Parallel Myths

This book is an excellent introduction to the novice in the field of cultural anthropology and frankly should be required reading for college freshmen who aspire to a well rounded liberal arts education. The author has taken several strands from the mythology of a wide range of geographical areas. The First Peoples of the Americas are well represented in the chapter on creation myths throughout the world as are the cultures of the far east often ignored in such texts. Because each chapter is organized around a theme unifying the varied places from which these myths arise it is not difficult to begin to see the interconnected concerns faced by all humanity.