
The Book of Were-Wolves (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Study on LycanthropyBy Sabine Baring-GouldLength6h 54m
About this audiobook
First published in 1865, The Book of Were-Wolves is one of the earliest English-language attempts to treat lycanthropy as a cultural, historical, and psychological phenomenon rather than merely a Gothic curiosity. Baring-Gould ranges from classical myth and medieval chronicles to Scandinavian sagas, French trial records, and medical speculation, assembling a learned cabinet of legend, crime, superstition, and theology. Its prose is unmistakably Victorian: digressive, richly sourced, morally alert, and at times macabre, standing at the intersection of folklore studies, antiquarian history, and the emerging nineteenth-century fascination with abnormal psychology. Sabine Baring-Gould (1834–1924), Anglican priest, antiquarian, novelist, hymn-writer, and indefatigable collector of traditions, brought to the subject a cleric's interest in moral disorder and a scholar's appetite for archival oddity. His wide European reading, pastoral acquaintance with rural belief, and broader work in hagiography and folk culture equipped him to see the werewolf not simply as monster, but as a revealing figure in the history of fear. This book is highly recommended to readers of folklore, Gothic literature, mythography, and the prehistory of criminology. Though some interpretations reflect its age, its erudition, narrative force, and strange imaginative power remain compelling.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
Audiobook details
GenreSpirituality and Religion
Length6 hrs 54 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 12, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Myth, Ritual and Religion (Vol. 1&2) (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Historical Context
4Synopsis (Selection)
5Introductory.
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6Lycanthropy Among the Ancients.
7The Were-wolf in the North.
8The Origin of the Scandinavian Were-wolf.
9The Were-wolf in the Middle-ages.
10A Chamber of Horrors.
11Jean Grenier
12Folk-lore Relating to Were-wolves.
13Natural Causes of Lycanthropy.
14Mythological Origin of the Were-wolf Myth.
15The Maréchal de Retz.-I. The Investigation of Charges.
16The Maréchal de Retz.—II. The Trial.
17Maréchal de Retz.—III. The Sentence and Execution.
18A Galician Were-wolf.
19Anomalous Case.—The Human Hyæna.
20A Sermon on Were-wolves.
21Analysis
22Reflection
23Memorable Quotes