Popular Oceanian Mythology Books

Find mythology books written by authors from Oceania for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge. (6)

1.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent EN

Rating: 4 (8 votes)
Country: Oceania / Australia flag Australia
Description:
Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution. Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes's death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard. ... BURIAL RITES evokes a dramatic existence in a distant time and pla... continue

2.

Kurangaituku by Whiti Hereaka EN

Rating: 5 (1 vote)
Description:
"In the void of time, Kurangaituku, the bird-woman, tells the story of her extraordinary Life - the birds who first sang her into being, the arrival of the Song Makers and the change they brought to her world, her life with the young man Hatupatu, and her death. But death does not end a creature of imagination like Kurangaituku. In the underworlds of Rarohenga, she continues to live in the many stories she collects as she pursues what eluded her in life. This is a story of love - but is this love something that creates or destroys? Kurangaituku is a contemporary retelling of the story of Hatup... continue

3.

Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe EN

0 Ratings
Description:
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love—witness what the gods do after dark in this stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of the best-known stories in Greek mythology, featuring a brand-new, exclusive short story from creator Rachel Smythe. HUGO AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF NPR’S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • “What Scott Pilgrim did for Canadian slackers, Lore Olympus does for the Greek pantheon, while being so beautiful that you know Aphrodite is just staring daggers in its direction.”—Kieron Gillen, co-creator of The Wicked + The Divine Persephone, youn... continue

4.

Maori Myths & Legendary Tales by A.W. Reed EN

0 Ratings
Description:
Maori Myths & Legendary Tales was first published in 1946 as Myths and Legends of Maoriland, and subsequently reprinted four times before the second edition was published in 1958, followed by the third edition in 1961. It went on to become one of New Zealand's most recognised books of the genre, winning an Esther Glen medal for the best children's book in 1947, and enjoyed considerable popularity in London, New York and Australia. This new edition retains the work of illustrator Dennis Turner and is presented with a stunning new cover based on the 'Rangi and Papa' mural, by highly acclaimed ar... continue

5.

Marshall Islands Legends and Stories by Daniel A. Kelin EN

Rating: 4 (1 vote)
Description:
Collects 50 stories recorded from 18 storytellers on 8 islands and atolls in the Marshall Islands.

6.

The Book of Luelen by Luelen Bernart EN

Rating: 4 (1 vote)
Country: Oceania / Micronesia flag Micronesia
Description:
Luelen Bernart, who died about the end of World War II, was a member of a prominent Ponapean family in the southeastern part of the island. As a youth he attended the Protestant mission school at Ohwa (Oa) and the style of the bible permeates his own writing. Locally he was renowned for the wealth of his traditional knowledge, which he recorded, apparently for his family... The book of Luelen appears to have been by far the fullest such manuscript completed by any Ponapean up to the time of Luelen's death: the author himself seems to have seen it as a comprehensive account of Ponape from its c... continue