Growing Up in a Literary Household Born in London, England on August 30, 1797, as Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin--Mary was the daughter of famed feminist Wollstonecraft as well as the philosopher and political writer William Godwin. Her mother Mary Wollstonecraft authored The Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792, but she died shortly after Shelley was born, and … [Read more...] about Mary Shelley: How a Teenager Changed the Literary World
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Investigating the Origins of the Necronomicon
You've come across an ancient book, not just some dust-covered antique that you found at your local bookstore; no, this was gifted to you with the confidence that you would heed the warning on the attached note and stash the book in a lock-box far away from prying eyes that may fall upon the archaic and mysterious pages of this increasingly enticing tome. Its pages call out to … [Read more...] about Investigating the Origins of the Necronomicon
A Voodoo Practice: Mysteries of Zombification
Digging Up the Origin of Zombies Photography by Lalesh Aldarwish While zombies have been on the pop culture radar pretty heavily for several decades now, the history of this undead phenomenon has a history deeply rooted in the Haitian Voodoo religion—in fact, the belief in zombies is still a relevant aspect of New Orleans Voodoo. In our western society, we rely heavily … [Read more...] about A Voodoo Practice: Mysteries of Zombification
The Honey Island Swamp Monster of Louisiana
Photography by Anthony Roberts Louisiana is rife with local folklore, particularly stemming from the untouched acres of the Honey Island Swamp just a short drive from New Orleans. These legends are of the pirates of the Bayou who were said to have hidden buried treasures, Native American ghosts, and the mysterious green lights that lure unsuspecting night travelers into the … [Read more...] about The Honey Island Swamp Monster of Louisiana
Arctic Sea Serpent: The Tizheruk
Folklore on the Tizheruk Artwork by HodariNundu There are so many cultures that have tales of Sea-Monsters—particularly of the serpent variety, that it would almost be a shock to learn that the Inuit culture didn’t possess one. It is only natural to fear what we do not know—the list of phobias that have spawned from not knowing what is there is fairly long—the dark is a … [Read more...] about Arctic Sea Serpent: The Tizheruk