Reference Reviews

Reference for Students

Icons of Horror and the Supernatural: An Encyclopedia of Our Worst Nightmares. by S.T. Joshi. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2007. 2 vols. 796 p. $175.00. ISBN 0-313-33780-2.

While horror tales have been around from earliest times, Stephen King, with other authors and television shows such as "Buffy, the Vampire Killer," have given this genre importance and popularity in recent times. Students may use this book to research 24 of the leading icons (aliens of supernatural and non-supernatural fiction and their roots in folklore. This is the place to read about aliens, angels and demons, devils, ghosts, ghouls, haunted houses, monsters, mummies, sea creatures, sorcerers, vampires, the werewolf, witches and zombies. The articles, written by experts in the field, begin with a black and white photograph of the icon or a book cover, and they include the author's name, some manifestations and where the icon originated and their appearances in literature, theater and motion picture. Quotations, lists, and other information appear as insets in some articles. Each article has a bibliography of primary and secondary sources. Vol. 2 includes a 5-page general bibliography and notes on the contributors. This is a much sought-after genre, and teachers and students will find this introduction appealing as they read and see supernatural and horror books and films.