Knowing Fear
Science, Knowledge and the Development of the Horror Genre
Jason
Colavito
ISBN
978-0-7864-3273-8
58 photos, appendix, notes, bibliography, index
464pp.
softcover
2008
Available for immediate shipment
Description
Tracing the development of horror entertainment since the late 18th century, this study argues that scientific discovery, technological progress, and knowledge in general have played an unparalleled role in influencing the evolution of horror. Throughout its many subgenres (biological horror, cosmic horror and others) and formats (film, literature, comics), horror records humanity’s uneasy relationship with its own ability to reason, understand, and learn. The text first outlines a loose framework defining several distinct periods in horror development, then explores each period sequentially by looking at the scientific and cultural background of the period, its expression in horror literature, and its expression in horror visual and performing arts.
About the Author
Jason Colavito is the author or editor of three books on topics including science and horror, H.P. Lovecraft, and horror criticism. He is also a frequent contributor to Skeptic magazine, and has earned praise from Archaeology magazine for his online resource Lost Civilizations Uncovered (www.thelostcivilizations.com). Colavito currently works as an editor and writer based in Albany, New York.
Other Book(s) by Jason Colavito Available from McFarland:
“A Hideous Bit of Morbidity”
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Table of Contents & Excerpts
Related Books
Genre/Horror
Humanities/Literature & Language
Interdisciplinary Studies/Popular Culture
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