Fantasy, myth, and religious scholars probably know of the eccentric Sabine Baring-Gould’s work. He was prolific in his day, (more than 1,240 publications and 15 children) specifically in writing hymns. The Book of Were-Wolves, written in 1865, is a fascinating read on many levels. First, it shows the transition of literary styles from the late 1800s to today. Second, it is a real attempt at unbiased scholarship by someone whose biases show up in everything else. (He is also remembered as the composer of the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers)
The Book of Were-Wolves is still one of the most frequently cited studies of lycanthropy. Another of Baring-Gould's enduringly popular works was Curious Myths of the Middle Ages, first published in two parts during 1866 and 1868, and republished in many other editions since then. “Each of the book’s twenty-four chapters deals with a particular medieval superstition and its variants and antecedents,” writes critic Steven J. Mariconda. H. P. Lovecraft termed it “that curious body of medieval lore which the late Mr. Baring-Gould so effectively assembled in book form.” We are thrilled to be able to publish Were-Wolves, and to loving reproduce the gorgeous cover of the first edition.
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