Bibliography
Angels
A Gathering of Angels: Angels in Jewish Life and Literature by Morris B. Margolies (Ballantine, 1994) This book traces the appearance of angels in Jewish religious imagination and history, from the Hebrew Bible through Rabbinic writings to contemporary, post-Holocaust novels and stories. An engaging compendiom of angelic lore, it is also a study of the evolving role of angels from messengers of God to metaphors for good and evil. Rabbi Margolies was Ellen Kushner's guest on Sound & Spirit's program on Angels.
Angels A to Z : A Who's Who of the Heavenly Host by Matthew Bunson (Crown, 1996) Primarily a collection of information about Jewish, Christian and Islamic angels, this book includes some Persian and Greco-Roman references. Also of interest are references to contemporary angel lore, such as an entry for Clarence Goodbody, the angel earning his wings in the movie, It's a Wonderful Life.
Angels A to Z by James R. Lewis and Evelyn Dorothy Oliver (Visible Ink Press, 1996) This encyclopedic dictionary of angels is a bit more ambitious than the previous volumne with the same title; and it is a bit more scholarly, yet very readable. It also includes in addition to more non-Judeo/Christian/ Islamic references, a bibliography, a "filmography" and a resource list with addresses of organizations and retail outlets relating to angelic materials.
A Book of Angels: Reflections on Angels Past and Present and True Stories of How They Touch Our Lives by Sophy Burnham (Ballantine, 1990) is an interesting, very personal collection of "true stories of present-day encounters with angels". This engaging attempt to study and understand angelic beings historically and cross-culturally can be enjoyed in its earnestness and sincerity.
Angels : Messengers of the Gods by Peter Lamborn Wilson (Thames and Hudson, 1994) As part of the Art and Imagination series, this book is noteworthy for its multi/cross-cultural collection of images of angelic [winged] beings. The minimal text is interesting, but the pictures wonderful.
Angels: An Endangered Species by Malcolm Godwin (Simon and Schuster, 1990) Another entertaining sampling of the seemingly inexhaustible range of angelic lore in primarily Western culture. This book contains some unusual pictures and photographs.
A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels by Gustav Davidson (Free Press, 1971) Originally published in 1967, this may be the grandaddy of the recent plethora of enclopedic dictionaries of angels. It is fascinating to read through this tome--exhausting but fun.
Ascending Jacob's Ladder: Jewish Views of Angels, Demons and Evil Spirits by Ronald H. Isaacs (Jason Aronson, 1998) The author presents us with an recounting of the stories about angels in the Hebrew Bible, in the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, goes on to discuss angels in Rabbinic Judaism, in the Jewish Liturgy, and then finishes off with discussions of Satan, fallen angels, the Angel of Death, demons, spirits and evil forces in Jewish tradition. Included at the end of the small book ius a collection of notable quotations and stories about angels, the Angel of Death, and Satan from Chassidic, Kabbalistic, Talmudic and Midrashic sources, finishing off with a "Who's Who of Angels and Demons."
The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 1998) Ellen Kushner - "A wonderful novel about a man and an angel, set in 19th century France."
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