Carol and Dinah Mack both know their stuff – they both have Masters Degrees, in religious studies and cultural anthropology respectively. That's why books like A Field Guide to Demons etc are great. If you want something that will tell you more than what you know from reading Harry Potter and watching Supernatural you have to take such a huge step up in your reading. The problem with entertaining books on mythology is they are generally written for kids, and don't tell you much more than you already know. Though informative, they can be a bit dry. The problem with most books on mythology is they are often written by academics for academics. While I love the fiction, most of the text books I'll probably never read, despite having spent a fair amount of money on them. A casual glance at my bookshelf shows a selection of thick reference books, and many of my favourite fiction books have their roots in some of the various mythologies from around the world. I should probably mention before I start this review that I have a bit of an obsession with mythology and folklore. This book was republished in October 2010 as A Field Guide to Demons, Vampires, Fallen Angels and other subversive spirits by Carol K Mack and Dinah Mack Mischievous and entertaining, this is Mythology how it should be.
Summary: This field guide covers a whole host of demonic creatures from the well known Mermaids, to the lesser known Yunwi Djunsti and Kumbhakarna.