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Frankenstein: How a Monster Became an Icon: The Science and Enduring Allure of Mary Shelley's Creation
Few creations have risen from literary origins to reach world-wide importance like Frankenstein. This landmark volume celebrates the bicentenary of Mary Shelley's creation and its indelible impact on art and culture. The tale of a tormented creature created in a laboratory began on a rainy night in 1816 in the imagination of a nineteen-year-old Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, newly married to the celebrated Romantic poet Percy Shelley. Since its publication two years later, in 1818, O r, t he Modern Prometheus has spread around the globe through every possible medium and variation. Frankenstein has not been out of print once in 200 years. It has appeared in hundreds of editions, perhaps more than any other novel. It has inspired a multitude of stage and screen adaptations, the latest appearing just last year. “Frankenstein” has become an indelible part of popular culture, and is shorthand for anything bizarre and human-made; for instance, genetically modified crops are “Frankenfood.” Conversely, Frankenstein’s monster has also become a benign Halloween favorite. Yet for all its long history, Frankenstein 's central premise―that science, not magic or God, can create a living being, and thus these creators must answer for their actions as humans, not Gods―is most relevant today as scientists approach creating synthetic life. In its popular and cultural weight and its expression of the ethical issues raised by the advance of science, physicist Sidney Perkowitz and film expert Eddy von Muller have brought together scholars and scientists, artists and directions―including Mel Brooks―to celebrate and examine Mary Shelley’s marvelous creation and its legacy as the monster moves into his next century. 8 pages of color photographs, B&W photographs throughout
384 pages, Paperback
Published May 14, 2019
13 people are currently reading
868 people want to read
About the author
Sidney Perkowitz
23 books21 followersSidney Perkowitz is Candler Professor of Physics at Emory University. Author of many research papers and books, hes also written the popular science books Empire of Light, Universal Foam, Digital People and Hollywood Science which have been translated into six languages and Braille; articles for the LA Times, Washington Post, and other outlets; the stage works Albert & Isadora, Friedmann's Balloon and Glory Enough, presented in Atlanta, New York, and Chicago; and the screenplay The Second Obsession. He has appeared on CNN, NPR, the BBC, and elsewhere. Sidney Perkowitz is Candler Professor of Physics at Emory University. Author of many research papers and books, hes also written the popular science books Empire of Light, Universal Foam, Digital People and Hollywood Science which have been translated into six languages and Braille; articles for the LA Times, Washington Post, and other outlets; the stage works Albert & Isadora, Friedmann's Balloon and Glory Enough, presented in Atlanta, New York, and Chicago; and the screenplay The Second Obsession. He has appeared on CNN, NPR, the BBC, and elsewhere. Sidney Perkowitz is Candler Professor of Physics at Emory University. Author of many research papers and books, hes also written the popular science books Empire of Light, Universal Foam, Digital People and Hollywood Science which have been translated into six languages and Braille; articles for the LA Times, Washington Post, and other outlets; the stage works Albert & Isadora, Friedmann's Balloon and Glory Enough, presented in Atlanta, New York, and Chicago; and the screenplay The Second Obsession. He has appeared on CNN, NPR, the BBC, and elsewhere. "
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 31, 2018
This gets off to a very bad start, with unbelievably shoddy research. Right in the first paragraph of his introduction, editor Sidney Perkowitz describes Mary Shelley's stay with husband Percy and Lord Byron in Lake Como, Italy - but the meeting actually took place in Lake Geneva, Switzerland. To get something so basic wrong in a volume celebrating Frankenstein's 200th anniversary is unforgiveable. And it happens again soon after, at the beginning of the book's first essay. This is such sloppy editing.
The essays themselves have very nothing new to bring to a discussion of Frankenstein, there's nothing original. All are very basic, by the numbers. The interview with Mel Brooks is very fun, though. The final essays on the science behind attempts to create artificial life are, however, much more interesting. The afterword touches on several ideas that could have produced more original essays. There's a better book hinted at in the final pages... If only the editors had given us this other book instead...
The essays themselves have very nothing new to bring to a discussion of Frankenstein, there's nothing original. All are very basic, by the numbers. The interview with Mel Brooks is very fun, though. The final essays on the science behind attempts to create artificial life are, however, much more interesting. The afterword touches on several ideas that could have produced more original essays. There's a better book hinted at in the final pages... If only the editors had given us this other book instead...
February 20, 2018
When I first picked this up, I didn't know it was an anthology. I just liked the idea of reading about the origins of Frankenstein and how its image has changed over time.
A few of the essays in the anthology were really interesting. A few discussed the origins of the book and where Shelley got her ideas, but the vast majority of the essays were about the movies. That, for the record, was ok with me, especially the interview with Mel Brooks. They just got repetitive when they almost all came back to the James Whale picture with Karloff in the role of the Monster. And I totally get why, but it seemed like all of the essays focused on the same bits of information related to it and it just got a little old.
There's some good information here, but it was a bit dry.
A few of the essays in the anthology were really interesting. A few discussed the origins of the book and where Shelley got her ideas, but the vast majority of the essays were about the movies. That, for the record, was ok with me, especially the interview with Mel Brooks. They just got repetitive when they almost all came back to the James Whale picture with Karloff in the role of the Monster. And I totally get why, but it seemed like all of the essays focused on the same bits of information related to it and it just got a little old.
There's some good information here, but it was a bit dry.
September 11, 2025
Unfortunately, I found parts of this book to be very dry, and, even worse, often repetitive.
The book consists of 13 articles/essays, each taking about some type of concept of Frankenstein, the book, or of Frankenstein, the character, or Frankenstein, the movie and sometimes-television monster. A lot of the same information is shared between the essays (for example, before James Whale's 1931 Universal movie Frankenstein, Thomas Edison's company did a Frankenstein short silent film in 1910.) This wasn't information I knew previously, but now I know it four or five times over. I realize that this is a challenge for the editors, as a reader may choose not to read some of the essays, so may learn about the Edison film fewer times, or, ostensibly, not at all, but I feel like it should be assumed that readers are going to read the book, cover to cover, in book order.
My favorite section was the interview with Mel Brooks. I've been a lifelong fan of Young Frankenstein, and consider myself so lucky to have seen the musical during its First National Tour, with Roger Bart, Shuler Hensley, Cory English, and Brad Oscar! Such brilliance!
The book consists of 13 articles/essays, each taking about some type of concept of Frankenstein, the book, or of Frankenstein, the character, or Frankenstein, the movie and sometimes-television monster. A lot of the same information is shared between the essays (for example, before James Whale's 1931 Universal movie Frankenstein, Thomas Edison's company did a Frankenstein short silent film in 1910.) This wasn't information I knew previously, but now I know it four or five times over. I realize that this is a challenge for the editors, as a reader may choose not to read some of the essays, so may learn about the Edison film fewer times, or, ostensibly, not at all, but I feel like it should be assumed that readers are going to read the book, cover to cover, in book order.
My favorite section was the interview with Mel Brooks. I've been a lifelong fan of Young Frankenstein, and consider myself so lucky to have seen the musical during its First National Tour, with Roger Bart, Shuler Hensley, Cory English, and Brad Oscar! Such brilliance!
July 11, 2019
I enjoyed this three-part deep dive into the story of and behind Frankenstein. While some essays seemed a bit redundant, that's bound to happen in a collection based on such a narrow subject. I recommend this to any fan of Frankenstein, literature, pop culture, and science. It works for everyone!
January 6, 2020
**3.5 Stars**
Icon is an understatement. The fact that 14 different people found it necessary to write essays about a 200+ year old book, speaks volumes to the lasting power of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. And while I agree with other reviewers that the book can get repetitive at times, if you are a fan of Frankenstein and/or its author, you should enjoy the different takes at how her creation has indeed endured..... Somehow, I don't think many modern-day 18-year-olds are producing works now that anyone will be talking about in 2219.
Icon is an understatement. The fact that 14 different people found it necessary to write essays about a 200+ year old book, speaks volumes to the lasting power of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. And while I agree with other reviewers that the book can get repetitive at times, if you are a fan of Frankenstein and/or its author, you should enjoy the different takes at how her creation has indeed endured..... Somehow, I don't think many modern-day 18-year-olds are producing works now that anyone will be talking about in 2219.
January 19, 2018
Review on the blog and in the December 15, 2017 issue of Booklist: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2018/01...
November 20, 2024
I love "Frankenstein," and I had a blast reading this collection of essays. Some of the essays appealed to me more than others. For example, I've watched "Young Frankenstein" once, and while I know that it's a popular film and largely considered to be hilarious, I thought it was just OK. So even though it's neat that this book features an interview with Mel Brooks, his Frankenstein film isn't as iconic to me as it is to many others.
I think what really made or broke each of the essays for me was how they treated women or addressed the treatment of female characters. I wrote down a quote that I appreciated about this topic, from the essay, "Hideous Progeny." It reads, "Like Caroline and Elizabeth before her, Justine's proper role is to be 'the most grateful little creature in the world' (chapter 6). All three women seem to be without larger ambitions, content to shape their lives to the needs of the Frankenstein household." The female characters in "Frankenstein" may be mistreated by the narrative, but it's refreshing to hear people talk about that and critique their lack of agency.
Conversely, there was one essay that talked about the discovery of the DNA double helix and credited it to Watson and Crick. I was surprised, because this book was published in 2018, and I learned about Watson and Crick's sleaziness back in 2015 or 2016, for a high school biology class. I thought that maybe the author of that particular essay just hadn't heard the story of them stealing research from Rosalind Franklin. But then, the author alluded to some people pointing out that another scientist deserves credit. It sounded as though the author knew the true story but didn't quite (want to) believe it. This frustrates me, because I still remember watching an interview with either Watson or Crick, where he bragged about what he had done to Franklin. If I could change one thing about this essay collection, it would be that.
Regardless, I loved reading these essays, for the most part. The book is well-structured, and the copy that I borrowed from my library was extra neat, because the green of the creature's face on the cover glows in the dark. I discovered this detail on accident and was absolutely delighted by the fun spookiness of it all.
I think what really made or broke each of the essays for me was how they treated women or addressed the treatment of female characters. I wrote down a quote that I appreciated about this topic, from the essay, "Hideous Progeny." It reads, "Like Caroline and Elizabeth before her, Justine's proper role is to be 'the most grateful little creature in the world' (chapter 6). All three women seem to be without larger ambitions, content to shape their lives to the needs of the Frankenstein household." The female characters in "Frankenstein" may be mistreated by the narrative, but it's refreshing to hear people talk about that and critique their lack of agency.
Conversely, there was one essay that talked about the discovery of the DNA double helix and credited it to Watson and Crick. I was surprised, because this book was published in 2018, and I learned about Watson and Crick's sleaziness back in 2015 or 2016, for a high school biology class. I thought that maybe the author of that particular essay just hadn't heard the story of them stealing research from Rosalind Franklin. But then, the author alluded to some people pointing out that another scientist deserves credit. It sounded as though the author knew the true story but didn't quite (want to) believe it. This frustrates me, because I still remember watching an interview with either Watson or Crick, where he bragged about what he had done to Franklin. If I could change one thing about this essay collection, it would be that.
Regardless, I loved reading these essays, for the most part. The book is well-structured, and the copy that I borrowed from my library was extra neat, because the green of the creature's face on the cover glows in the dark. I discovered this detail on accident and was absolutely delighted by the fun spookiness of it all.
January 3, 2021
“Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould me Man,
did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me?"
- John Milton , Paradise Lost
"It is humbling for me and awe inspiring to realise that we have caught the first glimpse of our own instruction book, previously known only to God."
Dr Francis Collins, On Completing the Human Genome Project
The romantic period of literature crowning achievement may be the modern Promethean story. A cautious tale about the unlimited will of humanity and the fragile limits of nature. A story about overcoming death and mythos of order and God. A story of otherness housing goodness and brotherhood, but too unnatural and infernal to be loved.
The cautionary tale is explored through the gothic interiority of stories written within stories. It is explored as theater, as a marvelous barnburner that would draw large crowds and excite the imagination of the undead. The tale as we understand it best, a James Whale creation of brutality and horror, the last towering performance of the silent era of film in Boris Karloff's performance, still colors our aesthetic idea in the masterful Universal Studio 1930s films. And of course, it remains a harbinger of the genomic revolution of CRISPR and gene splicing.
Really wonderful collection of essays and interviews. Strongly enjoyed Mel Brooks interview regarding the "Young Frankenstein", slapstick version which remained true to the spirt of the Shelley novel. His enthusiasm for the novel and Shelly's work shows how artists remain in conversation across centuries. Further, some of the understanding of how we approach Frankenstein with kitsch toys or identify with his vulnerability show how our society responses to death and crippling isolation.
And the best thing I can say about the book, is it makes me want to revisit Shelley's novel and go deep into the story that gave birth to new mythology for our times. The creation and destruction reaped by the science unmoored from principle
To mould me Man,
did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me?"
- John Milton , Paradise Lost
"It is humbling for me and awe inspiring to realise that we have caught the first glimpse of our own instruction book, previously known only to God."
Dr Francis Collins, On Completing the Human Genome Project
The romantic period of literature crowning achievement may be the modern Promethean story. A cautious tale about the unlimited will of humanity and the fragile limits of nature. A story about overcoming death and mythos of order and God. A story of otherness housing goodness and brotherhood, but too unnatural and infernal to be loved.
The cautionary tale is explored through the gothic interiority of stories written within stories. It is explored as theater, as a marvelous barnburner that would draw large crowds and excite the imagination of the undead. The tale as we understand it best, a James Whale creation of brutality and horror, the last towering performance of the silent era of film in Boris Karloff's performance, still colors our aesthetic idea in the masterful Universal Studio 1930s films. And of course, it remains a harbinger of the genomic revolution of CRISPR and gene splicing.
Really wonderful collection of essays and interviews. Strongly enjoyed Mel Brooks interview regarding the "Young Frankenstein", slapstick version which remained true to the spirt of the Shelley novel. His enthusiasm for the novel and Shelly's work shows how artists remain in conversation across centuries. Further, some of the understanding of how we approach Frankenstein with kitsch toys or identify with his vulnerability show how our society responses to death and crippling isolation.
And the best thing I can say about the book, is it makes me want to revisit Shelley's novel and go deep into the story that gave birth to new mythology for our times. The creation and destruction reaped by the science unmoored from principle
April 10, 2018
This collection of essays is itself like Frankenstein. Made a disparate parts, the volume nonetheless lives with the importance of Mary Shelley’s classic, detailing not only how it has helped shape human thought and culture, but also how now, in the 21st Century, life imitates art.
This book also mirrors the many retellings of Frankenstein. As each movie takes a little from the original and then adds other twists and features, so do the essays. Themes are revisited from different angles, topics and ideas are introduced and then veer off in original ways, and – at times – the reader wonders if the book is self-aware, self-referencing.
From the philosophy of morality and ethics to CRISPR gene editing to Mel Brook’s classic film Young Frankenstein, these essays provide the reader with a wide range of reading that can be enjoyed not just for Frankenstein’s 200th birthday, but for many years to come.
This book also mirrors the many retellings of Frankenstein. As each movie takes a little from the original and then adds other twists and features, so do the essays. Themes are revisited from different angles, topics and ideas are introduced and then veer off in original ways, and – at times – the reader wonders if the book is self-aware, self-referencing.
From the philosophy of morality and ethics to CRISPR gene editing to Mel Brook’s classic film Young Frankenstein, these essays provide the reader with a wide range of reading that can be enjoyed not just for Frankenstein’s 200th birthday, but for many years to come.
February 13, 2019
Interesting read that looks at the book from its roots and themes, in the media and commercial sphere, and in regards to its science and ethics. I didn't love all of the essays, my favorite essays were from the first section of the book. I found the essays about the film/commercial side a bit tedious, personally. I enjoyed the science articles, specifically because they were a stretch, and I love finding the subtle (and also the explicit) connections between concepts.
There is a lot of redundancy in the info on the book/author that the different essay writers mention. That doesn't bother me because I like that this enables the essays to be standalone reads as well. I think - as a teacher - that they'd be really interesting to explore with students in relation to the book.
I am concerned about historical inaccuracies from the foreword of the book, as other reviewers noted, but I still enjoyed the book overall.
There is a lot of redundancy in the info on the book/author that the different essay writers mention. That doesn't bother me because I like that this enables the essays to be standalone reads as well. I think - as a teacher - that they'd be really interesting to explore with students in relation to the book.
I am concerned about historical inaccuracies from the foreword of the book, as other reviewers noted, but I still enjoyed the book overall.
June 28, 2018
I was drawn to the title at library and had to pick it up. Glad I did, because it was interesting especially when it comes to icons. I liked the fact that the book was divided up to three parts, one talking about the book, two the media, and the three the science of Frankenstein for the 21sr century. The book was articles with plenty of contributors, one of my favorites was the Mel Brooks interview on Young Frankenstein. I got lost on the science part because that is not my subject but very good book. Years ago, I tried reading Frankenstein, now that read this book, I want to give it another shot.
July 5, 2018
I enjoyed this work very much. Rather than a single book on the topic at hand (Frankenstein the work by Mary Shelley and it's effect on Society years later.) it's a collection of articles as chapters by two different authors. Looked upon as a collection or anthology this work has some good writing in it and it's not a heavy work, the articles and chapters are brief -the writing contained within has merit and is worthwhile.
I would suggest this for the person who is a fan of Frankenstein and enjoys reading about this work and its subsequent effects on art and culture.
one of the gems of this work is an Interview with Mel Brooks who co-wrote Young Frankenstein with Gene Wilder.
I would suggest this for the person who is a fan of Frankenstein and enjoys reading about this work and its subsequent effects on art and culture.
one of the gems of this work is an Interview with Mel Brooks who co-wrote Young Frankenstein with Gene Wilder.
January 19, 2022
The book is comprised of different essays with the last 2 being the most interesting and redeeming enough that I give this a rating of 2 stars. The others weren't all that interesting and a couple were summaries of different TV shows that I ultimately skipped. (One chapter the author told the reader to do so).
July 4, 2020
2 1/2 stars - just because I’m not a huge Frankenstein fan and have never seen the movies.
February 8, 2024
Overly repetitive, most of the analysis was simply surface level. The only thing I actually liked about this book is that it gave me a bibliography/list of Frankenstein-related media I can explore.
December 25, 2025
Love me some literary analysis but could have done with more editing between the pieces so there was less overlap in content
June 12, 2019
An anthology that celebrates the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with pieces on the novel, the various film adaptations (including an interview with Mel Brooks), the larger cultural impact, and some contemporary ethical and scientific issues. I would've liked to see more on philosophy (I may be biased here), but otherwise this is a a nice overview of the novel and its tremendous influence over the last 200 years.
(See also my blog review: https://examinedworlds.blogspot.com/2...)
(See also my blog review: https://examinedworlds.blogspot.com/2...)
February 15, 2018
A look at Frankenstein from multiple angles. What exactly was Shelly trying to say in her novel? Why did the Universal Frankenstein, out of all the previous and subsequent versions, define the monster's look? Were Shelly's concerns about science and ethics prescient? Interesting even when I don't always agree (none of the contributors have a good word to say about ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN which is every bit as funny as YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN).
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April 20, 2018823.7 F8297 2018
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews