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The goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Defining goth is like defining God-we make efforts that always fall short of the reality..." (more)
Key Phrases: New Orleans, Danse Macabre, United States (more...)

3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

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This item: The goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined by Nancy Kilpatrick
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Paint It Black: A Guide To Gothic Homemaking by Voltaire
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Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them by Jillian Venters
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

If spilling into the mainstream betokens a subculture losing its allure, Kilpatrick's cute compendium may be sounding the death knell for goth. Kilpatrick plucked "ninety-five anonymous goths" off the Net to answer 125 questions and thereby serve as "The [cross] Section" responsible for the findings in a book that caused--"fortunately for me," she notes--"a bidding war . . . among several publishers." Her informants often sent photographs, many of which accompany snippets of their responses in some of the book's dandy marginalia. Although very much about and for contemporary embracers of the goth lifestyle, this is a user-friendly tome that briefly addresses the historical, big-g Goths, drawing parallels and illuminating influences on today's small-g goths. Not that it's all serious historical analysis. Among the delicious contemporary topics covered are "Cemetery Picnics and Other Diversions," "Sex and the Single goth," and "Existential Questions for goth Bar-and-club Owners." Summarizes Kilpatrick, "Nobody knows what modern goth is about, but the simplest truth is this: Goth is a state of mind." Mike Tribby
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description

What you don't know about goths could fill a book!

An artistic culture that revels in the Victorian romantic movement, The goth Bible brings to light the traditions and history of all that is goth. The goth culture has been one of the most controversial and maligned in media history. Presented as homicidal, suicidal and socio-pathic, in the national consciousness goths are coupled with everyone from Marilyn Mason to the murderers of Columbine. But this is not who the goths are. The goth Bible will help bridge the understanding between goths and non-goths.

From their historical origins as a Germanic tribe in the sixth century who fought along side the Romans against the Huns to their current incarnation as creatures of the night, The goth Bible presents the most complete and broad perspective of this society, culled from hundreds of interviews with bands, artist, designers, and goths from all walks of life.

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Product Details

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (September 23, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312306962
ISBN-13: 978-0312306960
Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #362,866 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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More About the Author

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› Visit Amazon's Nancy Kilpatrick Page

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
Defining goth is like defining God-we make efforts that always fall short of the reality. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New Orleans, Danse Macabre, United States, New York, Marilyn Manson, Hugues Leblanc, Masochistic Religion, Sonic Seducer, Edgar Allan Poe, New England, Anne Rice, Edward Gorey, Fear Cult, North America, Cemetery Crow, Dark Wyccan, David Bowie, Bela Lugosi, Day of the Dead, Deacon Syth, French Quarter, Hex Files, Hot Topic, Lord Byron, Lost Souls

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 59 books:

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice on page 213, page 235, and page 244
Nightmare Before Christmas, The by Tim Burton on page 154, page 230, and page 231
The Flowers of Evil (Oxford World's Classics) by Charles Baudelaire on page 185, and page 210
Night of the Living Dead by John Russo on page 192, and page 255
Flowers of Evil by Robert Charles on page 185, and page 210

See all 59 books this book cites

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

All Music Guide to Electronica by Vladimir Bogdanov

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	61% buy the item featured on this page: The goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined 3.7 out of 5 stars (19) $13.57
	17% buy Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them 5.0 out of 5 stars (18) $10.07
	9% buy Paint It Black: A Guide To Gothic Homemaking 4.5 out of 5 stars (19) $10.85
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Customer Reviews

19 Reviews

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

Average Customer Review

3.7 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book which by a Goth FOR Goths but hoping to reach others!, November 9, 2004

By	mick mercer (Selsey, UK) - See all my reviews

This is actually the very first charming Goth book. We have had a few Goth epics in recent years, from my Net-based tome, to Paul Hodkinson's academic study, Gavin Baddeley coming from a Metal perspective, and Dave Thompson rummaging through the eighties. What is unusual here is that Nancy Kilpatrick hasn't any ego-driven agenda, and has actively sought out Goth opinions to decorate each chapter with. 95 Goths answered 125 questions each to form an alternative spine to this work and it makes it a very different book to the rest. Nancy is best known as a Horror writer but she is a Goth, and clearly delighted to be writing the book, as she also wants this book to help others understand Goth.

You get serious contributions on sex/relationships/Fetish/marriage/Goth children/Corporate Goth/Goth homes, Art and Literature (Old and New), and it ends with a chapter on the Future, even if that felt a little skimpy.

Basically, she goes through things that effect Goth life, from clothes to accoutrements, to relationships, religion, cemeteries, architecture, music and all the expected areas, with quotes and photos from her Goths interviews draping pages like curtains, as their comments go down the outer columns to most spreads. Those interviewed within the chapter text tend to be business-related individuals pertinent to the topic in question. So, in the Fashion or Lifestyle sections you have many a Goth contribution, but also meet Morpheus of Siren, R. Hunter Gough of `Gother Than Thou', Fred H. Berger of Propaganda, Terri of Ipso Facto, Natasha of Meltdown, Steven Of Gothic Beauty, Trish & Snooky of Manic Panic, Sonia (Hair Police), AntiSally (Goth Rosary), the Alchemy boys, Batty (Azrael's Accomplice), Mirabai (Tenebrae) Doktor Joy (Pennangalan Dreams), piercer Pierre Black and those lovely X-tra-X people. You can find a proper analyses of Absinthe, then on a similar vein find the weird story of how Michael Marchet finally got Vampire wine onto the market. Out of one area another little bubble will pop, making it a very pleasant read with unexpected dalliances emerging.

The only disappointing part of me was a curious lack of musical coverage but Nancy has admitted the music side of thing isn't her strong point. She looked for willing musical contributors and some of what they say is unusual.

Oh Hell, you get Clubs, and zines, net.goth, net habits, comics, gardening, Goth sub-species, and so on. It's a big book, commendably detailed in its travels to the heart of Goth and it is, without doubt, the most naturally jubilant, Goth-friendly, book which has so far been printed.

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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, June 18, 2005

By	Ginny Wilkes - See all my reviews

I borrowed this book from a friend's mother and had it finished in less than an hour. It was so interesting I couldn't put it down. The book didn't even have to leave their house. Such a great read. I only wish that those people who believe all goths are suicidal Satanists would read it. Even though I don't go for the whole labling people thing, I must say that this was enlightening and not at all what I thought it would be when it was insisted I read it.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's About Time...However..., December 27, 2004

By	Wickerman "Disintegrationisthebestablumever" (Scottsdale, Arizona) - See all my reviews

I Only wish that it was bigger. More More More. I enjoyed it, being a 30-something goth who has seen and done it all at some point. But still, it is nice to know that there are other people out there that have the same sense of goth humor and choose to live that beautiful and misunderstood lifestyle. Some of it is laughable, some is beautiful, nonetheless several times throughout the book I was reminded of how and why I "became goth" pardon the cliche'...and I reminisced about the wonderful music and people I knew during certain periods of my punk/goth/mod/new-wave/new romantic/artrockbeatnikpagan phases. I wish Nancy Kilpatrick, Voltaire (who wrote the "Oh My Goth" comics and has several cds) and Brandon Neil Ragan (who wrote the gothic cult classic "Grey Garden") would all get together and write the official "GOTH-UMENTARY". They seem like they could pull off the ultimate gothic coffee table book. Anyway, thanks for the cool book

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading For Darkly Inclined
I bought this book by Nancy Kilpatrick when I first became interested in goth subculture about a year ago. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Lady Nightshayde

4.0 out of 5 stars Confused, yet appreciative
the sections i read of this book were insiteful and awesome. i bought this book for my research paper and boy did it help me! Read more

Published 6 months ago by R. Johnson

4.0 out of 5 stars The goth bible
The goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined

I thought it was a really good book. Read more

Published 20 months ago by Mina Skull

3.0 out of 5 stars Not great, not terrible. Just boring.
To put it simply, this book is just a collection of opinions formatted as though they were fact. The book's "facts," can easily be supported, or disputed. Read more

Published on February 10, 2006 by J. Mitchell

5.0 out of 5 stars Spectacular!
This book is a comprehensive and touching look at the Goth world. It covers a broad spectrum, and treats the subject with respect and not the usual sarcasm one expects and sees... Read more

Published on October 17, 2005 by Spider

1.0 out of 5 stars Just to rest the whole case....
...it's spelled "poseurs", not "posers".

Most likely, if you don't know how to spell it correctly, you very well may be one...

Published on October 14, 2005 by J. B. Dury

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Coffee Table Book
this book is ok to skim thru and look up stuff........ i first sat down and read the whole thing....... Read more

Published on August 31, 2005 by Brandon Snyder

3.0 out of 5 stars Good if you don't know much about the 'scene'
This is basically a book of opinions on what goth is and what goth isn't. There are a lot of basic facts about different aspects of the subculture, but nothing really new that... Read more

Published on August 3, 2005 by djvampira

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Im reasonable...
I haven't read the book and no im not about to go and call all of you posers. The other reviewer that said if you shop at hottopic your a poser is wrong. Its just clothes. Read more

Published on July 26, 2005 by Krista Combies

1.0 out of 5 stars ugh
"Unfortunately, I haven't read the book, but this page seems to be a breeding ground for posers."-SO true. Read more

Published on July 15, 2005 by Mark A. Duquette

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