Tony Allan (2) (1946–)

Review by Stuart Mayne

The human mind is a strange and wonderful beast in and of itself. Story-tellers the world over have, for millennia, brought to life a cornucopia of bizarre and terrifying monsters to keep us awake at night and to ensure our good behaviour towards our relatives and siblings. Tony Allen has once again (he is author of other well researched general histories) presented the reader with a book of depth and interest.
Expertly divided into elemental sections, Allen begins each show more bestial entry with five short and basic headings to give the unfamiliar reader the low-down: appearance, size, lifespan, powers and habitat are enough to introduce each beast. Then comes a detailed history and explanation of the beast, accompanied by excellent illustrations. This is an easy book to dip in and out of, and to use as research material, both for strange and unfamiliar creatures but also for what each creature can highlight in the human psyche. After all, mythological beasts are as much psychological metaphors, as gatekeepers on a hero’s “road of trials”. show less

Prose was a bit dry, and it was meaty, but what a great book! One of those books that inspires one to read the classics. Tons of diverting insert articles and illustrations, but the "chapters" are short (a couple pages). Stick with it, you'll learn a thousand drachmas worth, in an entertaining way.

Reader's Digest overview of prehistory. Taking the world a continent at a time, this provides a basic look at what we know about prehistory. Includes colour pictures of early artefacts — tools, artworks and buildings. There are also maps of the territories that early civilisations controlled and a comparative timeline. Simple and easy to read but not one for an in depth analysis. Still a useful addition to any reference library.

This book provides an introduction to the Russian Revolution. It's organized chronologically, but looks a lot like a textbook, and thus might be less appealing to students. There is a limited list of references, but it appears to be factually acceptable.