Encyclopedia of Taboos

This guide to taboos examines certain aspects of their meaning, use, and importance in religion, economics, politics, and society. Holden is a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh, an institution that undertakes the systematic and extensive recording of folklore and regional ethnology in the field. His overview includes taboos in traditional literature and folklore, as well as prohibitions within individual cultures and theories on specific taboos. The alphabetical entries are cross-referenced and cite other works for further research; a comprehensive index closes the text. Casual readers will be intrigued by the variety of taboos covered, which include those relating to beans, the color red, the origin of table manners, and cannibalism. Students and researchers will find most entries well detailed and based on solid research. Recommended for reference collections in both academic and public libraries.