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The Book of Fabulous Beasts: A Treasury of Writings from Ancient Times to the Present
What do green lions, nine-headed winged snakes, giant gold-digging ants and fish in the shape of bishops have in common? They all inhabit this new, comprehensive collection of strange and fantastic beasts. In excerpts spanning millennia and reflecting the development of the Western
imagination itself, we encounter old favorites like the dragon, unicorn, phoenix, griffin, and mermaid, as well as a host of other bizarre creatures.
Comprising hundreds of well-known and obscure primary sources arranged chronologically by writer, The Book of Fabulous Beasts traces the development of imaginary animals as they appear and reappear in literary accounts from the Babylonian epic of creation to modern fantasy. From Herodotus
to medieval bestiaries and travelers's tales, and from Renaissance heraldry, alchemy, and natural histories to the fantasy fiction of Tolkien, the author shows how these resilient beasts--once believed to be real--have transformed and regenereated through time, surviving even the Age of Reason that
banished them to the realm of the "fabulous." With an extensive general introduction, glossary of animals, bibliography, index, and more than a hundred illustrations from a Babylonian cylinder seal of a god battling a dragon to James Thurber's drawing of a unicorn in a modern garden, this volume
will be the standard reference for years to come.
The Book of Fabulous Beasts is the rare combination of an exhaustive source book and a delightful read. Readers can browse excerpts, trace one particular creature as it develops through time and translation, or read this epic story straight through, discovering along the way as much about the
history and dreams of the human creature as about the fanciful animals on every page.
imagination itself, we encounter old favorites like the dragon, unicorn, phoenix, griffin, and mermaid, as well as a host of other bizarre creatures.
Comprising hundreds of well-known and obscure primary sources arranged chronologically by writer, The Book of Fabulous Beasts traces the development of imaginary animals as they appear and reappear in literary accounts from the Babylonian epic of creation to modern fantasy. From Herodotus
to medieval bestiaries and travelers's tales, and from Renaissance heraldry, alchemy, and natural histories to the fantasy fiction of Tolkien, the author shows how these resilient beasts--once believed to be real--have transformed and regenereated through time, surviving even the Age of Reason that
banished them to the realm of the "fabulous." With an extensive general introduction, glossary of animals, bibliography, index, and more than a hundred illustrations from a Babylonian cylinder seal of a god battling a dragon to James Thurber's drawing of a unicorn in a modern garden, this volume
will be the standard reference for years to come.
The Book of Fabulous Beasts is the rare combination of an exhaustive source book and a delightful read. Readers can browse excerpts, trace one particular creature as it develops through time and translation, or read this epic story straight through, discovering along the way as much about the
history and dreams of the human creature as about the fanciful animals on every page.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 1999
About the author
Joseph Nigg
13 books15 followersSince the early 1980s, Joseph (Joe) Nigg has explored the rich cultural lives of mythical creatures in a variety of styles and formats for readers of all ages. His books have garnered multiple awards, and his current international bestseller, "How to Raise and Keep a Dragon," has been translated into more than twenty languages.
"Griffins, the Phoenix, dragons, unicorns, and other traditional animals of the imagination are all around us in words and images," Nigg writes. "But when you delve into the histories of these creatures, you'll find an incredible wealth of cross-cultural lore intertwined with history, myth, religion, art, literature, science, and specialized areas such as alchemy and heraldry. While looking beyond the popular presence of mythical beasts, you'll discover as much about the history and dreams of the human race as about our animal creations."
Nigg has been writing about fabulous beasts ever since he became intrigued by a fantastic animal figure on an antique lamp in his study. The winged lion with a fish tail eventually led him to the local art museum, where he was allowed to hold an ancient Persian silver cup embossed with griffins. That experience resulted in his first book, "The Book of Gryphons" (Apple-wood Books, 1982), a lavishly illustrated history of the eagle-lion beast. Since then, his scope has broadened to the entire host of fantastic animals worldwide. After twelve years of research and writing, Nigg recently completed THE PHOENIX: A CULTURAL HISTORY. The most comprehensive Phoenix study to date, the book traces the transmission and transformations of the mythical bird from ancient Egypt to the present.
He was born in Davenport, Iowa, and grew up throughout the Midwest. Holding an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from the University of Denver, he taught at several colleges and served as the executive editor of a global network before writing full time.
"Griffins, the Phoenix, dragons, unicorns, and other traditional animals of the imagination are all around us in words and images," Nigg writes. "But when you delve into the histories of these creatures, you'll find an incredible wealth of cross-cultural lore intertwined with history, myth, religion, art, literature, science, and specialized areas such as alchemy and heraldry. While looking beyond the popular presence of mythical beasts, you'll discover as much about the history and dreams of the human race as about our animal creations."
Nigg has been writing about fabulous beasts ever since he became intrigued by a fantastic animal figure on an antique lamp in his study. The winged lion with a fish tail eventually led him to the local art museum, where he was allowed to hold an ancient Persian silver cup embossed with griffins. That experience resulted in his first book, "The Book of Gryphons" (Apple-wood Books, 1982), a lavishly illustrated history of the eagle-lion beast. Since then, his scope has broadened to the entire host of fantastic animals worldwide. After twelve years of research and writing, Nigg recently completed THE PHOENIX: A CULTURAL HISTORY. The most comprehensive Phoenix study to date, the book traces the transmission and transformations of the mythical bird from ancient Egypt to the present.
He was born in Davenport, Iowa, and grew up throughout the Midwest. Holding an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from the University of Denver, he taught at several colleges and served as the executive editor of a global network before writing full time.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 14, 2022
Fascinating history of the human obsession with mythical creatures.
November 9, 2012
This is an excellent exploration through time about mythic creatures and the writings about them...when it covers the creature. But I picked it up for one reason only-- It's index had Chimera listed over two dozen times and I hoped to find a wealth of information about this particular creature...in practically every instance, all it was was a mention of the Chimera as a monster and mythic beast, usually lumped with other legendary monsters. Not a single -real- reference specific to the Chimera. So for that, I was disappointed. But if you're looking for information on dragons, unicorns, griffins, and basilisks (and the like), as well as how people looked at and described the myriad assortment of fantastic creatures that actually turned out to exist, this will be a great place to start.
January 14, 2008
Reference book, may seem too dry and academic to many...but the material was cool. I liked it and found it really interesting.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews