Originally published asFrom Primitives to Zen, this comprehensive anthology contains writings vital to all the major non-Western religious traditions, arranged thematically. Here are colorful descriptions of deities, creation myths, depictions of death and the afterlife, teachings on the relationship between humanity and the sacred, religious rituals and practices, and prayers and hymns.

Mircea Eliade, a recognized pioneer in the systematic study of the history of the world’s religions, includes excerpts from the Quran, the Book of the Dead, the Rig Veda, the Bhagavad Gita, the Homeric Hymns, and the Popol Vuh, to name just a few. Oral accounts from Native American, African, Maori, Australian, Aborigine, and other peoples are also included.

Here is fascinating reading for anyone interested in the world’s religions and myths. In an outstanding collection, Eliade demonstrates humanity’s diversity as well as the universal threads that unite us all.