Author: Ann Bingham File Type: pdf this volume covers the myths of the great Inca, Maya, and Aztec empires, as well as the stories of other, lesser-known but equally important cultures, such as the Olmec. A brief introductory chapter gives readers an overview of the history of South and Meso-American peoples. Entries describe and explain the significance of each subject and, for characters, tell the stories surrounding them. Fully cross-referenced, the volume provides fascinating insight into the cultures that inhabited South and Meso-America. **From School Library Journal Grade 6 Up - Handsome, colorful exteriors combine with an appealingly spacious layout to produce inviting surveys of complex subjects. Simple language and modest-length entries introduce the customs, beliefs, legends, ceremonies, and knowledge of many ancient peoples. Entries often include translations of names, alternate spellings, and cross-references to other articles. Each volume offers a historical introduction, a time line, simple maps, a generous bibliography of recent books and reliable Web sites, and a substantial index. However, a map of the area under discussion in South and Meso-Americandoes not specify which areas comprise Meso-America and which make up South America. In both books, average-quality, black-and-white photographs appear throughout. Colin Taylors Native American Myths and Legends (Smithmark, 1995 o.p.) is more dynamically illustrated with many bright color photographs. Two accessible and brilliantly illustrated titles that would complement Binghams volume are Tony Allans Lost Realms of Gold (Time-Life, 2000) and Timothy R. Robertss Gods of the Maya, Aztecs, and Incas (Metro, 1996). - Ann G. Brouse, Steele Memorial Library, Elmira, NY Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. From Booklist These volumes are part of the Mythology A to Z series from Facts On File. Each volume has a similar format an introduction includes a history of the culture(s), an explanation of the book, and a pronunciation guide, followed by a time line and a map. The main text is an alphabetical listing of names, places, and ideas important to the mythology of the culture. The definitions are mostly brief--a single paragraph--although some are as lengthy as a page. Many black-and-white illustrations, mostly of artifacts, enhance the text. Each volume includes a good bibliography with Internet addresses. The series is designed for young people in junior high and high school, and it is appropriate for younger children who are better readers or interested in mythology. Except in the Celtic volume there is not much storytelling since the volumes are intended to be encyclopedias rather than collections of stories. They will help students to make connections between mythological characters and images and compare similarities between cultures. The indexes are constructed to help make those connections, too. Multiculturalism and world history are an integral part of most school curricula, and this series fits both of these themes. Although the pronunciation guides in the introductions are excellent, a young audience also needs pronunciations at appropriate entry headings. It is difficult to remember strange pronunciations or to flip to the front of the book to figure out how to say foreign names. It seem a disservice to the Native American, Meso-American, and African cultures to lump so many of their mythologies into such a few pages. Another disservice is the use of some English translations as main entries in the Native American volume, with see references from the Native American terms. Although this is explained in the introduction, it reinforces attitudes of cultural superiority. That being said, these titles are an excellent introduction to the mythologies of these cultures and should be in most public and school libraries. Robin Hoelle American Library Association. lt

Author: John C. Avise File Type: pdf Humanitys physical design flaws have long been apparent--we get hemorrhoids and impacted wisdom teeth, for instance--but do the imperfections extend down to the level of our genes? Inside the Human Genome is the first book to examine the philosophical question of why, from the perspectives of biochemistry and molecular genetics, flaws exist in the biological world. Distinguished evolutionary geneticist John Avise offers a panoramic yet penetrating exploration of the many gross deficiencies in human DNA--ranging from mutational defects to built-in design faults--while at the same time offering a comprehensive treatment of recent findings about the human genome. The author shows that the overwhelming scientific evidence for genomic imperfection provides a compelling counterargument to intelligent design. He also develops a case that theologians should welcome rather than disavow these discoveries. The evolutionary sciences can help mainstream religions escape the shackles of Intelligent Design, and thereby return religion to its rightful realm--not as the secular interpreter of the biological minutiae of our physical existence, but rather as a respectable philosophical counselor on grander matters of ultimate concern.