An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures

A wonderful compendium of the folkloric inhabitants of the British Isles.

In addition to entries about the Little People, there are also entries on certain folkloric motifs, such as Shapeshifting and Captives in Fairyland, and on prominent collectors of tales and writers upon the subject.

As well as the usual index and bibliography, the book also has an Index of Types and Motifs, by which folklore tales have been categorised, thus making it easy to compare similarities between stories which sometimes span the length of the land. This is also facilitated by the entries being cross-referenced within the text (rather like a hyper-text webpage).

Although not a book that I would read from cover-to-cover, it's fun to dip into: often, having show more gone to look up a particular entry, I find that I've lost half an hour or so flitting from topic to another.

There are also line illustrations throughout, and a set of monochrome plates showing classic depictions of fairies, elves, goblins, et al.

In summary, an excellent and engaging reference work. show less

This book was my grandmother's, and I read the whole thing every summer when we visited her for about ten years in a row. It's a classic of fairy-lore, informative, quirky, and eminently readable. Definitely recommended for anyone with any interest in British folklore.

I liked the book and I'm sad to see it going to a charity. But I have to downsize my library and this is one of the victims. The reality is that I will never be able to sit down and read it ....pity. And I've only referred to it briefly since I bought it. Maybe Chad thought I might throw into my writing some obscure phases from the fairy world. ...well a bit late for that now. But four stars from me.

This volume, by one of the most important contemporary authors in the genre of fairy studies, is a must for every humanities reference collection. It is comprehensive and very approachable for individuals of many backgrounds and interests from literature genre studies to art and the social sciences.

One of those dip inable books that craft a story and an explanation in one. Wonderful background reading for so many aspects of life!

An excellent resource for all things fairy

Helpful with identifying & creating your own wildest dreams, if you're a fantasy buff or a writer.