Terrible Tales of the Middle Ages


Book Description

Many medieval tales are chock full of dragons, knights, and magic. These exciting elements are why they have endured over hundreds of years. This book showcases some of the most thrilling stories of King Arthur and his knights as well as the famous heroes Beowulf and Robin Hood. Engaging text, comic illustrations, and fun fact boxes add interest to these fascinating legends.




Monstrous Myths: Terrible Tales of the Middle Ages


Book Description

Step into a world of heroes, monsters and death-defying deeds! This book collects together rip-roaring adventure stories and larger-than-life myths from the Middle Ages. You'll discover: • How Robin Hood took on a villainous king and his army, equipped with only a bow • How Arthur drew a magical sword from a stone, and become a legendary king • How George defeated a fearsome dragon and saved a famous princess • And much more! Perfect for all young history lovers, aged 8+. ABOUT THE SERIES: Monstrous Myths retells traditional myths with a child-friendly emphasis on scary and weird elements. These humorous, cheeky and irreverent books are jam-packed with real facts about the beliefs of ancient cultures. Featuring witty, anarchic cartoons, this series makes history accessible and fun for young readers.




Terrible Tales of Africa


Book Description

Though Africa is a huge continent filled with different cultures, African folktales share some characteristics. One is a love of nature, specifically animals. The other is a respect for cleverness. These two characteristics meet in the tales of Anansi the Spiderman and the Jackal. Both are tricksters who often get the best of their fellow beasts. Readers will love becoming acquainted with these two characters' exploits as well as other famous, engaging, and often funny African tales. Fact boxes and illustrations enhance each story.




Terrible Tales of Ancient Egypt


Book Description

The myths of ancient Egypt are peppered with tales of creation, love, family, trickery, and revenge. Readers will love learning about the famous Egyptian gods and goddesses, including Ra, Osiris, Horus, Isis, and Set. Colorful drawings accompany the engaging text, and fact boxes and sidebars highlight even more interesting information. This book, more than just fictional tales, is a glimpse into an essential part of the Egyptian culture.




Terrible Tales of Ancient Greece


Book Description

Before there was Jupiter, there was Zeus. And before there was Venus, there was Aphrodite. The ancient Romans took many of their gods and their legends from Greece. And no wonder, these awesome tales are full of danger, magic, and heroic feats. Readers will love learning how these fantastical stories and characters even have a place in modern times, for example, the Perseus and Andromeda constellations. Jason and the Argonauts, Theseus and the Minotaur, and the Trojan Horse are just some of the thrilling, and even amusing, tales found in this illustrated book.




Classical Myths and Legends in the Middle Ages and Renaissance


Book Description

While numerous classical dictionaries identify the figures and tales of Greek and Roman mythology, this reference book explains the allegorical significance attached to the myths by Medieval and Renaissance authors. Included are several hundred alphabetically arranged entries for the gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, and places of classical myth a




Monstrous Fantasies


Book Description

Monstrous Fantasies asks why medieval romances reimagining the crusades ending in a Christian victory circulated in England with such abundance after the 1291 Muslim reconquest of Acre, the last of the Latin crusader states in the Holy Land, and what these texts reveal about the cultural anxieties of late medieval England. Leila K. Norako highlights the impact that the Ottoman victory and subsequent massacre of Christian prisoners at the battle of Nicopolis in 1396 had on intensifying the popularity of what she calls recovery romance. These two episodes inspired a sense of urgency over the fate of the Holy Land and of Latin Christendom itself, resulting in the proliferation of romances in which crusading English kings like Richard I and anachronistic legends like King Arthur not only reconquered Jerusalem but committed genocidal violence against the Muslims. These romances, which—as Norako argues—also influenced Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, conjure fantasies of an ascendant global Christendom by rehearsing acts of conquest and cultural annihilation that were impossible to realize in the late Middle Ages. Emphasizing the tension in these texts between nostalgia and anticipation that fuels their narrative momentum, Monstrous Fantasies also explores how the cultural desires for European and Christian hegemony that recovery romances versified were revived in the wake of the so-called wars on terror in the twenty-first century in such films as Kingdom of Heaven and American Sniper.







The True Story vs. Myth of Witchcraft


Book Description

The anthology 'The True Story vs. Myth of Witchcraft' offers a profound exploration into the intricate tapestry of historical truth and folklore surrounding witchcraft. Through a diverse collection of narratives ranging from scholarly essays to personal accounts, the volume traverses the broad spectrum of literary styles, presenting the subject matter from various angles. This carefully curated selection not only uncovers the historical realities of witchcraft accusations and trials but also delves into the mythologized versions of these events, standing out as a testament to the multifaceted nature of human belief and fear across cultures and epochs. The contributors, an illustrious ensemble of authors including Bram Stoker, Charles Mackay, and more, bring a wealth of perspectives to the anthology. Their backgrounds as pioneers of literature, history, and science lend the collection an authoritative voice that is both enlightening and engrossing. Hailing from different centuries and cultural contexts, these authors collectively span a wide array of literary movements, from Romanticism to Realism, offering insights into the evolution of societal attitudes towards witchcraft. This thematic diversity enriches the reader's comprehension of witchcraft's complex legacy. 'The True Story vs. Myth of Witchcraft' is an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to dissect the layers of history and folklore that have shaped our understanding of witchcraft. It promises a rich, educational experience, inviting readers to engage with a historical dialogue that is as nuanced as it is fascinating. This anthology not only serves as an academic tool but also as a nexus of narratives that challenge, entertain, and inspire curiosity about the darker corners of humanity's past.




A Companion to the Horror Film


Book Description

This cutting-edge collection features original essays by eminent scholars on one of cinema's most dynamic and enduringly popular genres, covering everything from the history of horror movies to the latest critical approaches. Contributors include many of the finest academics working in the field, as well as exciting younger scholars Varied and comprehensive coverage, from the history of horror to broader issues of censorship, gender, and sexuality Covers both English-language and non-English horror film traditions Key topics include horror film aesthetics, theoretical approaches, distribution, art house cinema, ethnographic surrealism, and horror's relation to documentary film practice A thorough treatment of this dynamic film genre suited to scholars and enthusiasts alike