Tony Allan

In this beautifully illustrated gift edition, you’ll discover more than 240 mythological tales from around the world, featuring gods, heroes, princesses, villains, magicians and monsters, as well as animals with extraordinary powers. Let this collection guide you through stories from every corner of the globe, from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome through the Vikings to the Slavic East, Japan and China and the Americas. Each culture is rich in folklore and magical tales, and this book offers a fascinating introduction to them all. This is a radical collection of stories, filled with voltage. Whether ninety or nine, there’s something in these tales that wants to speak directly to you. From tales of creation and the first humans to apocalyptic battles at the end of time, explore the most thrilling tales in all mythology: thunder god Thor losing his hammer, Theseus callously abandoning Ariadne after defeating the Minotaur, Hindu god Shiva destroying his rival Kama with a blast of flame, Egyptian goddess Isis forcing the sun god to reveal his name … and much more.

According to Japanese mythology, the cosmos took form spontaneously from chaos. Lighter elements formed the abode of the gods, while heavier ones became the shapeless Earth. Many divinities emerged in these two realms, but the seventh celestial couple consisted of Izanagi and Izanami, a god and goddess whose destiny was to establish the sea-kissed islands of Japan in the unruly waters far below. These and many other tales are told in this book. Readers will gain a greater understanding and respect for the ancient culture and mythology of Japan.

This exciting book offers readers an examination of the world of medieval myth and its historical roots. It brings ancient culture into splendid focus like never before. As a result, this is a world history like no other. It is filled with the strange stories, mystic rites, angry gods, vision quests, and magic symbols at the heart of all cultures, but left out of most history books. Such myths are central to understanding how, since the dawn of time, people around the world have sought to explain birth, death, creation, love, and other mysteries of life.

Is there enough water on this planet for a global population that will shortly double its present size? The answer is of huge importance for people everywhere, but particularly to the peoples and political leaders of the Middle East and North Africa. As well as explaining the particular issues of conflict in the region, Allan argues that the answer to these problems lies at the global rather than local level. The Middle East Water Question is a major book by one of the world's leading authorities on water issues.

Viking artefacts discovered across a vast geographical range, from Russia and modern-day Turkey to Greenland and North America, bear witness to an artistic legacy that astonishes by its beauty, wealth and diversity. This richly illustrated introduction to an extraordinary people presents an art of immense sophistication, ranging from exquisite gold jewellery to superbly decorated weapons of war, breathtakingly intricate woodcarvings, and vividly incised and painted runestones. This north European civilisation has always had a special place in the popular imagination. "The Vikings" reflects favourite themes, including: the restless spirit of these warrior-explorers and their extraordinary voyages in quest of trade as well as adventure, booty, conquest and glory; the mighty pantheon of gods and goddesses such as Odin, Freyja, Thor and the mischief-making trickster Loki; the mysteries of the afterlife, including Valhalla (land of dead warriors) and the Underworld domain of the goddess Hel; the warrior cult, which produced the terrifying Berserks (fighters who believed themselves to be possessed by wolves or bears in battle); and, the ceremonies and sacrifices that accompanied the magnificent longship burials of the Viking chieftains. A superb addition to any library of art and the imagination, "The Vikings" sets new standards in capturing the achievements of an ancient civilisation through the marriage of word and image.