In the write-up to their newly published book Howls of Imagination: Wolves of England, by Paul Williams, Heart of Albion books note the following:
"Wolves have been despised and persecuted by humans for centuries. They were eradicated completely in England by about 1509 and in Scotland and Ireland in the mid-eighteenth century. Yet superstitions and folklore continue to fuel a fear of wolves in modern day Britain – even though many of these popular beliefs are inaccurate."
They continue: "In Howls of Imagination Dr Paul Williams describes how these beliefs have arisen, and contrasts them with known information about wolves – and the relatively rare number of wolf attacks on humans.
"Why did Christian allegories give wolves a 'bad press'? How did popular literature breed a hybrid lore by mixing legends about real wolves with myths about werewolves? Have children really been reared by wolves? And, above all, should we afraid of 'the big bad wolf' or simply consign such ideas to the scrap bin of erroneous stereotypes?"
The publisher concludes: "Howls of Imagination reveals how folklore and myth can create and sustain misleading ideas while simultaneously offering a more factual understanding of this iconic animal of the wilderness."
Well, I can state with absolute certainty that in my time as an author and book-reviewer, I have read some of the most overblown rubbish put out by publishers trying to sell and hype their books to the public and the book-reviewing media.
But in this case, I'm pleased to say, Heart of Albion's words are richly deserved and right on target.
Howls of Imagination is a superb study of the fact, the fiction, the legend, and the mythology surrounding that most mysterious of creatures: the wolf.
"Wolves have been despised and persecuted by humans for centuries. They were eradicated completely in England by about 1509 and in Scotland and Ireland in the mid-eighteenth century. Yet superstitions and folklore continue to fuel a fear of wolves in modern day Britain – even though many of these popular beliefs are inaccurate."
They continue: "In Howls of Imagination Dr Paul Williams describes how these beliefs have arisen, and contrasts them with known information about wolves – and the relatively rare number of wolf attacks on humans.
"Why did Christian allegories give wolves a 'bad press'? How did popular literature breed a hybrid lore by mixing legends about real wolves with myths about werewolves? Have children really been reared by wolves? And, above all, should we afraid of 'the big bad wolf' or simply consign such ideas to the scrap bin of erroneous stereotypes?"
The publisher concludes: "Howls of Imagination reveals how folklore and myth can create and sustain misleading ideas while simultaneously offering a more factual understanding of this iconic animal of the wilderness."
Well, I can state with absolute certainty that in my time as an author and book-reviewer, I have read some of the most overblown rubbish put out by publishers trying to sell and hype their books to the public and the book-reviewing media.
But in this case, I'm pleased to say, Heart of Albion's words are richly deserved and right on target.
Howls of Imagination is a superb study of the fact, the fiction, the legend, and the mythology surrounding that most mysterious of creatures: the wolf.
If you are in any way interested in - or fascinated by - British folklore, history and mysterious tales, this is a book that you are not going to want to miss.
It addresses issues such as the number of attacks on people that have actually been proven to have been caused by wolves - rather than attacks that have been presumed to have been caused by wolves. You may be surprised by the truth of the matter.
Howls of Imagination takes the reader on an enchanting journey into Medieval England, to ancient forests, to the early years of organized wolf-hunts, and the sad - and perhaps inevitable - demise of this majestic beast and its disappearance from the wilds of the nation in the year of...well, that's a matter of debate.
Indeed, the author has some intriguing stories to relate concerning how long the wild wolf may actually have survived for in the UK.
Notably, Paul Williams relates in the pages of his book the story of one Irene Carruthers, who reported seeing two grey wolves in her garden in the village of Eaglesfield...in October 2003.
In the chapter The Devil Wolf, Williams delves deeply into the world of superstition, dread, fear, and devilish phenomena as it relates to the wolf.
And, of course, no book on the history, mythology and legend of the wolf in England would be complete without a generous helping of tales on werewolves.
Lycanthropy, werewolves in fiction, the links with witchcraft, and the strange and dark tale of the Hexham Heads all surface within the pages of Howls of Imagination - as do stories of so-called Feral Children, said to have been raised by wolves. And, again, the author's findings and conclusions on this latter issue may surprise you.
The author concludes his study with a thoughtful look at the issue of whether or not - and, if so, to what extent, how, and where - wolves should be reintroduced to the wilds of the British Isles.
Howls of Imagination was probably one of my most enjoyable reads of this year so far; and I can say for certain that in this concise-yet-packed 92-page book, the author has revealed a wealth of hidden knowledge on this majestic beast, dispelled some myths, answered a lot of questions, and offered a rich body of data that is diverse, eye-opening, mysterious and magical in equal measures.
Readers outside of the UK should note that Howls of Imagination is only available from Britain; and therefore if you wish to purchase a copy, it is recommended that you contact the publisher Bob Trubshaw for shipping rates, payment methods, etc. at albion@indigogroup.co.uk
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