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Showing 1 - 20 of 33 items
Medusa's gaze and vampire's bite: the science of monsters
By Matt Kaplan. 2012
Science journalist examines ancient and modern myths of monsters, from the Nemean Lion of ancient Greece to King Kong and…
the Terminator. Uses archaeology and other disciplines to theorize on the sources of these tales and the reasons they fascinate us. Young adult appeal. Some violence. 2012On monsters: an unnatural history of our worst fears
By Stephen T. Asma. 2009
Philosophy professor probes Western perceptions, phobias, and self-preservation instincts to examine the cultural and conceptual history of monsters. Describes strange…
animal encounters and manifestations in ancient and medieval times, and expounds on the biblical and scientific explanations of these creatures. Includes observations of humankind's psychological demons. 2009Fire and Water
By Barbara Lyons, Betty Rice. 1973
Fire and Water is the first written collection of stories based on Hawaiian legends told on Maui. It is a…
classic Hawaiian children's book.The setting for this delightful collection of stories is the volcanoes and mountains, the blue seas, white sands, and clear skies of Maui Island in Hawaii-a place as rich in legends and myths as any in the world.Fire and Water is the first written collection of stories based on legends told on Maui. They have been retold in a style that will appeal to young and old readers alike. Though writing primarily for children, Barbara Lyons has conveyed the conflicts, emotions, and personalities of the characters whose stories have been told and retold by generations of Hawaiians.Readers will meet princesses and shark-men, dragons and owl-gods, as well as ordinary boys and girls in the midst of amazing adventures. In some of the stories, they will learn how Maui traditions began and how any Hawaiian places got their names.The striking illustrations by Maui artist Betty Rice add a new dimension to each story . A pronunciation guide and glossary of Hawaiian words enables the reader to take one step further inside this enchanted world.The Tao and Mother Goose
By Robert Carter. 1988
Art instrutor Rober Carter's illustrated book is both enjoyable and informative, written in an engaging style. Rhymes of Mother Goose…
he suggests, frequently are spiritual parables. He compares many of the famous aphorisms from Lao Tsu's Tao The Ching, noting simitarities of viewpoints. Carter feels that teaching of the Chinese philosopher and even Mother Goose nursery rhymes are addresses to some deeper level within each one of us. Consequently, a simple word, phrase, or idea in this meditative picture book might spark something deep within the reader.The Tao and Mother Goose
By Robert Carter. 1988
Magic Tales and Fairy Tale Magic
By Ruth B. Bottigheimer. 2014
This book examines magic's generally maleficent effect on humans from ancient Egypt through the Middle Ages, including tales from classical…
mythology, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim cultures. It shows that certain magical motifs lived on from age to age, but that it took until the Italian Renaissance for magic tales to become fairy tales.A Dybbuk
By Joachim Neugrochel, Tony Kushner. 1997
Kushner's imaginative retelling of the classic mystical legend, The Dybbuk, by S. Ansky, the noted Russian and Yiddish-language folklorist, novelist…
and dramatist. Ansky formed an expedition which roamed throughout the Ukraine to preserve and collect Hasidic folktales. The Dybbuk was a product of that journey. Written before the outbreak of World War I, it wasn't produced until 1920, shortly after Ansky's death. It has been much-produced worldwide ever since.Women Pirates and the Politics of the Jolly Roger
By Nicholas Levis, Ulrike Klausman, Gabriel Kuhn, Marion Meinzerin. 1997
There have always been women among pirates and sea robbers. Metaphors of mysterious and destructive femininity may have perennially been…
assigned to the sea and its dangers, but the real women who sailed on ships steered them, sank with them, commanded them, even commandeered them have been ignored by a history written by and for patriarchal men.Ample evidence of women pirates and even feminine piracy nonetheless abounds: beginning with ancient legends of Amazon sailors in several cultural traditions, and continuing uninterrupted through a wealth of confirmed historical figures, down to the present.Women Pirates and the Politics of the Jolly Roger is an account of piracy through three millennia, in histories of women and men sailing on four seas: the Chinese Straits, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean. Writing with passion and humour, but without romanticizing, or ignoring the unsavoury side of some of their heroines, the authors turn history on its head. Nor do they forget the practical details, even including genuine recipes for shark and other delights.The volume is introduced by Gabriel Kuhn's essay on anarchism and piracy, "Under the Death's Head." Considering the history of Caribbean piracy and drawing on Stirner and Foucault among others, Kuhn describes a breaking out of structured obedience, an escape from perpetual supervision, a plunge into unpredictability, danger, "everything that makes strong, free action.""The stories are lively and exciting. You'll definately be able to taste the sensation of piracy, as the authors have included a number of actual recipes prepared on the high seas. This book is a hearty read which I would recommend to the saltiest of seadogs as well as your average landlubber."--Feminist Bookstore News"Carefully researched and vividly told."--In These Times"For those who like thier history marinated in oral tradition and spiced with socialist-feminist analysis the language is blunt, sly, poetic, and innocent of academic jargon. Also includes regional recipes; readers will want to try the Piquant Shark Schnitzel from the Caribbean."--Rain Taxi"A fascinating book...the offbeat subjThe Penguin Book of Mermaids
By Cristina Bacchilega, Marie Alohalani Brown. 2019
Dive into centuries of mermaid lore with these captivating tales from around the world.A Penguin ClassicAmong the oldest and most…
popular mythical beings, mermaids and other merfolk have captured the imagination since long before Ariel sold her voice to a sea witch in the beloved Disney film adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." As far back as the eighth century B.C., sailors in Homer's Odyssey stuffed wax in their ears to resist the Sirens, who lured men to their watery deaths with song. More than two thousand years later, the gullible New York public lined up to witness a mummified "mermaid" specimen that the enterprising showman P. T. Barnum swore was real. The Penguin Book of Mermaids is a treasury of such tales about merfolk and water spirits from different cultures, ranging from Scottish selkies to Hindu water-serpents to Chilean sea fairies. A third of the selections are published here in English for the first time, and all are accompanied by commentary that explores their undercurrents, showing us how public perceptions of this popular mythical hybrid--at once a human and a fish--illuminate issues of gender, spirituality, ecology, and sexuality.Discover where faeries and other mythical creatures are hiding in our modern, urban environment with this beautifully illustrated guide to…
uncovering magical beings. From the musty corners of libraries to the darkest depths of urban sewers, faeries, boggarts, redcaps, and other fantastical species can be found all around us—but only if we know where to look. And like every other being in the modern world, these wonderous creatures have been forced to adapt to the climate, industrial, and cultural changes of the modern era. Many formerly common creatures from akeki to cave trolls have been driven out by the urban sprawl, technological advancements, and climate change while others, including ether sprites and brownies, have been able to thrive in abundance, creating homes within electrical hotbeds and massive landfills. Featuring descriptions of magical creatures from around the globe, this encyclopedic collection details the history and adaptability of more than fifty different species of fae. Describing little-known and fascinating creatures such as the Luck Pigeon of Baltimore, the akaname of Eastern Asia, and the konderong of South Africa, this book will expose readers to fantastical species from a variety of cultures and communities. Combining scholarship with modern lore and environmentalism, and featuring stunning hand-drawn illustrations, Finding Faeries is a captivating look at the fantastical beings that inhabit our world today.Roll Away Saloon: Cowboy Tales Of The Arizona Strip (Western Experience Series)
By Deirdre Paulsen. 1985
The King's Fool
By Mahi Binebine. 2017
Sidi is dying.In the last days of this all-powerful tyrant, his faithful court fool takes stock of the decades he…
has spent in the king's service. For the many years have left certain indelible wounds.During his service, the fool has been the king's closest counsel, his most trusted companion and adviser, privy to the king's deepest secrets and most intimate thoughts. It is an honoured position for which many other courtiers would pay a hefty price. Something the fool understands only too well, for this closeness has indeed come at a terrible cost.What price the confidence of a great king? Is it stories, jokes, witty repartee? Or does the debt fall closer to home? Perhaps it must be paid far from the magnificent palaces, feasting and festivities of the royal court. Perhaps it must be paid in the death jails of a formidable prison fortress far out in the desert; a place so feared that few dare to speak its name . . .Empire of Wild: A Novel
By Cherie Dimaline. 2019
A #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLEROne of the most anticipated books of the summer for Time, Harper's Bazaar, Bustle and Publishers Weekly'Deftly…
written, gripping and informative. Empire of Wild is a rip-roaring read!' Margaret Atwood'Empire of Wild is doing everything I love in a contemporary novel and more. It is tough, funny, beautiful, honest and propulsive' Tommy Orange, author of There There 'Dimaline turns an old story into something newly haunting and resonant' New York Times'Close, tight, stark, beautiful - rich where richness is warranted, but spare where want and sorrow have sharpened every word. Dimaline has crafted something both current and timeless' NPR'Revelatory... Gritty and engaging, this story of a woman and her missing husband is one of candor, wit and tradition'Ms. Magazine Broken-hearted Joan has been searching for her husband, Victor, for almost a year - ever since he went missing on the night they had their first serious argument. One hung-over morning in a Walmart parking lot in a little town near Georgian Bay, she is drawn to a revival tent where the local Métis have been flocking to hear a charismatic preacher. By the time she staggers into the tent the service is over, but as she is about to leave, she hears an unmistakable voice.She turns, and there is Victor. Only he insists he is not Victor, but the Reverend Eugene Wolff, on a mission to bring his people to Jesus.With only two allies - her Johnny-Cash-loving, 12-year-old nephew Zeus, and Ajean, a foul-mouthed euchre shark with deep knowledge of the old Métis ways - Joan sets out to remind the Reverend Wolff of who he really is. If he really is Victor, his life and the life of everyone she loves, depends upon her success.Inspired by traditional Métis legends, Cherie Dimaline has created a propulsive, stunning and sensuous novel.The King's Fool
By Mahi Binebine. 2017
Sidi is dying.In the last days of this all-powerful tyrant, his faithful court fool takes stock of the decades he…
has spent in the king's service. For the many years have left certain indelible wounds.During his service, the fool has been the king's closest counsel, his most trusted companion and adviser, privy to the king's deepest secrets and most intimate thoughts. It is an honoured position for which many other courtiers would pay a hefty price. Something the fool understands only too well, for this closeness has indeed come at a terrible cost.What price the confidence of a great king? Is it stories, jokes, witty repartee? Or does the debt fall closer to home? Perhaps it must be paid far from the magnificent palaces, feasting and festivities of the royal court. Perhaps it must be paid in the death jails of a formidable prison fortress far out in the desert; a place so feared that few dare to speak its name . . .Betty: The International Bestseller
By Tiffany McDaniel. 2020
'Breahtaking'Vogue'So engrossing! Betty is a page-turning Appalachian coming-of-age story steeped in Cherokee history, told in undulating prose that settles right…
into you'Naoise Dolan, Sunday Times bestselling author of Exciting Times 'I felt consumed by this book. I loved it, you will love it' Daisy Johnson, Booker Prize shortlisted author of Everthing Under'I loved Betty: I fell for its strong characters and was moved by the story it portrayed' Fiona Mozley, Booker Prize shortlisted author of Elmet 'A girl comes of age against the knife.' So begins the story of Betty Carpenter. Born in a bathtub in 1954 to a Cherokee father and white mother, Betty is the sixth of eight siblings. The world they inhabit is one of poverty and violence - both from outside the family and also, devastatingly, from within. When her family's darkest secrets are brought to light, Betty has no choice but to reckon with the brutal history hiding in the hills, as well as the heart-wrenching cruelties and incredible characters she encounters in her rural town of Breathed, Ohio.Despite the hardship she faces, Betty is resilient. Her curiosity about the natural world, her fierce love for her sisters and her father's brilliant stories are kindling for the fire of her own imagination, and in the face of all she bears witness to, Betty discovers an escape: she begins to write.A heartbreaking yet magical story, Betty is a punch-in-the-gut of a novel - full of the crushing cruelty of human nature and the redemptive power of words. 'Not a story you will soon forget' Karen Joy Fowler, Booker Prize shortlisted author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves 'Shot through with moonshine, Bible verses, and folklore, Betty is about the cruelty we inflict on one another, the beauty we still manage to find, and the stories we tell in order to survive' Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow ChildThe King's Fool
By Mahi Binebine. 2017
Sidi is dying.In the last days of this all-powerful tyrant, his faithful court fool takes stock of the decades he…
has spent in the king's service. For the many years have left certain indelible wounds.During his service, the fool has been the king's closest counsel, his most trusted companion and adviser, privy to the king's deepest secrets and most intimate thoughts. It is an honoured position for which many other courtiers would pay a hefty price. Something the fool understands only too well, for this closeness has indeed come at a terrible cost.What price the confidence of a great king? Is it stories, jokes, witty repartee? Or does the debt fall closer to home? Perhaps it must be paid far from the magnificent palaces, feasting and festivities of the royal court. Perhaps it must be paid in the death jails of a formidable prison fortress far out in the desert; a place so feared that few dare to speak its name . . .Florence Grace: "Possibly the most wonderful book I've ever read"
By Tracy Rees. 2016
'Possibly the most wonderful book I've ever read. A complete joy' Amazon reviewer. Florrie Buckley is an orphan, living on…
the wind-blasted moors of Cornwall. It's a hard existence but Florrie is content. But when she is fourteen, she inherits a never-imagined secret: she is related to a wealthy and notorious London family, the Graces. Overnight, Florrie's life changes and she moves from country to city, from poverty to wealth. Cut off from everyone she has ever known, Florrie struggles to learn the rules of this strange new world. And then she must try to fathom her destructive pull towards the enigmatic and troubled Turlington Grace, a man with many dark secrets of his own. What readers are saying about Tracy Rees: "Tracy Rees writes from the heart" Kathryn Hughes, bestselling author of The Letter "Tracy Rees is the most outstanding new voice in historical fiction" Lucinda Riley "A beautifully crafted story with added romance" Isabelle Broom "Tracy's writing is so fresh, original and authentic" Rosanna LeyAsterix and the Griffin: Album 39 (Asterix #39)
By Jean-Yves Ferri. 2021
Be the first to read the next action-packed adventure from the indomitable Gauls by pre-ordering now!Follow Asterix and Obelix as…
they set out on their 39th adventure on a long journey in search of a strange and terrifying creature. Half-eagle, half-lion, and idolised and feared by ancient peoples, this creature is the griffin.How will Asterix, Obelix, Dogamatix, along with the Druid Getafix, get drawn into the epic, perilous quest to find this fantastical animal? Find out in the next instalment of this multi-million bestselling series.Rather than a work of science, this richly illustrated volume offers fare for the imagination with its fascinatingly odd menagerie.…
Historical accounts of centaurs, unicorns, and lesser-known fantastical creatures provide abundant amusement.Persian Myths (The World's Greatest Myths and Legends)
By Flame Tree Studio. 2022
A joyful mythical ride through the intimate and powerful stories of the Persian legendary landscape.From such texts as the Shah…
Nameh (the Persian Book of Kings), Masnavi-e Ma&’navi, the Anvar-i Suhayli fables and works by the great poet Nizāmī, come ancient tales of a civilization that once stretched across the known world. Find here the wonderful stories of the magical bird the Simurgh, the Seven Labours of Rustem, the evil demon onager-giant Akwán Díw and the tragic romance of Laili and Majnun. Persian literature is amongst the most beautiful and inventive of all cultures, offering a joyful read of creation, love and conquest.FLAME TREE 451. From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.