The Werewolf Book by Brad Steiger

Reviewed for MonsterLibrarian.com

Visible Ink, 1999

ISBN: 1578590787

Available: New and used

If you want to take your study of werewolves and other shape shifters out of fiction and into the realms of history, science and the occult this is the books to start with. Not only does The Werewolf Book have entries on all manner of shape shifting beings from myth, and accounts of supposed real life were-critters, it also encompasses the books and movies that influenced the image of shape shifting and werewolves throughout history and made it what it was today.

Nothing is treated as trivial, not even the effect comedy, such as Abbot and Costello’s monster movies, has had on the mythos. And while the encyclopedia isn’t exhaustive in its entries it does offer a plethora of titles to seek out for further research. Certainly a core directive in the study of shape shifting beings The Werewolf Book is an essential part of collections that cater to researchers, occultists or fictionists.

Contains: some disturbing descriptions of witch trials and tortures