Books with author Dr. Bob Curran

"Vampire!" The very word conjures up visions of ruined castles, of enigmatic, pale-skinned noblemen shrouded in dark cloaks, of slumbering beauties being bloodily ravished by supernatural, nocturnal creatures. But just how accurate is that picture? How much do we really know about these mysterious entities? Surprisingly, perhaps, almost every culture can boast of its own vampire beings, few of which correspond to the stock Hollywood image-some are not even human in form, some do not drink blood, some appear in daylight.Are you ready for such horrors as the Penangal, the screaming blood-soaked lead that drifts through the Malayan jungle seeking victims; the Jaracacca, the Brazilian stalker that hides in the clothes of its victims to drink their blood or bodily fluids; or the Aswang, the scaly demon of the Philippines, who lies among the leafy roofs of huts and drinks through its tongue? And how do we dispose of vampires? Is the simple stake through the heart--much beloved of Hollywood directors--really enough, or is there something more? And does the sight of the crucifix repel all vampires--what if the vampire is Jewish (a dibbyuk)? Vampires is a unique, lavishly illustrated work that explores the rich diversity of vampire belief and lore, ranging from countries as diverse as Japan, Sweden and Ireland, looking at their historical origins, and setting them in their cultural context.

Arguably no American writer has had more of an impact on the modern horror scene than Howard Phillips Lovecraft, the man who created the Cthulhu Mythos, with its strange gods, eerie places, and forbidden books. But what sort of a man was Lovecraft, how did he create such a terrible universe, and where did his inspiration come from? Was it, as some have argued, based on esoteric knowledge forgotten or even denied to all sane people?In A Haunted Mind, Dr. Bob Curran explores what motivated Lovecraft--his personal life is just as strange as some of his creations--and drove him to create his terrible cosmos. Using both folklore and history, Dr Curran investigates a wide variety of Lovecraftian mysteries.A word of warning: you may never look at Lovecraft--or the world--in exactly the same way again!