1912 Rare 1st Edition Book on Werewolves - WERWOLVES by Elliott O'Donnell
(description)
Author : Elliott O'Donnell.
Title : WERWOLVES.
Publisher : London: Methuen and Co. Ltd., 1912. [Lycanthropy] FIRST EDITION - stated.
Language : Text in English.
Size : 7.5 " X 5.5 ".
Pages : vi-292 pages + catalogue.
Binding : Good original red full cloth binding (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed, upper and lower part of spine worn - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content : Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare foxing or staining, name of a previous owner on first endpaper).
Estimate : (USD 250 -USD 500)
The book : Rare First Edition of this classic mythology anthology regarding werewolves.There is scarcely a country in the world in which belief in a werwolf, or in some other form of lycanthropy, has not once existed, though it may have ceased to exist now. But whereas in some countries the werwolf is considered wholly physical, in others it is looked upon as partly, if not entirely, superphysical. And whilst in some countries it is restricted to the male sex, in others it is confined to the female; and, again, in others it is to be met with in both sexes.A werewolf is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolflike creature), either purposely or after being placed under a curse or affliction (often a bite or scratch from another werewolf). Early sources for belief in this ability or affliction, called lycanthropy are Petronius (27–66) and Gervase of Tilbury (1150–1228).The werewolf is a widespread concept in European folklore, existing in many variants, which are related by a common development of a Christian interpretation of underlying European folklore developed during the medieval period.
The author: Elliott O'Donnell (27 February 1872 – 8 May 1965) was an author known primarily for his books about ghosts. He claimed to have seen a ghost, described as an elemental figure covered with spots, when he was five years old. He also claimed to have been strangled by a mysterious phantom in Dublin (however, no permanent effect would seem to have been suffered).