Much has been written on Mircea Eliade (1907-1986) and his work on the history of religions, but little attention has been given to Eliade's idea of a `new humanism' for modern culture. Yet this vision, as David Cave argues in this detailed analysis, was the motivating impulse behind much of Eliade's life and work as a scholar of religion and as a writer.

'Cave has mastered the material and displays a thorough grasp of this literature ... He brings out a conceptual clarity not present in Eliade's comments on his own work ... Cave maps the fault-lines and tensions that radiate through Eliade's written corpus and life's decisions. The result is a fascinating tour of Eliades thought and life.' Lawrence Sullivan, Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard University' -

David Cave, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, Northern Kentucky University