Encyclopedia of Demons in World Religions and Cultures

May 15, 2012
With the current fascination with vampires and werewolves, it is inevitable that a book on demons would be added to the mix. This work catalogs 3,000 demons from a myriad of cultures and religions. An introduction provides the history of demons, from earliest writings to the novel (and movie) The Exorcist, and, interestingly, also makes clear this work will not help in either summoning or exorcising demons. The concise, dictionary-style entries feature alternative names, origins, appearances, attributes, and powers of demons and end with a brief bibliography. The entries are written in an objective and factual manner. A 30-page bibliography precedes an extensive index. In addition to entries for well-known names such as Beelzebub, Djinn, Kitsun, Lilith, and Lucifer, there are entries on more general topics, such as Fallen angels, Demonic possession, and Demonomania (a pathological fear of demons). The articles also show the hierarchy and relationships between demons. For example, the entry for Satan begins with the intriguing Beelzebub, the Devil, Lucifer, and Satan are considered, by various religious and academic sources, to be separate and independent entities as well as the same single being with varied and numerous names. A minor error notedin the entry for Asmodai, Bathsheba is identified as King Solomon's wife instead of his mother. This extensive catalog would appeal to a variety of users, such as Bible and religion scholars, literary students, occult researchers, and vampire fans. The objective presentation of information makes this work suitable for public and academic libraries, although the price tag for a paperback may give some pause.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)