The Mystery and Lore of Monsters by C.J.S. Thompson [HARDCOVER RE-ISSUE] • Bell Books

The Mystery and Lore of Monsters with Accounts Of Some Giants, Dwarfs And Prodigies by Charles John Samuel Thompson

HARDCOVER RE-ISSUE [1968] BELL BOOKS

Beautiful re-issue with facsimile cover of original edition.

No printing date listed -- but judging by how sharp and pristine it is, doesn't look very old.   Dust jacket and book are both near mint.   

Monsters have always excited mixed feelings of curiosity, awe, and horror. The word monster, in fact, comes from the Latin root meaning "to warn," suggesting both something  terrifying and something to be interpreted as an omen. The Mystery and Lore of Monsters features real as well as legendary monsters, rivaling any of the inventions of science fiction.

The book surveys the entire subject of monsters, from the legends of ancient times to some of  the known abnormalities of the twentieth century. As Dr. Thompson makes clear, many of the  monsters, giants, and dwarfs of mythology and fairy tales had their origins in things as real as  the specimens preserved in surgical museums today. Thompson's expertise has produced a book of disturbing insights. Among the anomalies he examines are Siamese twins, Cyclopes, mermaids, hermaphrodites, giants, two-headed individuals, and limbless cripples, to mention just a few.  Monsters, we learn from Dr. Thompson's book, seem to be a fact of life.