The Book of Were-Wolves

Reviewer's Bookwatch, Oct, 2004 by S.A. Gorden

The Book of Were-Wolves

Sabine Baring-Gould

Renaissance E Books

P.O. Box 1432, Northampton, MA 01060

www.renebooks.com

ISBN: 1588733432 $4.00 electronic download 158 pages

Disclosure: I have 4 novels published through Renaissance

Baring-Gould wrote 'The Book of Were-Wolves' in the 1890s. He tried to produce a scientific study of the superstitions and myths about were-wolves, vampires, shape changing and cannibalistic serial killers. By tracing word usage, history and myths he is able to produce a convincing argument linking these topics and the possible truths the folk-lore is based on. Baring-Gould had an enormous advantage over later authors since he was able to personally verify many oral myths with people who still told them.

'The Book of Were-Wolves' is the key source text for many later authors. It documents were-wolf and shape changing myths from across the world and places them in relation with local cultures and linguistics. The cross-referencing of folk-lore with actual cannibalistic serial killers in history is especially useful for the study.

Any writer, who is interested in exploring were-wolves, vampires, shape changing, and cannibals, will find much needed information in this volume. 'The Book of Were-Wolves' is highly recommended for researchers. It is slightly less useful for the casual reader.

S.A. Gorden, Reviewer

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