Blurton, a curator in the Department of Asia at the British Museum, has here produced a fascinating book on the oral history tradition of the Bengal region. The book uncovers the history of these myths, most of which are from the Hindu tradition, and the various representations and characteristics of the gods, goddesses, kings, queens, princes and princesses who appear in them. The book is beautifully illustrated with 43 colour illustrations from the British Museum’s collection. An excellent introduction gives us a brief history and geography of eastern India. In the introduction, the author also asks us to consider the importance of the oral tradition – in previous centuries, the myths would be told by a storyteller accompanied by scroll-paintings, songs and dance. By writing down the myths, we are told, we move away from impromptu fluidity and face the danger that they lose their virility. The book is then broken down to three key chapters, with the Goddess Durga, literally ‘the inaccessible’, covered in the first. We are told of her origins, the key elements of her story and a large section is given over to explaining how Durga became the goddess of victory. The second chapter covers Krishna, telling us his story – of how Krishna protected the inhabitants of Vrindavana from the anger of Indra, his lifting up of Mount Govardhan and his erotic dalliances with his young female followers. The final section tells us of Manasa, the snake goddess, who brought Islam to the region and Rama, the King who forms the basis of the great Indian epic the Ramayana. This proved to be a fascinating read. The seemingly complicated concepts were put across in an easily-digestible way and I felt gaps in my knowledge of the culture of the Indian sub-continent were filled. The history of these myths is fascinating as is their development and their significance to today’s society. Well worth reading.