The Bloomsbury Reader in the Study of Myth

What is myth? Why do myths exist? Where are myths going? This reader is organized into 4 parts which explore these questions. Drawing on over 10 years of experience teaching myth in religious studies and anthropology departments in the UK and USA, the editors have brought together key works in the theory of myth. - Introduction to the Reader outlines a comparative and interpretative framework - Each part and sub-section is contextualized by an introduction - Each reading is introduced by the editors - Companion website provides discussion questions and further reading suggestions, including primary sources From folklore to fairy tales, Levi-Strauss to Segal, Harry Potter to Monsters, this Reader covers the classic and contemporary theories and approaches needed to understand what myth is, why they exist, what they do, and what the future holds.