Horror Literature through History: An Encyclopedia of the Stories That Speak to Our Deepest Fears [2 volumes]

by Matt Cardin (Editor)

Many of today's horror story fans--who appreciate horror through movies, television, video games, graphic novels, and other forms--probably don't realize that horror literature is not only one of the most popular types of literature but one of the oldest. People have always been mesmerized by stories that speak to their deepest fears. Horror Literature through History shows 21st-century horror fans the literary sources of their favorite entertainment and the rich intrinsic value of horror literature in its own right. Through profiles of major authors, critical analyses of important works, and overview essays focused on horror during particular periods as well as on related issues such as religion, apocalypticism, social criticism, and gender, readers will discover the fascinating early roots and evolution of horror writings as well as the reciprocal influence of horror literature and horror cinema.



This unique two-volume reference set provides wide coverage that is current and compelling to modern readers--who are of course also eager consumers of entertainment. In the first section, overview essays on horror during different historical periods situate works of horror literature within the social, cultural, historical, and intellectual currents of their respective eras, creating a seamless narrative of the genre's evolution from ancient times to the present. The second section demonstrates how otherwise unrelated works of horror have influenced each other, how horror subgenres have evolved, and how a broad range of topics within horror--such as ghosts, vampires, religion, and gender roles--have been handled across time. The set also provides alphabetically arranged reference entries on authors, works, and specialized topics that enable readers to zero in on information and concepts presented in the other sections.

Genres: Horror, Nonfiction, Literature

1072 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2017

About the author

Matt Cardin is a writer, pianist, and Ph.D. living in North Arkansas. He writes frequently about the intersection of religion, horror, creativity, and the supernatural.

His books include Writing at the Wellspring, What the Daemon Said, To Rouse Leviathan, and A Course in Demonic Creativity: A Writer’s Guide to the Inner Genius. His editorial projects include Horror Literature through History and Born to Fear: Interviews with Thomas Ligotti. His work has been nominated for the World Fantasy Award, long-listed for the Bram Stoker Award, and praised by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Asimov's Science Fiction, Thomas Ligotti, and others. His blog/newsletter is The Living Dark .

Reviews

[Becky Spratford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review in the January 1, 2018 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2018/01...

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. This is going to keep my backlog of authors, stories, and books full for the foreseeable future.