The book of legendary lands
Umberto Eco (Author), Alastair McEwen (Translator)
From the epic poets of antiquity to contemporary writers of science fiction, from the authors of the Holy Scriptures to modern raconteurs of fairy tales, writers and storytellers through the ages have invented imaginary and mythical lands, projecting onto them all of our human dreams, ideals, and fears. Writer and cultural critic Umberto Eco leads us on a beautifully illustrated journey through these lands of myth and invention, showing us their inhabitants, the passions that rule them, their heroes and antagonists, and, above all, the importance they hold for us. He explores this human urge to create such places, the utopias and dystopias where our imagination can confront things that are too incredible or challenging for our limited real world
illustrated books
477 pages : illustrations (some color), maps (some color) ; 25 cm
9780847841219, 0847841219
832278728
The flat earth and the antipodes
Biblical lands
The lands of Homer and the Seven Wonders
The wonders of the East, from Alexander to Prester John
The Earthly Paradise, the Isles of the Blessed, and El Dorado
Atlantis, Mu, and Lemuria
Ultima Thule and Hyperborea
The migrations of the Grail
Alamüt, the Old Man of the Mountain, and the Assassins
The Land of Cockaigne
The Islands of Utopia
The Island of Solomon and the Austral Land
The interior of the Earth, the Polar myth, and Agartha
The invention of Rennes-le-Château
Fictional places and their truth