Encyclopedia of the Undead, by Dr. Bob Curran - Large Print Reviews

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Encyclopedia of the Undead
By Dr. Bob Curran

Encyclopedia of the Undead
A Field Guide to the Creatures that Cannot Rest in Peace
By Dr. Bob Curran
Illustrated by Ian Daniels
Read How You Want, (2010)
EasyRead Large Print, in 16 Point Font
(Originally Published in Standard Print by New Page Books: A Division of Career Press)
ISBN: 9781442958708
Genre: Mythology

Rochelle Caviness - August 26, 2010

It may seem strange to say, but Vampires, those creatures known for sucking the blood out of people, have become rather popular. They are prominent characters in many modern movies and in literature, and they seem to have gained a solid following of people who see them as misunderstood beings who really aren't all that bad. But what, or who, are vampires? What other creatures are there that have passed the veil of death yet live on? How do the undead become, well, undead? Learn the answers to all these questions, and more, in Dr. Bob Curran thrilling book, Encyclopedia of the Undead.

Within the pages of this unusual guide, you'll learn all about vampires, werewolves, and zombies as well as 'undead' oddities such as the Golem, the Draugr, Lilith (the first wife of Adam), a Garwaf, and many more. Curran also introduces the reader to a host of ghouls, and the religious/ritualistic aspects of some traditions that maintain a tie with the undead such as Voodoo. Throughout, Curran provides details about the various creatures described, drawn from both historical and folkloric sources. He also provides an overview of the appearances of these creatures in literary works as well as in movies and on television. Curran also devotes an entire chapter to the writer, H. P. Lovecraft, providing a brief biography on the writer, and offering an overview of his terrifying tales of horror and detailing how Lovecraft's work has influenced the horror genre.

This book is filled with intriguing tales about mystical creatures, monsters, and beings who are not quite alive. These tales are garnered from a wide variety of religious and ethnic traditions, from around the world. In many cases, Curran also details the stories of the humans who had the power to summon the undead or turn the unweary into an undead being. These tales are enhanced by a collection of thought-provoking illustrations, by Ian Daniels, which tell stories on their own.

The Encyclopedia of the Undead is a book that will fascinate anyone with an interest in the occult, stories about the undead, world mythology, or who is looking for some new material from which to derive scary stories to tell around the campfire or at your next party. This book also will also serve as a handy reference guide for writers, folklorist, and anyone who might need to look up what a Djinn is, how the Ulagu carried off its victims, or who Baron La Croix was and why it was so important to keep him pacified. In short, you'll want to keep your Field Guide to the Creatures that Cannot Rest in Peace handy the next time you go out hunting the undead....

Encyclopedia of the Undead is available from Read How You Want, an on-demand publisher that makes books available in a variety of formats including Braille, DAISY, and five different large print formats. This range of formats makes this, and other books, available not only to visually impaired individuals, but also anyone with a reading or physical disability that makes reading standard print books difficult.

Related Reviews:

Lost Lands, Forgotten Realms, by Dr. Bob Curran.
Did such places as Atlantis and El Dorado actually exist and, if so, where were they, and what really happened? What are the traditions and legends associated with them? Find out in this is guide to the various Sunken Continents, Vanished Cities, and the Kingdoms that History Misplaced.
Pathways to Bliss: Mythology and Personal Transformation, by Joseph Campbell.
In this collection of lectures delivered between 1962 and 1983, Campbell examines how myth can aid a person's journey toward fulfillment or bliss, and the psychological side of myth.

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