Mesoamerican Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs of Mexico and Central America

By Kay Almere Read and Jason J. Gonzalez

Book Overview

An excellent resource, Handbook of Mesoamerican Mythology introduces readers to the mythology of Mexico and Central America. Its chief focus is on Mexican Highland and Maya areas, as they were, and are, of utmost importance to Mesoamerican history.
An extensive and edifying introduction defines the nature of myth, the Mesoamericans as a people, and the cultural worldview that informed Mesoamerican mythology. The Handbook presents historical and mythological timelines, with each time period and cultural group fully defined. Also featured is a quick geographical and historical survey of Mesoamerica from the Paleoindian Era to the present, as well as a discussion of some of the challenges and possibilities that structure Mesoamerican studies. Moreover, an extensive reference list and a glossary of cultural and mythological terms are included, and pronunciation guides are given throughout. With an annotated bibliography that ranges from film to websites, fiction to poetry, and from introductory to scholarly works, the book is an all-embracing portal to its subject.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195149092
• ISBN13: 9780195149098
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 354 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Informative and Reader-Friendly

Read and Gonzalez have a lot of informative things to say about legends in Central America and its mixing with Christianity. They discuss important issues like the passing of time that can alter people's beliefs. The range of topics is extensive, and they handle them with a special talent. This is an important work with deep content but it is reader-friendly. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Aztec and Maya.