A History of the World in 100 Tales

A History of the World in 100 Tales brings together 100 myths, folk tales, legends and urban myths from five continents. Sharon Jacksties moves across time, from early creation stories to traditions shaped by later cultural change, showing how communities use narratives to interpret experience and communicate shared ideas.

The collection considers the movement of stories between spoken performance and printed text, including tales refined through generations of retelling. Alongside their different origins, these accounts reveal recurring human concerns and imaginative responses to the world. Jacksties presents folklore as a record of cultural exchange, where stories preserve local traditions while also connecting societies through themes of identity, belief, survival and belonging.