the French Riviera - including Marseille, Nice, Monaco, Antibes, Avignon, Cannes, and more - some of the world's most exclusive travel destinations!

Botswana is a country of contrasts. Culturally, the people are overwhelmingly Bantu, but with more than twenty different ethnic groups and over thirty languages spoken, the society is by no means homogeneous. Culture Smart! Botswana introduces you to the lives of the people. It looks at the history that has shaped the society and shows the importance of traditional customs and values for both travelers and businesspeople alike. It describes how the Batswana live, work, and play, and how to avoid the pitfalls of cultural misunderstanding.

We know you'll enjoy visiting the wonderful and transformative city of Budapest! Passport to European Travel Guides offers this comprehensive yet quick and concise five-day guide to Budapest, Hungary - a Central European staple!

A practical guide to the ancient magical tradition of Russian sorcery and Eastern Slavic magical rites Offers step-by-step instructions for more than 300 spells, incantations, charms, amulets, and practical rituals for love, career success, protection, healing, divination, communicating with...

A görög mitológia történeteinek folytatása sem kevésbé szórakoztató, mint az első rész. Megtudhatjuk többek között, hogy miért kellett Sziszüphosznak bűnhődnie, vagy hogy milyen átok sújtotta Midász királyt. A szerző a maga humoros módján rávilágít, a görög istenek olyanok, mint mi. Erősebbek és bölcsebbek ugyan, de közben ugyanolyan esendőek, és ballépéseikkel, felfokozott szerelmi életükkel, veszekedéseikkel bármikor képesek felforgatni az isteni és az emberi világot.

Streghe che cavalcano lupi e iene, cortei notturni di morti senza riposo, uomini trasformati in animali, formule magiche in grado di controllare spiriti e divinità: ogni popolo e ogni cultura del mondo, dall'alba dei tempi fino a oggi, ha creduto nell'esistenza di individui capaci di nuocere agli altri attraverso poteri magici; personaggi che incutono paura o provocano repulsione, dai quali è necessario difendersi, le cui caratteristiche vanno a formare la sfaccettata figura della strega.

Die Bestsellerautorin Natalie Haynes nimmt uns mit in die Welt der griechischen Mythologie, zu den Göttinnen des Olymps. Missverständnisse und falsche Darstellungen in Kunst, Literatur und Popkultur verzerren unseren Blick, doch mit diesem Buch sehen wir Frauenfiguren, die wir schon zu kennen meinen, plötzlich in einem ganz neuen Licht. So ist Athene die Göttin des Krieges, wird aber auch für ihren weisen Rat geschätzt. Aphrodite ist die schönste aller Göttinnen, hat jedoch eine rachsüchtige Seite und bestraft jeden hart, der ihr missfällt.

"Since time immemorial, India has been an ocean bed over which numerous stories have flowed and enriched the world. Storytellers from Tulsidas to Rohinton Mistry have added their magic to this magnificent repository. Inspired in part by Somadeva’s Kathasaritasagara, William Radice collects...

Beer is and has always been more than an intoxicating beverage. Its invention 13,000 years ago was one of the fundamental motivations for the domestication of grains around the world. In early states, the control over the technological knowledge and resources to produce beer contributed to social hierarchies. Beer even likely provided the capital to motivate laborers to construct the ancient pyramids and other large-scale public works. Beer is a social lubricant that brings people together.