The Element Encyclopedia of Fairies

by Lucy Cooper

In the latest instalment of the best-selling Element Encyclopedia series, Lucy Cooper examines the history, legends, and folklore of fairies. Be charmed by the Djinn of Arabia, meet the bushy-eyebrowed Hebu of South America, and investigate the Cottingley Fairies, as you lose yourself on this enchanting journey of magical beings.

But beware: the forest is dense and shadowy, and that beckoning flicker may just as likely be friend as foe…

Loaded with hundreds of fascinating entries, this complete A-Z guide is packed with delightful illustrations, stories, and fairy lore spanning the globe.

Whether you’re a seasoned fairy-spotter or a new visitor to Fairlyland, The Element Encyclopedia of Fairies is an essential addition to your fantastical bookshelf.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Research, Fairies, Witchcraft, Ebooks, Occult

576 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Lucy Cooper is a writer with a special interest in folk tales, fairy tales and mythology. She grew up in Penwith, Cornwall, on the far southwestern tip of Britain, a land steeped in tales of the “little people”. Her fascination with folk tales, myth and legend has taken her from the temples of China, to the back roads of Bulgaria, and lots of places in between.

She has a degree in Anthropology, an MA in Professional Writing, specialising in Cornish folk tales, and an MA in Myth & Ecology. Her book The Element Encyclopedia of Fairies (HarperCollins) saw her delving into the topsy-turvy world of fairies…

Lucy is faculty at The West Country School of Myth, a wilderness-rites-of-passage guide, and editor at Cista Mystica Press publishing the work of award-winning mythteller Dr Martin Shaw on folklore, myth and initiatory encounters with wilderness. Her writing on myth, fairytales and folklore has been published in Dark Mountain and Elementum Journal, among others.

Lucy spends her time between Penwith and Dartmoor. Recently she completed a 350-mile walking pilgrimage on the Michael Mary Way, from Cornwall to Avebury, visiting ancient sites, holy wells, stone circles, churches and shrines, to reconnect in our times of ecological crisis with the teachings and stories of the land.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful resource! This encyclopedic reference book offers a wealth of information on all kinds of fairies and fantastic creatures (brownies, djinn, demons, nymphs, dwarves, etc.) from a wide range of cultures: not just European, but also Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and various Native American tribes. It also contains bios on some of the great researchers and contributors to fairy-tale literature.

Keep in mind that the Element Encyclopedia of Fairies is a "launch pad" of sorts. Some entries are lengthy and include famous stories about the creature at hand. Others are shorter, limited to descriptions of the creature's appearance, history, or behavior / mannerisms. That was fine with me; there's only so much you can cover in 570-ish pages. This book provides the foundation for later, more extensive research I can do on other creatures in the future. The only reason it took me so long to read it? It wasn't as high of a "priority" to finish it as my reading-for-fun books. ;)

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, I liked this book and found it informative. I have 3 complaints.

1. The little drawings are nice, but they are like clip art and used repeatedly. Would have preferred to have none if they weren't really being used to describe the entry.

2. There was a fair amount of repetition. I understand that often times, entries overlap but there has to be a better way than using the same description word for word.

3. I would have greatly appreciated how to say the names. Some I know already, but others were completely new to me and in a language I'm not familiar with.

In spite of that, it was a good book for reference.

[Ronel Janse van Vuuren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to the world of the Fae. This book covers different names and spellings of the names of Fae and regions where they can be found and even has anecdotes and quotes from old texts.

Explanations of what Fairies are, where Fairyland is, how to connect with Fairies and the different types of Fairies makes this an excellent resource.

The illustrations, though, could’ve been more varied or left out entirely.

This book is a good start on a lifelong journey for those interested in the Fae and in folklore.

[January Bain · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read that will layer an author's understanding of all the myths and legends behind Fairyland. Destined to become a classic and should be required reading for all things fairy. Chocked full of interesting tales, legends, ideas to inspire your muse, enjoy the ride. An outstanding book! Thank you Lucy Cooper!!!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful, informative reference on the wee folk. I only gave it four stars instead of five because the same five or six illustrations (small sketches) were used again and again to represent all the different faeries. It would be so much more enjoyable with more pictures!

[Jason Baldauf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hefty collection of possibly every fairy creature ever cataloged. It contains a nice introduction about fairies, what they are & where they can be found. Other mythological creatures can be found hiding amongst the pages as well. Good reference material on the subject.

[eilatan eega · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!! shows so many clever stories wit showing all sorts of faeries and pics that really help your knowledge of the different kinds there are. It helps if you read a lot of fantasy or Irish books.

[Trismegith Solamanis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful read - informative

This book is a sheer delight to read and the information is both inspiring and rich. I recommend it for those and many other reasons.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of creatures contained in this tome, and it can be useful to consult.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of stories and alphabetical array of Fairies and more.

[Lauren Penner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book. It is an extensive collection of types of fairies from all over the globe. There aren’t many pictures, but that’s okay. It doesn’t detract from the information. Great addition to my bookshelves.

[nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

this series is a good starter pack. it contains brief information on a lot of different things, and is a good place to do beginner reference and expand further from there. i'm also a sucker for the format and style of the books - they just look good, and i can't help but think of how good they'd look together on my bookshelf. as a bibliophile, i really like this series.

obviously, don't consult these for in-depth research. but, again, they're a good place to start broad, wide-ranging consultation. not to be crass but they'd be good bathroom/coffee table reading, too. it's kind of like wikipedia - great place to dip your feet in, but it's just the surface, and should be taken with a grain of salt. very useful if used properly.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Cooper's exploration of Fae-kind is informative, well-written and excellently paced. I read this as a research tool and discovered far more than I was expecting. Instead of being just a list of the different kinds of Fae, Cooper delves into the history and origins of faerie mythology, breaking up the encyclopedic element with engaging and relevant tales. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to find out about the world's link with mythological creatures.

[Hannah May · Rating 5 out of 5]

2015 READING CHALLENGE: A book with over 500 pages