Flying snakes & griffin claws And other classical myths, historical oddities, and scientific curiosities

This is an interesting gallimaufry of 50 short essays that seek to extract nuggets of truth from mythology, legends, and folklore. For the most part, Mayor (Stanford Univ.), a classical folklorist and historian of ancient science, summarizes bits of myths and legends, seasoning them with occasional dashes of science that might explain some of their origins. Collected from some 30 years' worth of writings published in magazines, journals, and websites, these essays are presented without citations, though there are a few random notes at the end of the book. For this reason, the volume will be of little use for research purposes, except perhaps to pique one's interest for further exploration. Topics include fantastical creatures, fake fossils, dolphin stories, Amazon warriors, unusual pets, ghost ships, giants, tyrants, tattoos, and tourists, both ancient and "modern" (i.e., those traveling in the 18th century). Fans of Mayor's writings may appreciate having them all in one volume. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers. --Marilyn R. Pukkila, emerita, Colby College

Mayor (Gods and Robots) examines myths and classical oddities and offers both theoretical and accepted explanations for curiosities in the past. A unicorn horn from a king's treasury may be a narwhal tusk, and digging further, she gives examples of how they might have found a tusk so far from an ocean. In the absence of physical evidence, such as the story of the flying snakes, Mayor offers many potential explanations of creatures that could have been mistaken for flying serpents. Covering much more than just myths and monsters, this book also contains information about ancient science and mirages, and everything from tourism to tattoos. Maps and images give further context. Copious notes at the end of the book give plenty of further reading to those wanting to dig deeper. The first chapter gets off to a rocky start by throwing out a lot of ancient names and places that might give readers whiplash, but soon eases into a steady pace that will keep readers entertained and amused. The wide range of topics covered ensure this book has a little something for everyone, though it will likely appeal most to lovers of mythology and historical trivia. VERDICT A solid purchase for a public library's nonfiction section.--Amanda Toth