Book excerpt: Originally told to explain the mysteries of the world—such as creation, divine will, fertility, death, and love—myths are a major part of many cultures throughout the world, and each area has its own myths. Organized by geographic region, each myth is placed within the civilization’s history and context. The key elements of world mythology, such as the hero, his divine connection, the labyrinth, the initiation, and the transformation,are explored in boxes and features throughout the book. Philip Wilkinson has more than 50 titles to his credit in the fields of mythology, history, and the arts, including DK’s Illustrated Dictionaries of Mythology and Religions. Neil Philip is the author of many books on folklore and mythology, including The Illustrated Book of Myths and Myths and Legends Explained. Synopses of the great myths that have inspired human creativity from antiquity to the present Covers mythology around the globe, from the classic Greek to lesser known Malaysian Catalogs of gods by subject enable comparisons of distant civilizations