You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen…but do you recall the most petrifying Christmas figures of all? Not all children fear just a lump of coal in their stockings. Discover the terrifying Yuletide fables, folktales, and folklore that have horrified kids (and adults) for generations during the holiday season.He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness’ sake. This light...

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen…but do you recall the most petrifying Christmas figures of all? Not all children fear just a lump of coal in their stockings. Discover the terrifying Yuletide fables, folktales, and folklore that have horrified kids (and adults) for generations during the holiday season.He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness’ sake. This light...

Discover the complex mythology of the legendary Nordic people who inspired Hollywood films, epic novels, and more.Beautiful goddesses, fierce warriors, formidable beasts, and Ragnarök itself--these magical tales have enthralled audiences for centuries. This classic collection of tales offers fascinating insights into Nordic cultures. This captivating book dives deep into the rich history of the region and recalls both the most popular and little-known tales of the ...

Attend a grand ball of the bizarre and never look at dance the same way again!Weird Dance processes through the odd, grim, and unintentionally humorous history of dance, uncovering strange stories and weird facts.These dark tales of murder, rivalry, insanity, and more reveal all sorts of grim goings-on, proving that—for dancers—life was not just one grand plié. Stories include:An elderly woman who stepped out of her Strasbourg home one summ...

Beethoven’s Skull is an unusual and often humorous survey of the many strange happenings in the history of Western classical music. Proving that good music and shocking tabloid-style stories make excellent bedfellows, it presents tales of revenge, murder, curious accidents, and strange fates that span more than two thousand years. Highlights include:A cursed song that kills those who hear itA composer who lovingly cradles the head of Beethoven’s corpse when his rema...

Shakespeare’s Ear presents dark and sometimes funny pieces of fact and folklore that bedevil the mostly unknown history of theater. All manner of skullduggery, from revenge to murder, from affairs to persecution, proves that the drama off-stage was just as intense as any portrayed on it. The stories include those of:An ancient Greek writer of tragedies who dies when an eagle drops a tortoise on his head.A sixteenth-century English playwright who lives a double life...

Did America fake the moon landing? Was 9/11 an inside job? What is the government hiding at Area 51? From secret societies to aliens and assassinations, decode history's greatest cover-ups and decide for yourself.Humanity has long been obsessed with the unexplained, and we have ascribed many mysteries to underground groups and secret schemes. With seeming coincidences piling up around significant events, it's no wonder so many theories have emerged over the years. ...

Make time for the things that really matter in life. Find balance and happiness in your daily life, the Scandinavian way, with The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness!There's a reason Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden consistently rank as the top 5 happiest countries on earth! Find out the secrets to their happiness and fulfillment in The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness, which shares centuries of Nordic wisdom, including:Lykke: Happin...

Roses are red, violets are blue, in this book of fear, Valentine's haunts anew. Dare to discover the true lore of Valentine's Day, where love and terror intertwine in the most unexpected ways. With classic myths about tragic love, dark romances that end in murder, and true crimes committed in passion, this spine chilling book of tales will excite and fright.Beneath the red roses, heart-shaped chocolates, and declarations of love lies a shadowy history of Valentine'...

Qwyrk is having a bad day; several, in fact. One of the Shadow folk tasked with keeping an eye on humanity, she's ready for a well-earned break in Yorkshire, but now she's (literally) run into a girl, Jilly, who just saw something quite supernatural and truly awful happen in her town. As Qwyrk tries to unravel the mystery, layers of villainy are exposed, and she's stuck with an assortment of unlikely folk that she'd rather not have "helping" her. Together, they confront ancient magic, medi...

Roses are red, violets are blue, in this book of fear, Valentine's haunts anew. Dare to discover the true lore of Valentine's Day, where love and terror intertwine in the most unexpected ways. With classic myths about tragic love, dark romances that end in murder, and true crimes committed in passion, this spine chilling book of tales will excite and fright.Beneath the red roses, heart-shaped chocolates, and declarations of love lies a shadowy history of Valentine'...

The notion of Christianity as a religion of peace was severely tested during the Middle Ages, when killing in the name of God became a sanctified act. In this book, Tim Rayborn traces the development of the early Crusades, Christian views of war and violence, and its attitudes toward Islam, primarily during the turbulent period of the 11th and 12th centuries (with some attention to earlier centuries). A marked shift in Christian perceptions of its own identity coincided with a considerably...