Prehistoric Monsters: The Real and Imagined Creatures of the Past That We Love to Fear

by Allen A. Debus

Book Overview

Over centuries, discoveries of fossil bones spawned legends of monsters such as giants and dragons. As the field of earth sciences matured during the 19th century, early fossilists gained understanding of prehistoric creatures such as Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops and Stegosaurus. This historical study examines how these genuine beasts morphed in the public imagination into mythical, powerful engines of destruction and harbingers of cataclysm, taking their place in popular culture, film, and literature as symbols of "lost worlds" where time stands still.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786442816
• ISBN13: 9780786442812
• Release Date: December 2009
• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Length: 340 Pages
• Weight: 1.07 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher