World Myths (Don't Know Much About)
Worth buying if: You enjoy comparative creation myths and flood stories.
Skip it if: You need exhaustive academic sources or full primary-text translations.
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780060286064. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.
If this page helped you decide, purchasing through the Amazon button above supports UPB Books at no extra cost to you and helps us continue improving the site. Thanks for visiting today.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some outbound links are paid links, at no additional cost to you.
Summary
Kenneth C. Davis condenses creation myths, trickster tales, flood legends, and hero sagas from cultures worldwide into a 144-page primer that highlights patterns and surprises across traditions.
Why this book now
This HarperCollins paperback refreshes curiosity about comparative mythology for readers revisiting roots, classroom overviews, or quick cultural context for travel and media.
30-second preview
Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.
Card 1 of 2
Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- You enjoy comparative creation myths and flood stories.
- You want a concise survey of trickster figures, heroes, and gods.
- If you enjoy sharp dialogue, the ending turns expectations on their head.
- You need exhaustive academic sources or full primary-text translations.
- You expect an illustrated folktale compendium or a coffee-table book.
Decided it fits?
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780060286064
Worth buying if: You enjoy comparative creation myths and flood stories.
Skip it if: You need exhaustive academic sources or full primary-text translations.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Reader guide
Cues to help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Quick Easy to move through
At 144 pages, Davis’s World Myths fits into a few focused sittings or a week of short sessions—suitable for readers wanting an overview rather than deep scholarship.
What stands out here
This HarperCollins 2005 edition emphasizes concise synthesis by Kenneth C. Davis, useful as an introductory classroom handout or a quick reference on cross-cultural motifs.
Best way to approach it
Read chapter-by-chapter to compare specific myth cycles (creation, trickster, hero) and pause to note recurring motifs across the book’s global examples.
Was this page helpful?
Quick thumbs only. No login.
Loading feedback…
Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780060286064
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.