In this fascinating book, Brian J. Frost presents the first full-scale survey of werewolf literature covering both fiction and nonfiction works. He identifies principal elements in the werewolf myth, considers various theories of the phenomenon of shapeshifting, surveys nonfiction books, and traces the myth from its origins in ancient superstitions to its modern representations in fantasy and horror fiction. Frost's analysis encompasses fanciful medieval beliefs, popular works by Victorian authors, scholarly treatises and medical papers, and short stories from pulp magazines of the 1930s and 1940s. Revealing the complex nature of the werewolf phenomenon and its tremendous and continuing influence, The Essential Guide to Werewolf Literature is destined to become a standard reference on the subject.
Most of us are familiar with the idea of a werewolf—that someone can change, either deliberately or unwillingly, into a ravenous creature—but is there some justification for such a belief? And if so, how is it achieved—through magical potions or ointments or simply by the light of the full moon? Or is the whole thing simply a form of delusion, the product of a disturbed mind? In Werewolves, author Dr. Bob Curran examines the deep psychological perceptions about the linkage of man with the natural, bestial world. Do the roots of such a belief lie in the supernatural world, or are there other explanations? How has the discovery of feral children, living in the wild, shaped our ideas of human-beasts? And what is the future of such beliefs? The book considers genetically-based speculations regarding the possible fusion of human and animal genes in order to alleviate some human diseases and suffering. Is the idea of man into beast really so far fetched? Werewolves is an essential reference book which looks, in depth, at a fascinating subject. One word of warning though: it must never be read under the baleful rays of a full moon. You have been warned!
Throughout history, from at least as far back as the Epic of Gilgamesh, mankind has shown a fascination with physical transformation--especially that of humans into animals. Tales of such transformations appear in every culture across the course of history. They have been featured in the Western world in the work of such authors as Ovid, Petronius, Marie de France, Saint Augustine, Jack Williamson, Charles de Lint, Charaline Harris, Terry Pratchett, and J. K. Rowling. This book approaches werewolves as representations of a proposed shape-shifter archetype, examining, with reference to earlier sources, how and why the archetype has been employed in modern literature. Although the archetype is in a state of flux by its very definition, many common threads are linked throughout the literary landscape even as modern authors add, modify, and reinvent characteristics and meanings. This is especially true in the work of such authors examined in this book, many of whom have struck a chord with a wide range of readers and non-readers around the world. They seem to have tapped into something that affects their audiences on a subconscious level.
Goosebumps now on Disney+! There is something weird happening in Fever Swamp. Something really horrible.It started with the strange howling at night. Then there was the rabbit, torn to shreds. Everyone thinks Grady's new dog is responsible. After all, he looks just like a wolf. And he seems a little on the wild side.But Grady knows his dog is just a regular old dog. And most dogs don't howl at the moon. Or disappear at midnight. Or change into terrifying creatures when the moon is full.Or do they?
*Benjamin Percy's brand new speculative thriller, The Ninth Metal, is available to pre-order now* Every teenage girl thinks she's different. When government agents kick down Claire Forrester's front door and murder her parents, Claire realises just how different she is. Patrick Gamble was nothing special until the day he got on a plane and, hours later, stepped off it, the only passenger left alive. A hero. President Chase Williams has vowed to eradicate the menace. Unknown to the electorate, however, he is becoming the very thing he has sworn to destroy. Each of them is caught up in a war that so far has been controlled with laws and violence and drugs. But an uprising is about to leave them damaged, lost, and tied to one another for ever. The night of the red moon is coming, when an unrecognizable world will emerge, and the battle for humanity will begin.
She-wolf explores the cultural history of the female werewolf, from her first appearance in medieval literature to recent incarnations in film, television and popular literature. The book includes contributors from various disciplines, and offers a cross-period, interdisciplinary exploration of a perennially popular cultural production. The book covers material from the Middle Ages to the present day with chapters on folklore, history, witch trials, Victorian literature, young adult literature, film and gaming. Considering issues such as religious and social contexts, colonialism, constructions of racial and gendered identities, corporeality and subjectivity – as well as female body hair, sexuality and violence – She-wolf reveals the varied ways in which the female werewolf is a manifestation of complex cultural anxieties, as well as a site of continued fascination.
Few historical relics have exerted such a hold on our imaginations as the mummy. In 1834, Thomas J. Pettigrew's A History of Egyptian Mummies was the first scholarly work wholly devoted to the subject, providing, for its time, a remarkable analysis of the different mummification techniques used by the ancient embalmers. Such volumes of serious nonfiction have been supplemented over the years by additional works, both scholarly and otherwise, as well as works of fiction that incorporate and expand upon mummy lore. Indeed, the popular concept of the mummy as a malevolent monster dates back to the nineteenth century, when stories about mummies rising from the dead to terrify the living first captured the imagination of the reading public and set the revivified corpse on the path to becoming a major horror icon. In The Essential Guide to Mummy Literature, Brian J. Frost provides the first in-depth survey and bibliography of works of fiction featuring mummies. In this comprehensive volume, Frost traces the development of the mummy story, paying particular attention to works by Victorian authors and pulp fiction writers, as well as stories from the American pulp magazines. The annotated bibliography provides synopses of all the key works of fiction in the mummy canon, as well as others not so well known. Full publication details for each entry, with plot summaries of more than 500 works of fiction and abridged descriptions of 250 nonfiction books, are provided. Additionally, a filmography is included, along with listings of young adult novels, children's storybooks, and reference works for both adults and children. Well-organized and comprehensive, The Essential Guide to Mummy Literature will appeal to devotees of the horror genre and students of popular literature, as well as researchers and librarians.
Celebrate your inner beast — and harness that newfound animal magnetism! — with this essential guide to the lycanthropic lifestyle. Are you subject to savage moods, extreme and unexplained buffness, and cravings for meat on the rare side? Do you long for super speed and reflexes, along with rapid healing and maybe a talent for telepathy? Welcome to the pack — and get ready to howl — as you sink your claws into this guide to everything life as a werewolf has to offer. Among its abundant fur-raising topics: — A look at good, bad, and ugly transformation styles, including an answer to the question of what happens to your clothes. — A quiz to determine if you’re a menace to society, and tips on taking precautions — Planning your social schedule around the lunar calendar — Dating hints, from the risks and rewards of cross-species romance to avoiding your sweetheart’s family pet — Killer fashion suggestions, from urban (leather and hardware) to a cute and foxy kitsune look — Ideas, decorations, and recipes for a full-moon party — Tales of real-life werewolves, plus lore and legends from around the world — Juicy reading material and gems of the silver screen
The wolf is one of the most widely distributed canid species, historically ranging throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere. For millennia, it has also been one of the most pervasive images in human mythology, art, and psychology. Wolves and the Wolf Myth in American Literature examines the wolf’s importance as a figure in literature from the perspectives of both the animal’s physical reality and the ways in which writers imagine and portray it. Author S. K. Robisch examines more than two hundred texts written in North America about wolves or including them as central figures. From this foundation, he demonstrates the wolf’s role as an archetype in the collective unconscious, its importance in our national culture, and its ecological value. Robisch takes a multidisciplinary approach to his study, employing a broad range of sources: myths and legends from around the world; symbology; classic and popular literature; films; the work of scientists in a number of disciplines; human psychology; and field work conducted by himself and others. By combining the fundamentals of scientific study with close readings of wide-ranging literary texts, Robisch astutely analyzes the correlation between actual, living wolves and their representation on the page and in the human mind. He also considers the relationship between literary art and the natural world, and argues for a new approach to literary study, an ecocriticism that moves beyond anthropocentrism to examine the complicated relationship between humans and nature.
