# Recs for an encyclopedia of supernatural/mythological creatures? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 25, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recs-for-an-encyclopedia-of-supernatural-mythological-creatures/469470 "2008-10-25T02:58:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recs-for-an-encyclopedia-of-supernatural-mythological-creatures/469470/1 "2008-10-25T02:58:53Z")
I didn’t put “need answers fast!” in the subject line, but NaNoWriMo is coming up very soon… What I’m looking for is a book (or website, if they’re more inclusive than ones I’ve found with just a few dozen entries) that covers supernatural and/or mythological creatures from around the globe: the sort that might have everything from Kitsune in Japan to Each Uisge in Scotland. There are two caveats, however. 1. whatever it is should have lots of creatures in it - hundreds at least 2. please only recommend books you’ve actually read (I know lots of these books exist, I want to know which people liked) Illustrations are a bonus, but a general description of legendary creatures is more important than what they look like. The descriptions do not need to be in-depth, just to serve as a jumping off point for research. Thanks:) ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recs-for-an-encyclopedia-of-supernatural-mythological-creatures/469470/2 "2008-10-25T03:30:42Z")
Have you looked at Wikipedia yet? [List of Legendary Creatures](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legendary_creatures) is a rather large A-to-Z list that hyperlinks to descriptive pages of hundreds of creatures (including links for Kitsune and Each Uisge), and has links to other, more specialized wiki lists at the end (angels, cryptids, vampires, etc.). It’s more inclusive than any book I’ve used, which tend to focus on more subsets (Greek mythology, demons, whatever). ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recs-for-an-encyclopedia-of-supernatural-mythological-creatures/469470/3 "2008-10-25T04:12:06Z")
[Encyclopedia Mythica](http://www.pantheon.org/) is a good start. And [here’s](http://www.theoi.com/Bestiary.html) another big one, although it focusses on Greek. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recs-for-an-encyclopedia-of-supernatural-mythological-creatures/469470/4 "2008-10-25T06:53:22Z")
[The Book of Imaginary Beings](http://www.amazon.com/Book-Imaginary-Beings-Jorge-Borges/dp/0670891800/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224917528&sr=8-3) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recs-for-an-encyclopedia-of-supernatural-mythological-creatures/469470/5 "2008-10-25T09:57:11Z")
It’s been awhile since I’ve read it, but Carol Rose’s [Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins: An Encyclopedia](http://www.amazon.com/Spirits-Fairies-Leprechauns-Goblins-Encyclopedia/dp/0393317927/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224928208&sr=1-1) is an old favorite of mine; very comprehensive. I don’t remember how well it covers the rest of the world (e.g. Asia, the Americas), but I’m pretty sure there were at least some. And Europe is _very_ well covered. It has illustrations, mostly old woodcuts and etchings and the like, and there’s a sequel/followup/companion book, as well: [Giants, Monsters, and Dragons](http://www.amazon.com/Giants-Monsters-Dragons-Encyclopedia-Folklore/dp/0393322114/ref=sip_rech_dp_10). Take it from an obsessive information hoarder…these are great books, well worth your while. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recs-for-an-encyclopedia-of-supernatural-mythological-creatures/469470/6 "2008-10-25T15:17:01Z")
Thanks folks! These are exactly the sorts of books and sites I was looking for 😃