Blavatsky Study Center

Religions, Mythologies, Cults, Symbolism,
the Occult/Paranormal
& Ancient Civilizations of the World

54 Recommended Introductions and Useful Reference Works

• Bowker, John, editor.  The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions.   Oxford and New York:  Oxford University Press, 1997.  One volume:   xxiv + 1111 pp.
• Bowker, John.  World Religions.  New York:  DK Publishing, Inc., 2006.  213 pp.  8 1/2 x 11.
• Bradbury, William, editor.  Into the Unknown.  Pleasantville, New York:  The Reader's Digest Association, 1981.   352 pp.
• Breuilly, Elizabeth et al.  Religions of the World:  The Illustrated Guide to Origins, Beliefs, Traditions & Festivals.  New York:  Facts on File, 2005.  160 pp. 8 1/2 x11.
• Buckland, Raymond.  The Spirit Book:  The Encyclopedia of Clairvoyance, Channeling, and Sprit Communication.   Detroit, Michigan:  Visible Ink Press, 2006.  500 pp.
• Cavendish, Richard, editor.  Encyclopedia of the Unexplained:  Magic, Occultism and Parapsychology.  Arkana, 1989.  One volume:  304 pp.
• Cheung, Theresa.  Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World:  The Ultimate A-Z of Spirits, Mysteries and the Paranormal.  London:  HarperElement, 2006.  850 pp.
• Cooper, J.C.  An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols. London:  Thomas and Hudson Ltd., 1978.  208 pp.
• Crim, Keith, editor.  The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions.   San Francisco:  HarperSanFrancisco, 1989.  One volume:  xviii + 830 pp.
• De Fabianis, Valeria Manferto and Bourbon, Fabio, editors.  The Great Book of Archaeology.  Book Sales, 2007.  512 pp.
• Doniger, Wendy, editor.  Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions.   Springfield, Massachusetts:  Merriam-Webster, 1999.  One volume:  xvii + 1181 pp.
• Drury, Nevill. The Dictionary of the Esoteric:  3000 Entries on the Mystical and Occult Traditions.  London:  Watkins Publishing, 2002.  One volume:  viii + 344 pp.
• Drury, Nevill and Tillett, Gregory.  The Occult:   A Sourcebook of Esoteric Wisdom.  New York:  Barnes and Noble, 1997.  160 pp.
• Earhart, H. Byron, editor.  Religious Traditions of the World:  A Journey Through Africa, Mesoamerica, North America, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, China and Japan.  San Francisco, California:  HarperSanFrancisco, 1993.  1204 pp.
• Eliade, Mircea, editor.  Essential Sacred Writings from Around the World.  San Francisco, California:   HarperOne, 1991.  645 pp.
• Ellwood, Robert S. and Partin, Harry B.  Religious and Spiritual Groups in Modern America.  2nd Edition.  Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey:  Prentice Hall, 1998.  328 pp.
• Ellwood, Robert S.  and McGraw, Barbara A.  Many Peoples, Many Faiths. 9th Edition.  Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2008.   528 pp.
• Ellwood, Robert S. and Alles, Gregory D., editors.  The Encyclopedia of World Religions.  Revised, Second Edition.   New York, N.Y.:  Facts on File, Inc., 2007.  One volume.   xii + 514 pp.
• Feuerstein, Georg.  The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga.  Boston:  Shambhala Publications, 2000.  357 pp.
• Fieser, James and Powers, John, editors.  Scriptures of the World's Religions.  3rd Edition.  McGraw-Hill Humanities, 2007.   552 pp.
• Finegan, Jack.  Myth & Mystery:  An Introduction to the Pagan Religions of the Biblical World.   Grand Rapids, Michigan:  Baker Books, 1997.  335 pp.  Excellent overviews of Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Zoroastrian, Canaanite, Greek, Roman, Gnostic, Mandaean and Manichaean religions.
• Fisher, Mary Pat and Bailey, Lee W., editor.  An Anthology of Living Religions.  2nd Edition.  Prentice Hall, 2007.   400 pp.
• Fontana, David.  The Secret Language of Symbols:  A Visual Key to Symbols and Their Meanings.  San Francisco, California:  Chronicle Books, 2003. 256 pp.
• Grimes, John. A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy:  Sanskrit Terms Defined in English.   Albany, N.Y.:  State University of New York Press, 1996.  408 pp.
• Guiley, Rosemary Ellen.  Encyclopedia of the Strange, Mystical, & Unexplained.  New York:  Gramercy Books, 2001.  One volume:  xiii + 666 pp.
• Hanegraaff, Wouter J., editor.  Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism.   Leiden, The Netherlands:  Brill, 2006.  One volume:  xxix + 1128 pp.
• Hinnells, John, editor.  The New Penguin Handbook of Living Religions.   2nd Edition.  Penguin, 2003.  912 pp.
• Hinnells, John, editor.  The Penguin Dictionary of Religions.  2nd Edition.  Penguin, 1997. 800 pp.
• Klauck, Hans-Josef.  The Religious Context of Early Christianity:  A Guide to Graeco-Roman Religions.   Minneapolis, Minnesota:  Fortress Press, 2003.  xxvii + 544 pp.  Excellent summaries of Graeco-Roman Religions especially of the Mystery Cults and Gnosticism.
• Leeming, David, editor.  The Oxford Companion to World Mythology.   Oxford and New York:  Oxford University Press, 2005. One volume:  xxxviii + 469 pp.
• Leeming, David.  The World of Myth. New York and Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 1990.  One volume:  362 pp.
• Levy, Joel.  The Atlas of Atlantis and Other Lost Civilizations: Discover the History and Wisdom of Atlantis, Lemuria, Mu and Other Ancient Civilizations.  Godsfield,  2007.   176 pp.
• Lewis, James R., editor.  Odd Gods:   New Religions & the Cult Controversy.   Amherst, New York:  Prometheus Books, 2001.  One volume:  435 pp.
• Lewis, James R.  The Death and Afterlife Book: The Encyclopedia of Death, Near Death, and Life After Death.   Detroit, Michigan:  Visible Ink Press, 2001.  446 pp.
• Littleton, C. Scott, editor.  Mythology:  The Illustrated Anthology of World Myth & Storytelling. London:  Duncan Baird Publishers, 2002.   687 pp.
• Melton, J. Gordon.  Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America.  Revised and Updated Edition.  New York, N.Y.:  Garland, 1992.  One volume.  407 pp.
• Melton, J. Gordon, editor.  The New Age Encyclopedia.  Detroit, Michigan:  Gale Research, Inc., 1990.  One volume:  xxxviii + 586  pp.
• Mercatante, Anthony S. and Dow, James R.  Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend. 2nd Enlarged ed.  Facts on File, 2004.  2 volumes:  1200 pp.
• Noss, David S. and Grangaard, Blake R.  History of the World's Religions. 12th Edition.  Prentice Hall, 2007.  655 pp.
• Papas, Theodore, editor.  Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.   Encyclopedia Britannica, 2002.  One volume:  2066 pp.
• Partridge, Christopher, editor.  Introduction To World Religions.  Revised and updated Edition.  Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2005.  495 pp.
• Partridge, Christopher, editor.  New Religions:  A Guide.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2004.  One volume:  446 pp. 
• Reese, William L.  Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion.  New & Enlarged Ed.  Humanities Press, 1996.  One volume:  856 pp.
• Sadleir, Steven.  The Spiritual Seeker's Guide:  The Complete Source for Religions & Spiritual Groups in the World.  Costa Mesa, CA:  Allwon Publishing, 1992. 343 pp.
• Schuhmacher, Stephan and Woerner, Gert, eds. The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion:  Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen.   Boston:  Shambhala Publications, 1994.  468 pp.
• Smart, Ninian and Hecht, Richard D., editors.  Sacred Texts of the World:  A Universal Anthology.  Herder & Herder, 1984.   448 pp. 
• Smith, Jonathan Z., editor.  The Harpercollins Dictionary of Religion.   San Francisco:  HarperSanFrancisco, 1995.  One volume:  xxviii + 1154 pp. 
• Smoley, Richard and Kinney, Jay.  Hidden Wisdom:  A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions.  Revised edition.   Wheaton, Illinois:  Quest Books, 2006.  400 pp.
• Tripolitis, Antonia.  Religions of the Hellenistic-Roman Age. Grand Rapids, Michigan:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002.  165 pp.  Excellent overviews
  of the Mystery Cults of the Hellenistic Roman world, Mithraism, Hellenistic Judaism and Gnosticism.
• Wilkinson, Philip.  Illustrated Dictionary of Mythology:  Heroes, Heroines, Gods, and Goddesses from Around the World.  New York:  DK Publishing, 2006.  2nd edition.  128 pp. 
• Wilkinson, Philip.  Illustrated Dictionary of Religions:  Rituals, Beliefs, and Practices from Around the World.  New York:  DK Publishing, 2006.  128 pp. 
• Willis, Roy, editor.  World Mythology: The Illustrated Guide.  Oxford and New York:   Oxford University Press, 2006.  320 pp.
• Wilson, Colin.  The Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites.  New York:  DK Publishing, 1996.   192 pp.
• Woolf, Greg, editor.  Ancient Civilizations:  The Illustrated Guide to Belief, Mythology, and Art.   San Diego, California:  Thunder Bay Press, 2005.  688 pp.

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2/27/09