Based on the Siberian wolf attack of 1927 and told from the point of view of both wolves and humans. It was a Wolf Winter, so deeply cold that forest trails were empty and only humans had enough food to survive. Over 100 wolves, the largest pack ever seen, surround the Siberian village of Pilovo, desperate in their search for game. Pets and farm animals stand alert, villagers sense trouble, the frozen stage is set. This account details each event of the attack, the unrelenting terror, the vicious combat. Neither wolf nor man is safe; neither can imagine the outcome. Arctic cold and savage fighting inflict endless damage on predator and prey. In this isolated wilderness, tucked inside a bleak country, only animal cunning and ruthless perseverance will prevail.
In this illuminating and evocative exploration of the origin and function of storytelling, the author goes beyond the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell, arguing that mythmaking evolved as a cultural survival strategy for coping with the constant fear of being killed and eaten by predators. Beginning nearly two million years ago in the Pleistocene era, the first stories, Trout argues, functioned as alarm calls, warning fellow group members about the carnivores lurking in the surroundings. At the earliest period, before the development of language, these rudimentary "stories" would have been acted out. When language appeared with the evolution of the ancestral human brain, stories were recited, memorized, and much later written down as the often bone-chilling myths that have survived to this day. This book takes the reader through the landscape of world mythology to show how our more recent ancestors created myths that portrayed animal predators in four basic ways: as monsters, as gods, as benefactors, and as role models. Each incarnation is a variation of the fear-management technique that enabled early humans not only to survive but to overcome their potentially incapacitating fear of predators. In the final chapter, Trout explores the ways in which our visceral fear of predators is played out in the movies, where both animal and human predators serve to probe and revitalize our capacity to detect and survive danger. Anyone with an interest in mythology, archaeology, folk tales, and the origins of contemporary storytelling will find this book an exciting and provocative exploration into the natural and psychological forces that shaped human culture and gave rise to storytelling and mythmaking.
From the horrific to the heroic, cinematic werewolves are metaphors for our savage nature, symbolizing the secret, bestial side of humanity that hides beneath our civilized veneer. Examining acknowledged classics like The Wolf Man (1941) and The Howling (1981), as well as overlooked gems like Dog Soldiers (2011), this comprehensive filmography covers the highs and lows of the genre. Information is provided on production, cast and filmmakers, along with critical discussion of the tropes and underlying themes that make the werewolf a terrifying but fascinating figure.
Since we humans have evolved into the dominant species on this planet, we sometimes fail to recognize--and respect--the ever-present threat posed by the animals we love or fear, hunt or fight to protect. Many of nature's most lethal residents have combative skills that have been honed by millions of years of adaptive survival, and it takes only a second for an otherwise evolved individual to become a helpless victim. WHEN MAN IS THE PREY is a one-of-a-kind collection of real-life encounters between man and beast that explores the uneasy relationship that humanity has with its native habitat. From bears, boars, and black dogs to swimming with sharks and dancing with wolves, the stories in WHEN MAN IS THE PREY offer a fascinating, frightening, and enlightening look at the natural world and its many creatures.
At the winter solstice, December 21, 2012, the 4th Mayan World ends. Then the angel armies of good and evil battle for control to trumpet a world-wide message of hope or despair deep into the souls of men. Maria Montez has to decide which angel is with God and which is the devil. For one horrific week she is overwhelmed with appaling visions of doom, torture, hell, and desolation or hope, love, heaven and salvation. Why is she the essential cog in this cosmic machine? Why was she picked to do their bidding? Terrified, she must choose before midnight for in her choice is the fate of mankind and the glory of the 5th World.
This comprehensive guide to the birds of Kutch, a region in western India, offers a keen insight into the area's vibrant avian life. Filled with detailed information and beautiful illustrations, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in birds and the natural world. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
