press kit, the mythic bestiary

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2624 Blaisdell Ave • Minneapolis, MN 55408 • www.catalystpublicity.com For review copies: For media bookings: Krista Margies Lisa Braun Dubbels, Publicist Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Catalyst Publicity & Promotion Group 646.688.2510 • 646.688.2596 fax 651.343.7315 y 866.908.2455 fax [email protected] [email protected] THE MYTHIC BESTIARY The Illustrated Guide to the World’s Most Fantastical Creatures Tony Allan A wonderful collection of the most extraordinary creatures of the human imagination—from terrifying vampires and wereanimals to sinister shapeshifters and fabulous dragons From the beginning, people have believed in the mysterious and the supernatural. Mythologies from around the world include stories of strange and terrifying creatures, including the unicorn, the wendigo of the Algonquin people, The Celtic banshee, trolls, ogres, and the fantastic dragons revered and feared by both Western and Eastern cultures. With stunning artwork and a wealth of enchanting tales, The Mythic Bestiary casts light on these shadowy creatures, displaying them in all their beauty and ferocity. Though these monsters are obviously fiction (…or are they?), only a century or two ago belief in monsters was commonplace. Even today, a record number (estimated at 19%) believe in the existence of these otherworldly beings. Sightings of monsters are commonplace and celebrated in our popular culture. The Mythic Bestiary is organized into three parts – the beasts of the air, those of the earth and those of the aquatic realms. Coverage includes the monsters and hybrids of the classical world, the myriad serpents and dragons of both East and West, the malevolent ogres and trolls of Scandinavia, and the elusive cannibals, shape‐shifters and ape‐people of the dense forests of North America and Eurasia. As well as describing the classic appearance of each beast, there are numerous references to contemporary incarnations in film and literature. Indispensable for all those drawn to the beasts of myth and legend, The Mythic Bestiary brings these compelling creatures thrillingly to life. ABOUT THE AUTHOR After studying history at Oxford University, Tony Allan was for many years a writer and editor with Time‐Life Books, serving as Series Editor of the TimeLife History of the World and working as an author and consultant on Myth and Mankind, a twenty‐ volume study of comparative mythology. He is the author of Vikings, Ancient Rome, The Archaeology of the Afterlife, and The Symbol Detective.

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Press kit for The Mythic Bestiary by Tony Allan (Duncan Baird Books), October 2008

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Page 1: Press kit, The Mythic Bestiary

2624 Blaisdell Ave • Minneapolis, MN 55408 • www.catalystpublicity.com 

  For review copies:             For media bookings:  Krista Margies              Lisa Braun Dubbels, Publicist Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.          Catalyst Publicity & Promotion Group 646.688.2510 • 646.688.2596 fax         651.343.7315   866.908.2455 fax [email protected]        [email protected] 

THE MYTHIC BESTIARY The Illustrated Guide to the World’s Most Fantastical Creatures Tony Allan             A wonderful collection of the most extraordinary creatures of the human  imagination—from  terrifying  vampires  and were­animals to sinister shape­shifters and fabulous dragons  From  the  beginning,  people  have  believed  in  the  mysterious  and  the supernatural.  Mythologies  from  around  the  world  include  stories  of strange and terrifying creatures,  including the unicorn,  the wendigo of the Algonquin people, The Celtic banshee, trolls, ogres, and the fantastic dragons revered and feared by both Western and Eastern cultures. With stunning artwork and a wealth of enchanting tales, The Mythic Bestiary casts  light  on  these  shadowy  creatures,  displaying  them  in  all  their beauty and ferocity.  Though  these  monsters  are  obviously  fiction  (…or  are  they?),  only  a century or two ago belief in monsters was commonplace. Even today, a record  number  (estimated  at  19%)  believe  in  the  existence  of  these otherworldly  beings.  Sightings  of  monsters  are  commonplace  and celebrated in our popular culture.   The Mythic Bestiary  is organized into three parts – the beasts of the air, those of the earth and those of the aquatic realms. Coverage includes the monsters and hybrids of the classical world, the myriad serpents and dragons of both East and West, the malevolent ogres and  trolls of Scandinavia,  and  the elusive cannibals,  shape‐shifters and ape‐people of  the dense  forests of North  America  and  Eurasia.  As well  as  describing  the  classic  appearance  of  each  beast,  there  are  numerous  references  to contemporary  incarnations  in  film  and  literature.  Indispensable  for  all  those  drawn  to  the  beasts  of myth  and  legend,  The Mythic Bestiary brings these compelling creatures thrillingly to life.  ABOUT THE AUTHOR  After studying history at Oxford University, Tony Allan was for many years a writer and editor with Time‐Life Books, serving as Series Editor of the Time­Life History of the World and working as an author and consultant on Myth and Mankind, a twenty‐volume study of comparative mythology. He is the author of Vikings, Ancient Rome, The Archaeology of the Afterlife, and The Symbol Detective.       

Page 2: Press kit, The Mythic Bestiary

2624 Blaisdell Ave • Minneapolis, MN 55408 • www.catalystpublicity.com 

A SAMPLE OF CREATURES FROM THE MYTHIC BESTIARY: • There was no sight that gladdened the heart of a Chinese emperor more than a 

fenghuang,  but  few  ever  got  to  see  one.  Fenghuangs  were  propitious, appearing only in times of prosperity and peace.  

• Lamia,  the  half‐woman,  half‐snake  with  a  cannibalistic  appetite  for  eating other women’s children, and the ability to replace her own eyes at will.  

• Faeries, known for stealing mortal babies from their cradles, left changelings behind—fairy  infants  that  were  often  wizened  or  deformed  with  special powers.  

• The cluricauns, party  loving  leprechauns, usually  found drunk  in rich men’s wine cellars or riding on the back of sheep. 

• The Leviathan,  the water‐born dragon of  the  sea, who according  to  the Old Testament will be killed by the Lord in the endtime.  

• The  Yukki­onna  of  Japanese  culture,  beautiful  and  serene‐‐and  a  ruthless killer of unsuspecting mortals. 

• The  Squonk  of  the  Pennsylvania  wild  who  evades  capture  by  dissolving completely into a pool of tears and bubbles when cornered.  

• The Grendel, the antagonist of the epic poem Beowulf, a source of debate for scholars, such as JRR Tolkien and Seamus Haney. 

• The Mothman  creature of West Virginia‐‐a winged man‐sized  creature with large reflective red eyes and large moth‐like wing. 

 SAMPLE PAGE LAYOUTS FROM THE MYTHIC BESTIARY:

 

 

 

 

 The Mythic Bestiary Materia Monstrum 

The Illustrated Guide to the World’s Most Fantastical Creatures 

Tony Allen  

Duncan Baird, an imprint of Sterling Publishing 

Sale date: October 7, 2008  

192 pp ISBN: 1‐84483‐484‐6 

ISBN13: 9781844837199 $29.95 US   $32.95 CAN 

Hardcover with jacket • 11” x 8 ½ ” 130 gsm matte art paper 

More than 60 large artworks in 4‐color and 30 line artworks,  

plus approximately 10 photographs in 4‐color