The Encyclopedia of Mythology: Norse, Classical, Celtic

by Arthur Cotterell

An authoritative illustrated A-Z of mythical figures from three ancient cultures: Classical, Celtic and Norse.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Reference, History, Religion, Classics, Research

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Arthur Cotterell, former Principal of Kingston College in London, has spent many years combining senior educational management with historical research. He is the respected author of more than thirty books, and is now writing on the Chinese empire, from the history of which he considers one can learn as much about leadership as from Ashridge or Harvard.

Reviews

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books. It's arranged with classical, Celtic, and Norse mythology in sections. Each entry is a short description of a person or place with cross-references. The classical art in the book is what makes this book shine. It is a coffee table book or 'leap book' - a place where a young person can read a small reference which would leap reading to other mythology books.

[Muhammad Afshal Rizvi ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book 📚 provides an excellent introduction to the stories, mythological characters, gods, goddesses, avatars, and supernatural or imaginary beings prevalent in various ancient civilizations of the world.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read only the Celtic and Norse mythology sections in this book while researching elements of a novel I am writing. I have listened to Stephen Fry's mythology books recently and felt I wanted to focus on the Celtic and Norse stories this time.
The text was well written, each illustration or historical artwork featured had more text accompanying it. There was often additional information about the subject in this small blurb that didn't appear with the main text content.
Where no historical reference art work was shown with a person/god, there was artwork I suspect was commissioned specifically for this book. Some of it was fine but one artist’s work was very lacking in depth and quality when compared to the others.
I found it overall very informative and inspiration for my purpose.

[Igor Ljubuncic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a phenomenal book. I read it several times, and each time, I was amazed by the detail and intricacy of mythology in different cultures, as well as the deeper nuances of how these myths and legends came to be.. In particular, the Norse and Greek mythologies are proper fantasy soap operas, one grim and cold and dark, the other happy and naughty and whimsical. The illustrations in the book are also top-notch.

Igor

[Tony Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Encyclopedia of Mythology: Classical, Celtic, Norse by Arthur Cotterell is a compact but surprisingly rich reference guide for anyone interested in ancient myths. It covers a broad range of material, moving between Greek and Roman legends, the complex Celtic traditions, and the colder, harsher world of Norse mythology.

One of the book’s strongest points is its clarity. Entries are crisp, direct, and easy to navigate. Cotterell organizes the material with enough depth to offer meaningful insights without overwhelming the reader. For writers, researchers, or anyone who occasionally needs a fast but reliable mythological reference, this book is a strong tool. I have used it myself when working on writing projects, and it serves well when you need quick inspiration or a reminder of the basic structures behind an old story.

The Classical section feels the most fleshed out, which is understandable given the amount of surviving material from Greece and Rome. The Celtic and Norse sections are thinner by comparison, but still valuable. Cotterell does a good job bringing lesser-known figures and tales to the surface, rather than only retelling the most famous myths.

Visually, the book is enhanced by clean illustrations and clear formatting, making it easy to dive in and out without getting bogged down. It's structured more as an accessible overview than a deep academic work, so those looking for scholarly depth or fully sourced commentary might find it a little light.

If there's a weakness, it's that sometimes the brevity works against it. A few myths and characters are reduced to bare summaries, and readers who want more nuance or cultural context may have to supplement it with deeper sources. Still, for what it aims to be a practical and engaging reference it succeeds.

Overall, The Encyclopedia of Mythology is a solid, approachable resource. It’s useful both for casual readers who want to dip into the old stories and for writers like myself who occasionally need mythology at their fingertips. Crisp, clear, and thoughtfully arranged, it earns its place on the shelf.

[Becca Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who loves mythology this is a great reference book to remind you of basics, but also a great way to start if you know little to nothing.
Although it could be quite repetitive telling the same story under different names it is set out well. I didn't like how some entries were extended with information more relevant to someone else. That could have been done differently.
The illustrations and images were beautiful and added more information.
I would recommend for mythology lovers or needed for quick research.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was my childhood. I read this cover to cover multiple times as a young kid, and it started my life long love affair with history, mythology, and just learning in general. While the entries themselves do not go into much detail, the book is quite comprehensive and the accompanying artworks are beautiful! Would totally recommend this as a present for young, eager learners.

[greer]

found this in my garage 😐

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing reference, totally a must need in any mythology lover's Library.

[Ambar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cotterell's "The Encyclopedia of Mythology" is literally the A-Z of Greek, Celtic and Norse mythologies. Although it doesn't delve deep into the subject matter, Cotterell offers short biographies and descriptions of every character and event that features in folklore alongside colourful illustrations and dedicated pages for the more important concepts

[Goran Ovčariček · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a reference book, where one can look up certain characters from the three mentioned mythologies and learn a bit about their most common myths (some of them do revolve around quite a bit), so its use is rather limited. The classical art pieces found in the book are a real treat, though.

[Eastofoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reference book with classical paintings and clear/ easy to understand explanations and descriptions. Nice to have three main areas of myth all in one book.

[Anne Thessen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and thorough. It's easy to see where Tolkien got his inspiration.

[Ashley Ribbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

i started to read celtic mythology.

[Michelle Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great encyclopedia filled with so much information about mythology of every aspect. I have not actually read the entire thing, but it makes a wonderful research companion.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful book when doing crosswords puzzles. Concise in text for a quick read.

[Kelyla Spicer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great quick referral book to add to ones library.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 5 Stars

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great reference.