Encyclopedia of Goddesses & Heroines

Patricia Monaghan is widely hailed as one of the pioneers in feminine spirituality. The first dictionary of goddesses ever published was Monaghan’s 1980 Book of Goddesses and Heroines, which was reissued several times and became a standard text in the area. Both a scholar and an award-winning poet, she spent years researching goddesses and heroines from every region of the globe. From the beginning, there have been goddesses who reigned alongside their male counterparts as figures of inspiration and awe. Today, even the most modern among us still speak of Mother Earth and Mother Nature, yet few books offer the depth and breadth of knowledge and information about the feminine divine as this encyclopedia.

The Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines provides a comprehensive introduction to the ways these figures have been viewed through the ages, covering the myths and attributes of goddesses and female spiritual powers from around the world. They are organized by culture, region, and religion, exploring the role of women in each culture’s religious life and introducing readers to the background of each pantheon, as well as the figures who peopled it. The extensive research includes anthropology, archeology, mythology, art history, and religious studies.