The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe 6500-3500 BC: Myths and Cult Images

James George Frazer

The Golden Bough: Abridged Edition

The landmark study of world myth and culture Draws on myths, rituals, totems and taboos of ancient European and primitive cultures throughout the world. The third edition of this monumental study of folklore, magic, and religion was abridged by the authour into this single volume in 1922. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Charles R. Pellegrino

Ghosts of Vesuvius: A New Look at the Last Days of Pompeii, How Towers Fell, and Other Strange Connections

A fascinating look at Pompeii, Herculaneum and the Vesuvius eruption in comparison with other historically significant volcanic eruptions, including the World Trade Center disaster. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, which obliterated the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, was a disaster that resounds to this day. Now palaeontologist Charles Pellegrino presents a wealth of new knowledge about the doomed towns - and brings to vivid life the people, their last moments, and the aftermath. The lessons learned from modern scrutiny of that ancient eruption produce disturbing echoes in the present. Dr Pellegrino, who worked at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack, shares his unique knowledge of the strange physics of volcanic 'downblast' and 'collapse column', drawing a direct link from past to present, and providing readers with a poignant glimpse into the last moments of the 'American Vesuvius'.

Donald P. Ryan

Beneath the Sands of Egypt: Adventures of an Unconventional Archaeologist

In 1989, Ryan discovered a lost tomb in the Valley of the Kings using a simple broomstick. Now the archeologist recounts his adventures retrieving the remains of Egypt's past, including the breakthrough rediscovery of Egypt's famous female pharaoh, Hatshepsut.