Masks are a near-universal phenomenon, but the uses and meanings of masquerade vary greatly among cultures. Here, through revealing texts and a wide range of dramatic illustrations, a team of experts discusses the disparate traditions surrounding masks in eight principal areas: Africa, Oceania, Latin America, the Pacific northwest, Japan, classical Greece and Rome, Egypt, and Europe.
Really a 4.5... A beautifully illustrated book about masks from around the world. The information regarding each area is, by necessity, a bit short, but still gives a good overview (and there is a bibliography at the end for further reading). The photos are large and well-presented and the book is worth it just for them.