The Book of Goddesses & Heroines

by Patricia Monaghan

This popular reference work contains alphabetical listings of 1,533 mythological female deities. This is the only complete, one-volume recitation of their legends in any available source. Also contains an index of associations and groupings of goddess "families". With photos from the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Reference, Spirituality, History, Paganism, Religion

400 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1981

About the author

Patricia Monaghan was a poet, a writer, a spiritual activist, and an influential figure in the contemporary women's spirituality movement.

Reviews

[Peiman E iran · Rating 5 out of 5]

‎دوستانِ گرانقدر، زنده یاد بانو <مانوگان> پژوهشِ بسیار خوب و نسبتاً کاملی را انجام داده است
‎بسیاری از موضوعاتی که در این کتاب آورده شده با اخبار و رویداد هایی که در کتبِ مرجع، خوانده بودم همخوانی داشت
‎در موردِ الهه های باستانی و اساتیری (اساطیری) یا همان خدایانِ از جنسِ دوست داشتنی و گرامیِ «زن» مطالبِ بسیار جالب و خواندنی را در کتاب آورده بود که سبب میشود تا پی به اهمیتِ «زن» در تاریخ و زندگیِ انسان هایِ باستانی بُرد
‎نویسنده در بینِ این مطالبِ تاریخی مهّم و البته جذاب، حتی به تاریخِ بی ارزشِ تازیانِ بیابانِ عربستان و بت هایِ آنها نیز اشاره کرده است
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‎دوستان عزیز و خردگرا، بت هایِ «لات»، «عزّی» و «منات» ... نزدِ اقوام و طایفه هایِ بزرگِ تازیانِ وحشی یا همان اعرابِ بیابانِ عربستان بسیار ارزشمند بودند و این 3 بت در کنارِ یکدیگر تشکیلِ دورۀ زندگیِ یک زنِ کامل را میدانند، بتِ «عزّی» جوانیِ زن، بتِ «لات» میانسالگیِ زن، بتِ «منات» سالخوردگی و مرگِ زن را در بر میگرفتند... که مراسمِ نیایشِ و بزرگداشتِ بتِ «منات» از بت هایِ دیگر پیچیده تر و دارایِ تشکیلاتِ بیشتری بوده است و مراسمِ حجِ امروزی در نزدِ عرب پرستان، از مراسمِ نیایشِ بتِ «منات» برداشت شده است و امروزه بتِ <اللهِ اکبر> به تنهایی جایگزینِ آنها شده است
‎طبقِ گفته ها و اسنادِ این کتاب، <محمد بن عبدالله> پیامبرِ تازیان تا پیش از شکستنِ تمامی بتها و نگاه داشتن و به شهرت رساندن و اجبارِ سایرین در پرستشِ بتِ «اللهِ اکبر» بتِ «عزّی» را پرستش میکرد، زیرا نزدِ طایفۀ «قریش»، بتِ «عزّی» اهمیت و ارزشِ بیشتری نسبت به سایرِ بت ها داشت و محمّد نیز بارها به پای این بت سجده کرده بود و حتی پس از اسلام نیز، در مقابلِ دیدگان همه به خاک افتاد و سجده کرد و به ستایش از آنها پرداخت که به آیاتِ <غرانیق> معروف است و بعدها متحرفانِ تاریخی گفتند که شیطان به جای جبرائیلِ موهوم، بر محمّد وحی کرده و او را مجبور به حمد و ستایش از 3 بتِ دختران، کرده است... در صورتیکه محمّد اینکار را با کمال هوشیاری انجام داده بود و بعدها فهمیده بود که چه اشتباهی کرده است.. و آن آیاتِ به اصطلاح شیطانی را منکر شد و حذف کرد... امّا روغن ریخته شده بر خاک را دیگر نمیتوان جمع نمود... حتی اگر امروزه عرب پرستان و مفسرانِ بیخرد، بارها با ماله کشی، سعی در توجیه کردنِ آن داشته باشند
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‎امیدوارم این ریویو برایِ شما خردگرایان، مفید بوده باشه
‎<پیروز باشید و ایرانی>

[Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!} · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Weavre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, straightforward reference that makes a great companion when reading unfamiliar mythology. My copy of it has the ISBN 0-525-47664-4, which Goodreads doesn't quite pull up correctly, but that's OK.

And btw, Pat ... no, you don't have to be a guy to write acompanion book of Gods and Heroes! You put the idea out there, asked, etc., but isn't 27 years long enough to give them to do it? Go for it! Lots of us would like to have it! :)

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich resource, one which I return to frequently, and have for many years.

[Jama Bradfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great compilation of information. Truly is a great book that I keep on our coffee table. People love to open a read random pages. Makes for great discussion. This book is not about 'taking back' feminism. It feels like -in my opinion- it is more about reawakening the intelligence within us that is feminine and recognizing that this is not weak.

[Sally Rhett · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my fundamentals

[Inara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title in German:
Lexikon der Göttinnen

This is an encyclopedia about goddesses and heroines from the beginning of mankind till today. To every goddess we can find information about the cult, myths, origin and geographical extension. Furthermore there is an index of goddesses arranged by attributes, cultural classification and a listing of feast days at the end of the book. Many photos are making this book even more interesting. It´s one of my favorite reference books.

[Veronica Ibarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book puts me on the path of legends and myths I was unfamiliar with before reading it. Interesting authorial interjections. Because this is written dictionary or encyclopedia style you may miss the tone if you only read entries at random, however, if you read it from cover to cover a picture is painted of the overall relationship between many cultures and the detrimental impact of patriarchy on spirituality. It has spiked my curiosity to research more.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting reference book, but it includes the outdated and racist theory that the people who built the pyramids were invaders from the east rather than, you know, black Egyptian people. If it has that turd in it, I don't know how much I can trust the rest of the information. It also only covers Arabic, Egyptian, and North African/Carthaginian/Phoenician for Africa, completely skipping Sub-Saharan Africa.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great reference book. It is heavily slanted towards reviving goddess culture today in a pagan or wiccan context but I think it can be enjoyed by anyone discovering mythology. It's feminist perspective is a nice balance to the habit male historians have had of labeling anything remotely feminine as a "fertility charm" or some such.

[Nicole Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

If it has one star I liked it a lot
If it has two stars I liked it a lot and would recommend it
If it has three stars I really really liked it a lot
If it has four stars I insist you read it
If it has five stars it was life changing

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines across cultures, cross-referenced by which Goddesses might help in which situations. I got the copy from the library and then was disappointed to find that I could not find a copy for my own shelves.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource for Goddess/heroine myths.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential for anyone studying the Feminine spirit...

[Tamara Agha-Jaffar · Rating 5 out of 5]

An invaluable encyclopedia on goddesses and heroines throughout the world.

[Christy]

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