<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br>This book takes the reader on a fantastic journey through a wide range of cultures and traditions to examine the phenomenon of ecstatic visionary experiences--from Sumerian Gilgamesh and the Taoist Immortals to the imaginative fiction of Jorge Luis Borges. The author provides a comprehensive tour of otherworldly journeys common from immemorial times among shamans, magicians, and witches, and illustrates their connection with such modern phenomena as altered states of consciousness, out-of-body experiences, and near-death experiences.<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br>I. P. Couliano (1950-1991) taught History of Religions and History of Christianity at the University of Chicago. He is the author of several books and many articles in six languages.