The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets

dreamcatcher

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The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Barbara G. Walker.

Having recently found an interest in myths relating to the feminine, goddesses, feminine symbols, etc, I was really excited to find this book. But it turns out it's awfully inaccurate.

Does anyone know any other books like this that *won't* disappoint?

Thanks in advance.
 

Stlight

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I too found bits that were inaccurate in this book. No, I didn't make and keep a list, no I no longer have the book. I do remember that I found much to question in her section on Taoism.

I also remember getting the feeling as I read the book that Walker was rather angry. I can't prove this by anything outside the book, nor could I at the time mark a passage and say, 'see, she's angry.' It was just a feeling a got reading the book. I read at least through T before I quit.

I wonder if there are other books where one can 'feel' the author's emotional stance as they read them?
 

Deleted member 42

Walker just makes shit up.

For the etymologies, get an unabridged American Heritage Dictionary.

For the myths, see Cal Watkins How To Kill A Dragon

and

Women, Androgynes, and Other Mythical Beasts. O'Flaherty, Wendy Doniger.

An awful lot of the stuff written about women in I.E. myths fairly bogus.

Mary Clark. The Serpent and the Goddess. This is on Celtic myth, and it's not terrible but it does get terribly one-sided and, well, silly. Read Celtic Heritage. Rhys and Rhys as an antidote.
 

Diana_Rajchel

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Walker went in for a lot of revisionist stuff. I've met her, she's a decent person, but I think she's on the dead wrong track with how she's trying to accomplish what she puts forth. I've found a Larousee mythology guide to be decent, along with many of the guides I've found in the Barnes and Noble discount section. I just choose to skip the Edith Hamilton and Bulfinch.
 

Deleted member 42

As a general rule, if you're looking at mythological texts, don't use an author who can't read those myths in the earliest versions we have, in the native language(s) of the cultures behind those myths.