Customer Reviews

A History of Terror: Fear & Dread Through the Ages

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This interesting book looks at the origins of fear and terror and places it in the context of human history and how these have manifested themselves through the ages.

The author shows that since fear is one of mankind's basest and most primordial emotions, it can exert great influence on not only an individual basis, but on entire societies and civilizations. Fear can be used as a political tool to control the masses, as the Church did during the Middle Ages to combat the encroaching Muslims as well as "dangerous" heretical sects like the Cathars. Later, during the Renaissance, fear had people convinced that Europe was being plagued by witches and demons. Many of our oldest myths and legends regarding werewolves and vampires, etc, can be traced back to our simple human fears of death and dying, fears of the unknown wilderness and it inhabitants...perhaps even simply, our fear of the dark and the unknown and dangerous mysteries it contains. Thus, we give these fears a familiar face to better confront them.

Fear and terror are irrational and, left unchecked, can override even our greatest reason. This book provides an intriguing insight into these often misunderstood and powerful forces.

This is the first book I never finished. It is also the first book I have ever thrown out rather then sell back to half Priced Books.

I purchased it for 3$ and it was so bad, I had to actually find the book to review it, and have thrown the book out to keep another from reading it.

I realize this may actually draw the curious, but you have been warned.