German Myths & Legends

by Donald A. Mackenzie and A. Mackenzie, Donald

Book Overview

This is a comprehensive history that looks at the Teutonic Knights and the myths and legends of the region dating back to the Middle Ages. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517462990
• ISBN13: 9780517462997
• Release Date: February 1988
• Publisher: Random House Value Publishing
• Length: 469 Pages
• Weight: 2.04 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable and valuable reference work

I have found Donald A. MacKenzie's 1985 work, German Myths and Legends, very useful in tracking down fascinating data, both familiar and obscure, on northern myths from German, Scandinavian, and related lands. It's a large book -- a total of 469 pages, including a decent index (no bibliography). Well-chosen black and white illustrations by Dore, Burne-Jones, and other 19th century artists are sparsely scattered through the work. I like the fact that MacKenzie includes poetry from a wide range of poets on many relevant topics: this adds a richness of texture. I would have liked a list of illustrations since it's so easy to miss many of them as one thumbs through the book; ditto for poets, although at least the poets are listed by name (but not work) in the index. Those are minor quibbles, however; overall, this is a valuable reference work. (Note: this book was previously published as Teutonic Myth and Legend. The only change seems to be a brief but eloquent Foreword by Donald Flanell Friedman.)

"Er, I think you might be a little north of where you think you are."

Donald A. MacKenzie's "German Myths and Legends" might better to have been entitled "Northern European Myths and Legends." While there is some German material, it's mixed with lore from Scandinavia, Iceland, and England. As a story book, it is very good. As a good, clear look at German myth and legend, take the wave-off and look elsewhere.

I found this book quite interesting

It may be a bit dry for SOME, and I'll admit the book on occasion seemed fairly academic, for the most part it was a spectacular look into the mythology of the Norse tribes. I also found it to be highly inspirational in my own writings.