Floods, snakes, the afterlife, the beginning and the end of the world—these have been the stuff of myth since time immemorial. Mythology: The Complete Guide to Our Imagined Worlds (Thames and Hudson, $40), by Christopher Dell, explores the reasons for our enduring fascination with certain subjects. The book divides myths from around the world into eight broad themes, such as Gifts from the Gods, Origin Myths, and Heroes, then discusses their similarities. It includes familiar fare such as Prometheus’s theft of fire as well as more exotic tales like that of Sekhmet’s rampage in Egypt. Each theme is vividly illustrated with stunning images (420 in all) that exemplify both the myths and their persistent influence on artists. The volume concludes with family trees of the Greek and Roman pantheons, the Vikings, Celts, Japanese, Native Americans, and many other ancient peoples.