Anthropology -- Encyclopedia of Creation Myths

     This book has probably been the most fascinating to pick up and flip through. David Adams Leeming's Encyclopedia of Creation Myths briefly describes the creation myths of cultures and religions from around the world. Each tale is presented in summary, as well analyzed in the context of broader themes in creation myths. There are entries for common themes and characters as well; for instance, there are many creation myths which involve a great flood and this theme gets its own entry. Entries are cross referenced by being emboldened in the text of other entries.

     I can see this book being useful for researchers needing simple facts about a specific culture's belief systems. What makes it so valuable, I think, are the cross references to cultures with a similar belief system and to common themes. In the same way that Aarne-Thompson tale-type numbers discussed in Christine Goldberg's article (2003) categorize folktales, different types of creation myths are typified in Leeming's book. This is also valuable to researchers interested in the oral tradition, in the evolution of myths from culture to culture, or in the survey of creation myths themselves.

     I could not find information on Leeming's background, but he has published many titles on myths, folktales, and storytelling. Kent State has 26 titles alone (several are alternate editions of the same book). Many of them are included in the reference collection. I cannot think of a way to verify that Leeming did not leave important myths out, but he provides sources for much of his information, and there is a full bibliography listed in the back of the book.

     The entries are not detailed. Usually a brief synopsis of the creation myth is given, but it is enough to get an idea of the tale. From then on, the bibliography could be used to locate other sources, or library research could be done. For this reason, I think this resource would be more suited for underclassmen, or as a source used for discovery. It is comprehensive nonetheless.

     The book was published in 1994. There is a second edition which Kent State University does not have. This edition, published in 2009, has been expanded with new myths, as well as an increased focus on the relationships between myths. This edition seems as if it would be even more valuable and perhaps more worthy of scholarly research.

Leeming, D. A., Leeming, M. A. (1994). Encyclopedia of Creation Myths. ABC-CLIO: Santa Barbara.