Shed new light on these creatures of the night With this helpful guide, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Werewolves, learn the about the cultural impact of werewolves, as well as the extensive history and mythology surrounding them.

The dictionary defines mythology as a collection of ancient tales handed down over millennia, mainly dealing with gods and goddesses, that explains the way the world works, from natural events to society at large. Many people think of the deities of Greece and Rome when they think of mythology, forgetting that almost every culture has its own set of myths to interpret and explain its distinct worldview, often showing striking and fascinating similarities to the classical myths most people are familiar with. The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Mythologyexplores the gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, monsters and angels of the myths from every corner of the globe - the Americas, the Middle East and Africa, Asia, and more. Additionally, it explores the parallels between every culture, including Greece and Rome - striking similarities in mythic figures and the structure, action, wording, and result of the stories themselves.

An otherworldly examination of the unknown that will keep fright fans reading all night From any strange experience that can't be defined by science to psychic phenomena to monsters and weird creatures, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to the Paranormal focuses on the most interesting and bone-chilling aspects of the paranormal the supernatural including: • Ghosts and spirits • Angels, demons, and spellcasters • Unexplained phenomena

You're no idiot. You know the wildly popular Harry Potter series has captivated readers of all ages from the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stoneon. But did you recognize all the subtle references Rowling uses in her characters' names or in the magical creatures we encounter and places we explore in Harry's wonderful world of wizardry? The truth is, the world of Harry Potter is incredibly textured and complex and not only has factual roots in history, mythology, science, and folklore, but also draws on all genres of literature, from C. S. Lewis to the Bible. You'll learn this and much more in the fun facts and tantalizing trivia provided in this fabulous new addition to the Complete Idiot's Guide series! This is not a retelling of Rowling's stories, nor is it intended to be a cheat sheet to the novels, a la the Cliffs Notes series. Instead, it is an entertaining and easily referenced presentation of insider information to the world Rowling has created in her spellbinding series of novels.

Vampires are the hottest topic in popular culture today. From the now classic novels of Anne Rice, to the mega-selling series by Stephanie Meyer to the hit HBO series True Blood based on the bestselling novels of Charlaine Harris, the undead are certainly not dead in terms of books sales. Now, those curious about the history and lore of these creatures can get up to speed in the refreshed edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Vampires. It provides a detailed explanation of the origins of vampires and insight into the fascination they hold in literature and belief. • Complete history and origins of this mythic creature • An explanation of the various rules that vampires exist by • A lively and exhaustive literary discussion of vampires and their importance in fiction

Vampires are the hottest topic in popular culture today. From the now classic novels of Anne Rice, to the mega- selling series by Stephanie Meyer to the hit HBO series ?True Blood? based on the bestselling novels of Charlaine Harris, the undead are certainly not dead in terms of books sales. Now, those curious about the history and lore of these creatures can get up to speed in the refreshed edition of The Complete Idiot?s Guide to Vampires. It provides a detailed explanation of the origins of vampires and insight into the fascination they hold in literature and belief. --Complete history and origins of this mythic creature --An explanation of the various rules that vampires exist by --A lively and exhaustive literary discussion of vampires and their importance in fiction

Werewolf Histories is the first academic book in English to address European werewolf history and folklore from antiquity to the twentieth century. It covers the most important werewolf territories, ranging from Scandinavia to Germany, France and Italy, and from Croatia to Estonia.

The living dead, the undead, zombies-- learn everything you need to know about the latest monster craze. Discover the origins of zombies, their rise from superstition to pop culture, and why the concept has appealed to so many people throughout history.

The "New Vampire" . . . The Complete Idiot's Guides® have explored the world of vampires, werewolves, the paranormal, and now the latest book in the "creepy" series is The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Zombies. This book brings the world of zombies chillingly to life—in a manner of speaking—covering everything readers need to know about them. The book includes: • The voodoo zombie, the viral zombie, and the whole zombie family. • What zombies and the delicious fear of them say about human psychology. • Zombies in American culture: in film, from the Romero classics to the Living Dead flicks that are so bad they're good, and in fiction, video games, comics, and more! • The zombie survival phenomenon—of course they're not real, but that doesn't stop people from having loads of fun pretending they are.

Offers clues to deciphering popular mysteries, puzzles, and myths, including UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Lizzie Borden, and the Sam Sheppard trial.