Synopsis
A television journalist and specialist on the anthropology of religions, Jordan addressed his 1993 first edition to students and travelers, describing deities likely to be encountered in studying western civilization and visiting common Asian tourist sites. Here he accounts for a broadening of interest in cultures of the southern hemisphere and some of the less mainstream aspects of European history. For well known deities of past times, he includes such information as origin, known period of worship, centers of cult, art references, and literary sources. Cross-references are abundant, and he includes peripheral mentions (indented) in the index. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Library Journal
This revised second edition of a work originally published over a decade ago provides an impressive listing of 2500 entries on all things related to worshiping deities from the earliest times to today. Boasting numerous cross references and a truly meticulous index as its most notable new features, the book covers a wide range of cultures, such as Aztec, Babylonian, Celtic, and Egyptian. The only drawback is that while some entries provide adequate information about a religious figure (e.g., Prometheus), many others barely scratch the surface. Overall, however, Jordan (Gods of the Earth) manages to balance the important with the trivial. A good starting point for general readers; scholars and researchers will need additional resources.--Mirela Roncevic Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.