The Book of Goddesses:
A Celebration of the Divine Feminine
Expanded anniversary edition!
The inspiration for The Goddess Tarot! The Book of Goddesses is a celebration of the Divine Feminine. Drawing inspiration from the many goddesses honored throughout history, this lavishly illustrated, greatly expanded tenth anniversary edition of Kris Waldherr’s beloved classic pays homage to one hundred of these revered women (74 more than the original edition). It is structured around the feminine rites of passage. These goddess stories tell of women’s innate divinity, dignity, and potency—their ability to create life from their bodies, their strength of character, their magic. This visually stunning book is a testament to the power, passion, wisdom, and beauty of women everywhere, in all stages of life.
Goddesses featured include: Isis, Gwenhywfar, Hsi Wang Mu, Isis, Lakshmi, the Zorya, Lakshmi, and 93 others.
Hardcover, 9 x 10", 176 pages. Full color throughout; gold foil on cover.
$15.30
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Reviews for the original 1996 edition:
Starhawk, author of Spiral Dance:
Gorgeously illustrated, beautifully written, and multicultural. Sure to be a classic.
Zsuzsanna Budapest, author of Goddess in the Bedroom:
This is a delicious, lushly illustrated book which will lift the spirits of the little women coming up in the 21st century!
Booklist:
Goddesses appear throughout history. This attractive oversize volume devotes a spread to each of 26 goddesses, arranged alphabetically, and the range of deities is fascinating. Included are familiar names such as Athena, Diana, Isis, Venus, and Pele. But there are also Kuan Yin, the Chinese goddess of compassion; Lakshmi, the Indian goddess of prosperity; Oya, the African goddess of the Niger River; and the Zorya, Slavic guardian goddesses. Each spread features a lovely bordered painting of the goddess surrounded by the animals or symbols with which she is associated. The facing page introduces the goddess, describes her deeds, and shows how she may still be remembered in and out of her culture. Attractive, informative, and very unusual.
School Library Journal:
This collection offers unique information to students of women's history and lovers of mythology. Waldherr has researched her topic extensively. Her cohesive, succinct summaries of each goddess-one for each letter of the alphabet-read like stories as well as convey the subjects' significance. Familiar deities of Greece and Rome share equal space with the less familiar Kuan Yin of China, Yemana of Cuba, and Oya of Nigeria. The author also includes the engrossing stories of goddesses of Java, Sumeria, Mexico, Norway, and 10 other locations. Most of them represent virtues and values such as mercy, love, comfort, and fertility, though some are associated with wrath and revenge. One page of text, framed by a decorative border and background illustration, and a full-page portrait are devoted to each woman. Waldherr's watercolors depict the goddesses in their traditional garments surrounded by the most important motifs of their myths. The artist pays particular attention to ethnic details. The volume includes a pronunciation guide and an extensive source list, which contributes to its research value. Aliki's Gods and Goddesses of Olympus (HarperCollins, 1994) is for a younger audience and is of limited scope. Patricia Monaghan's The Book of Goddesses and Heroines (Llewellyn, 1990) contains many more entries, but has no illustrations and is not written specifically for children. Waldherr's book can be used to supplement read-alouds, and older children will enjoy it on their own.
