Overview

"Ryan J. Stark surveys the classic monsters in great literature and film, television, the Bible, and, perhaps unexpectedly, the world in which we live. Monsterdom is real, Stark observes, but often hidden beneath the concealment spell of modern secular thought. This guidebook aims to break that spell, and, if so, to confirm once more a world that brims with high strangeness, or what Christian philosophers have always called ""reality."" The book appeals to those who study the paranormal dimensions of religion and horror, broadly imagined. The clergy will also find it helpful, as will players of monster-riddled video games."

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9781666784695

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Reviews

"""Informed by rich literary and cultural background as well as thoughtful readings of the texts, Ryan Stark's A Guidebook to Monsters offers a tremendous amount of wisdom--especially regarding how to face the monsters of our world--that belies its enjoyable, lighthearted narrative voice. The book is well-written, refreshingly brief, and simultaneously both timely and timeless in its exploration."" --Matthew Dickerson, author of Aslan's Breath: Seeing the Holy Spirit in Narnia ""A marvelous resource for anyone interested in the rich cultural heritage of our favorite monsters, from zombies, ghosts, and vampires to robots and aliens. The many biblical references are an added value for students of speculative fiction, popular culture, and horror genres in different media."" --Tina Skouen, professor of English, University of Oslo ""In this wise and witty study, Ryan Stark relies on his impressive knowledge of entertainment, high art, and Scripture to remind us of the formidable power of some familiar monsters. While our society tends to deny or otherwise minimize these malevolent creatures, Stark counsels that we take them seriously while disarming them with joy and humor, the two qualities which serve as the tone and tenor of this remarkably lively and brilliant work."" --William Feuer, associate professor of writing, University of Southern California ""Informed by rich literary and cultural background as well as thoughtful readings of the texts, Ryan Stark's A Guidebook to Monsters offers a tremendous amount of wisdom--especially regarding how to face the monsters of our world--that belies its enjoyable, lighthearted narrative voice. The book is well-written, refreshingly brief, and simultaneously both timely and timeless in its exploration."" --Matthew Dickerson, author of Aslan's Breath: Seeing the Holy Spirit in Narnia ""A marvelous resource for anyone interested in the rich cultural heritage of our favorite monsters, from zombies, ghosts, and vampires to robots and aliens. The many biblical references are an added value for students of speculative fiction, popular culture, and horror genres in different media."" --Tina Skouen, professor of English, University of Oslo ""In this wise and witty study, Ryan Stark relies on his impressive knowledge of entertainment, high art, and Scripture to remind us of the formidable power of some familiar monsters. While our society tends to deny or otherwise minimize these malevolent creatures, Stark counsels that we take them seriously while disarming them with joy and humor, the two qualities which serve as the tone and tenor of this remarkably lively and brilliant work."" --William Feuer, associate professor of writing, University of Southern California"

Author Information

Ryan J. Stark is professor of humanities at Corban University. He is the author of two books, Biblical Sterne (2021) and Rhetoric, Science, and Magic in Seventeenth-Century England (2009), and coeditor--with Tina Skouen--of Rhetoric and the Early Royal Society (2015).

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