To a New World of Gods and Monsters!

It's the 75th anniversary of The Bride of Frankenstein, and the good folks over at Frankensteinia are having a week-and-change long celebration in its honor. This seemed like as good a time as any to talk about Frankenstein--the man, the story, and the monster--and my relationship to all three.

I've never read Mary Shelley's novel. I've got a big, nice, hardcover copy with illustrations by Berni Wrightson on my shelf at home, but I've never done more than look at the pictures. I know I should,...