Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
London : Senate, 1995.
Description
The Book of Were-Wolves By Sabine Baring-Gould was originally published in 1865 and remains the most important and most often cited book on Lycanthropy. It is as compelling today as it was more than one hundred years ago when it was first published.
User reviews
LibraryThing member xicanti
A detailed examination of the werewolf myth, first published in 1865.
This was quite an enjoyable book. Baring-Gould adopts a pleasing style, and he's structured his arguments well. He presents a wide variety of werewolf myths, then puts them in context with some discussion of their cultural and
The book isn't without fault, though. Since Baring-Gould was writing in the 1860's, his scholarship is somewhat dated. There's a lot of ethnocentrism amd Eurocentrism, (though he does deal with some Eastern myths and one North American tale), and he seems to take the idea of primitivism for granted when he speaks of other cultures. As a previous reviewer has mentioned, he also neglects to translate many of his quotations from their original languages. This might not be a problem for the average 19th century parson, but I doubt many modern readers will have as little trouble.
Overall, though, this is certainly worth checking out if you have any interest in werewolves in particular or folklore in general.
This was quite an enjoyable book. Baring-Gould adopts a pleasing style, and he's structured his arguments well. He presents a wide variety of werewolf myths, then puts them in context with some discussion of their cultural and
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psychological antecedents. He's also devoted a great deal of time to historical and judicial records that describe individuals who may or may not have believed themselves to be werewolves or who exhibited werewolf-like behavior. The result is a readable, anthropological take on the mythos that sometimes covers surprising ground.The book isn't without fault, though. Since Baring-Gould was writing in the 1860's, his scholarship is somewhat dated. There's a lot of ethnocentrism amd Eurocentrism, (though he does deal with some Eastern myths and one North American tale), and he seems to take the idea of primitivism for granted when he speaks of other cultures. As a previous reviewer has mentioned, he also neglects to translate many of his quotations from their original languages. This might not be a problem for the average 19th century parson, but I doubt many modern readers will have as little trouble.
Overall, though, this is certainly worth checking out if you have any interest in werewolves in particular or folklore in general.
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LibraryThing member extrajoker
It was interesting to read The Book of Werewolves so soon after finishing The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood (whose notes mention Baring-Gould's book). Especially interesting to me were the short folkloric accounts of werewolves, and different languages' words for lycanthropes.
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Sadly, Baring-Gould doesn't always translate the Latin, French, and Greek works he cites...and since I remember little enough Latin and even less French and never knew Greek...well...yeah. Still, a really interesting read for anyone with occult/folklore/medieval interests. Show Less
LibraryThing member Heptonj
This author has really done the research. This is a fascinating book on the origins of the werewolf myths and links them to vampires and ghouls. There are interesting and obscure references to the beginning of the beliefs and many enthralling accounts of actual events and cases where the
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perpetrators were brought to trial. It is much more than a 'Book of Werewolves' - more like a historical reference to everything that chills the blood. Show Less
LibraryThing member AngelaJMaher
Overall a rather interesting book, and obviously a must-read if you're wanting to explore werewolf literature.
What marked it down for me was that some passages were all too brief, whereas in other cases the book digressed away from the main theme too much, or for too long.
What marked it down for me was that some passages were all too brief, whereas in other cases the book digressed away from the main theme too much, or for too long.
LibraryThing member whatsmacksaid
This was quite a trip. Winding and occasionally racist, and it likely didn't help that the free edition I downloaded from the B&N nook store was poorly formatted. It's interesting, and I appreciated several key things about it--its age, its statements as to what educated people believed at the time
It might be short, but it's a slog and it's not for the faint of heart. The last quarter of the book is only tangentially about werewolves. I wouldn't have gotten all the way through it if I didn't need to for grad school.
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of the writing, the fact that most original texts were presented alongside their translations. It might be short, but it's a slog and it's not for the faint of heart. The last quarter of the book is only tangentially about werewolves. I wouldn't have gotten all the way through it if I didn't need to for grad school.
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LibraryThing member Arkrayder
Very interesting book. I’m glad I found it on the serial app.
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1865
Physical description
xiii, 266 p.; 22 cm
ISBN
1859580726 / 9781859580721
Local notes
NWC
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