The Book of Fabulous Beasts: A Treasury of Writings from Ancient Times to the Present [Hardcover]

Joe Nigg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 7, 1999

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Basilisks, griffins, and mermaids inhabit this ambitious collection of representative writings about mythical creatures that, according to the original context, may or may not exist. Nigg, the author of several books on imaginary animals, has arranged this source book chronologically and divided it into four parts roughly corresponding to the classical, medieval, Renaissance, and modern periods of Western history, each prefaced by a brief introduction. From Homer's sirens to James Thurber's unicorn, over 100 writers, both familiar and obscure, contribute to the literary histories of beasts. Although similar to Malcolm South's Mythical and Fabulous Creatures (LJ 6/15/87), Nigg's book is more comprehensive, focusing on primary sources?poems, travelers' tales, the Bible, and fiction?rather than on scholarly essays. The glossary, index, and cross references to particular beasts add to the accessibility of this recommended work.?Cathy Sabol, Northern Virginia Community Coll., Manassas
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Nigg has done for the world of fantastical animals what Joseph Campbell has done for the world of myth."--Jeff Van der Meer, The New York Review of Science Fiction

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (January 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195095618
• ISBN-13: 978-0195095616
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #616,879 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Since 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for scholars and a good read for everyone else., February 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Book of Fabulous Beasts: A Treasury of Writings from Ancient Times to the Present (Hardcover)

This must be the definitive text when it comes to a compendium of fabulous beasts. The choice of entries is excellent and expansive, the accompanying editorial insightful. Should become a classic.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The One to Have, May 12, 2010

By 

Mark DeBolt (Coldwater, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of Fabulous Beasts: A Treasury of Writings from Ancient Times to the Present (Hardcover)

If you only buy one book about legendary & mythical creatures, this should be it. The selection is excellent. Good for research, browsing, or reading through. The historical ordering of the texts, as opposed to by creature, was an interesting choice; I had to grow to like it, but when I read the book through I found it gave me a sense of discovery, and since the book is well indexed it is easy to research particular animals as well. Just what you would expect from Oxford.

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Worthwhile, July 20, 2011

By 

John Locke (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Fabulous Beasts: A Treasury of Writings from Ancient Times to the Present (Hardcover)

Joseph Nigg's books are always a treat and this one does not disappoint. Arresting images and informative content, and well researched. Highly recommended for anyone curious about the lore and legacy of mythological creatures from antiquity to modern times.