Customer Reviews

Horror of the 20th Century : An Illustrated History

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While Robert Weinberg's prose may be somewhat informative, it rarely aspires to be anything more than wooden in its delivery, and it doesn't give you any further information that a diehard horror fan wouldn't already know. The problem, and the only problem, with this book is that it is not very well written. However, the full-page, full-color photographs from movies, magazine and book covers, and comic books are gloriously printed. This book is huge, too, and well worth the $60 cover price. If only the writing didn't make you feel like you'd just taken a handful of valium!

"Horror of the 20th Century" is a superb literary history of the horror fantasy genre in every media format the 20th century had to offer, including pulp magazine, paperbacks, hardcover novels, comics, radio, television, and the movies (from the early, primitive silent films to the modern, special-effects-laden, big-screen epics of today). The entire spectrum is represented for the short story, the novelette, and the novel. Robert Weinberg's informative, fascinating text is profusely illustrated on every page with full color photographs of wonderful magazine, book, and movie poster art. All of the major authors are represented along with a wealth of biographical information on them and their particular contributions. "Horror of the 20th Century" is a "must" for all horror fantasy buffs, pulp magazine and book collectors, and is a very highly recommended addition to academic and community library collections.

I've read all of Robert Weinberg's books. He is THE master of horror and fantasy! If you're into old horror, new horror, or anything in between, you gotta get this latest book by Weinberg. It is absolutely fantastic! You'll see magazine and book covers never before seen by man or beast! You'll see paintings unearthed maybe from tombs!

If you can afford to buy one expensive book this year, then you have to get this book. The genre of horror has existed for a longer time than science fiction or fantasy, and so the history lesson that Robert Weinberg gives you is a most interesting and memorable one. Learn how the genre's roots took place with authors like Mary Shelley, Edgar Allen Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson, and - of course - Bram Stoker. The horror genre also has a greater scope in content than science fiction or fantasy, with aspects in the paranormal, supernatural, horrific, bizarre, outrageous; many issues are taken up and analyzed that may not have been seen as horror per se in contemporary times, but were in their own time, such as The Scarlet Letter. There are also three major mediums through which the horror genre has been expressed, beginning with the novel and the short story, and then the magazine, and finally television and film. This book tells you what horror is all about.

Originally published on April 8th 2002.

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This is a top quality hardcover book. The information in it is priceless; it is like rediscovering an old friend with whom you have lost touch over the years. The history is recounted at a leisurely and always enjoyable pace, with the narrative caressing the illustrations encouragingly. And it is the lavish illustrations that make this the book that it is. They are superb. The reader, serious or casual browser - both are treated courteously - is treated to page after page of covers and artwork - from books, magazines and periodicals through the ages, from early in the century to the present day. The publishers have done a marvellous job and they and the authors are to be commended highly.