Product Description

Demons, fairies and fallen angels are everywhere. They lurk at crossroads, crouch behind doors, hide in trees, slip into beds, wait in caves, hover at weddings and childbirths, disguise themselves as friends and relatives—and even pretend to be you! They are powerful; they are protean; they are enchanting. And, to the uninformed, they are often invisible. This illustrated guide—the first of its kind—reveals the remarkable permutations of the demon and fairy species worldwide. Packed with lore about each demon, detailing its origins, the culture surrounding it, and its reputed antics and exploits, this is a fascinating exploration of global mythologies. Perfect for the armchair traveller and the intrepid, seasoned demon-spotter alike, this complete guide of subversive spirits offers a behind-the-scenes look at the devilish mishaps, impish irritations and demonic devastations that can punctuate our lives. Be warned: demon-watching is thrilling, transforming and even addictive. Soon A Field guide to Demons will become absolutely indispensable in every household!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76578 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

From the Author
A global look at demons and fairies and their habits.
Thanks for your reviews of our book,"A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels, and Other Subversive Spirits." This introduction to some of the world's most enchanting, weird and powerful spirits is intended to observe them in action in their natural habitats. Rather than separate the species by religious tradition, ethnicity, national boundaries or time, we opted to place them side-by-side and see how similar their fangs, talons, lore, and bad habits might be when in Forest, Mountain or Domicile anywhere in the history of humankind. We are a mother and daughter team, both writers, who share a love of mythology and who hold graduate degrees in Religious Studies and in Cultural Anthropology respectively. We hope that the readers of this work find these creatures as fabulous and informative as we did. For each entry, there is a "Dispelling and Disarming" section just in case! The universal cure is this: Hold them up to the light and see them for what they are, then show them Love and Compassion and the'll be blown away.

From the Inside Flap
This illustrated guide – the first of its kind – reveals the origins, cultures and reputed antics of the most diabolical demons from around the world. It even provides essential tips for dispelling any evil spirits that you might have the misfortune to meet. The demonic cast of characters includes well-known foes like Satan and the Werewolf. These sit alongside localised legends like Ravana, the ten-headed shape shifter from India, and Eloko, the flesh-eating siren of Zaire. Mother-daughter team Carol and Dinah Mack have scoured mythology to bring these dreaded monsters to light and expose the devilish mishaps and impish irritations they can inflict upon the lives of the uninitiated. The result is a triumph of scholarship, art and sprite-like mischief. Packed full of weird, wonderful and worrying presences, this fiendish field guide is an indispensable companion for the armchair traveller and seasoned spirit-spotter alike.

From the Back Cover
Demons, fairies and fallen angels are everywhere. They lurk at crossroads, crouch behind doors, hide in trees, slip into beds, wait in caves, hover at weddings, disguise themselves as friends and relatives – and even pretend to be you! So isn’t it time you found out a little more about the powerful and enchanting beings that inhabit woods, lakes, mountains and, perhaps most of all, our psyches?

Customer Reviews

Introductory course for a beginner.
This is fairly average book. It is very informative yet consisted of little details. The list of supernatural being is also restrictive to a selected few, the author like to focus on more popular ones. Which exposed the flaw, as the beings that get mention are well known, I thought that it would provide me with some additional information which I don't know. However, that is not the case at all, after finishing the book I really felt that I knew about the subject more than the author does.

This book is NOT for a fervent student of demonology. It content is only at beginner level. Provide some interesting read for people who has just began their interest in the subject.

Great Reference Book
You could spend lots of money on all kinds of folklore & mythology books, and still not have as much information on the "darker entities" as this book. Each entry is very detailed with description, habitations, sightings, etc.

I think this book would make a great gift for anyone interested in the supernatural, or even RPG GM's looking for new creatures to torture their players.

Great reading experience
I thought this book was a fast and interesting read. Its theory on fairies and fallen angels, is a different approch of most common related publishings. I found this book informative and interesting, but one must take these related subjects with a grain of salt, for many foklore has many contradictions, for they are mearly entertaining and historical.