Myths of the Dog-Man

Rating:
Summary: Cynocephaloi and David White's Work
Review: David White's "Myths of the Dog Men" is a fascinating read. It is a non-fiction work about past Eurasian fictional notions, specifically about the way dogs and dog-headed men appear in myths in China, India, and Europe. Our oldest companion, dogs naturally play important roles in human culture and were/are a source of fertile imaginings, but White is interested in a specific myth-complex that he sees as having common origins and mutually influencing relationships.

White's collection of dog-man myths, motifs, and images are not collected in a scattered, Frazerian way; he translates his rather unusual topic into a fascinating, insightful, and satisfyingly comprehensive book that does not fall prey to "patchwork" problems so often encountered in works that analyse recurrent myths in different societies. White covers issues of Orientalism and other ethnocentric bigotries about liminal ethnic groups from the earliest times as well as covering religious and romantic/entertainment motivations for constructing and repeating these myths. He also suggests a possible origin of these myths in that cauldron of ethnic crossways, Central Asia (what is sometimes called Serindia or the Silk Road region).

All in all, Myths of the Dog Men is a valuable and interesting work. It is a valuable scholarly book that provides the reader with information, theory, AND entertainment, and for that reason I highly recommend it for both specialist and interested layperson. Talk about a great resource for the fiction writer ...

Rating:
Summary: Not reliable
Review: David White's "Myths of the Dog Men" is a fascinating read. It is a non-fiction work about past Eurasian fictional notions, specifically about the way dogs and dog-headed men appear in myths in China, India, and Europe. Our oldest companion, dogs naturally play important roles in human culture and were/are a source of fertile imaginings, but White is interested in a specific myth-complex that he sees as having common origins and mutually influencing relationships.

White's collection of dog-man myths, motifs, and images are not collected in a scattered, Frazerian way; he translates his rather unusual topic into a fascinating, insightful, and satisfyingly comprehensive book that does not fall prey to "patchwork" problems so often encountered in works that analyse recurrent myths in different societies. White covers issues of Orientalism and other ethnocentric bigotries about liminal ethnic groups from the earliest times as well as covering religious and romantic/entertainment motivations for constructing and repeating these myths. He also suggests a possible origin of these myths in that cauldron of ethnic crossways, Central Asia (what is sometimes called Serindia or the Silk Road region).

All in all, Myths of the Dog Men is a valuable and interesting work. It is a valuable scholarly book that provides the reader with information, theory, AND entertainment, and for that reason I highly recommend it for both specialist and interested layperson. Talk about a great resource for the fiction writer ...

Rating:
Summary: Not reliable
Review: I am so disappointed with White's scholarship, that I would not recommend this book.