Here are 5 werewolf books for lupine-philes to read and savor. Like a good, rare steak.
You don’t get many non-fiction books about werewolves, dogmen and other shapeshifters. They usually get lumped in with other cryptids and strange critters. I tried to keep it to those with the majority of information on werewolves. But there’s one book about monster science I think you should read. It kicks off the list.
The Science of Monsters: The Truth about Zombies, Witches, Werewolves, Vampires, and Other Legendary Creatures
By Meg Hafdahl and Kelly Florence
In a nutshell, the authors examined monster movies and then detailed the science behind the creature. You’d be surprised by how much monster lore comes from scientific oddities. For example, they look into a number of shape shifting phenomena in nature for The Wolfman. I thought it was a fun take on science in the movies.
©2019 by Hafdahl & Florence | Skyhorse Publishing
Real Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern America
By Linda S. Godfrey
Godfrey is the reporter that broke The Beast of Bray Road stories in the early 90s. She’s probably the best resource to use for anything related to werewolves and dogmen today. This is my favorite book on werewolves, and she’s written 5 or more of them.
In this one, she explores more first-party witness accounts and encounters. Plus, she does some digging into what causes these modern monsters’ origins. Real Wolfmen belongs on your shelf!
©2012 Linda S. Godfrey | TarcherPerigee Publisher
The Werewolf’s Guide to Life: A Manual for the Newly Bitten
By Ritch Duncan & Bob Powers
In this fictional manual, the authors dole out advice for people who got bitten by a werewolf. It goes over the changes to your body, how to control your wolf form, and how to stay alive during the first full moon. They don’t tackle the subject of transforming at will, nor go into much history about werewolves. It’s a fun read and one of my inspirations for writing this werewolf series.
©2009 Duncan & Powers | Three Rivers Press Publisher
The Werewolf Filmography: 300+ Movies
By Bryan Senn
Senn compiles an encyclopedia of werewolf films (or films with werewolves in them) from the beginning of cinematic history to 2016). He’s got the classic The Wolf Man to The Howling and Dog Soldiers inside. These listings are more in-depth than you think. He covers the making of the movies and all sorts of werewolf FX, too. If you love werewolf movies, you gotta have this one.
©2017 Bryan Senn | McFarland Publishing
The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings (2nd Edition)
By Brad Steiger
This encyclopedia covers more than 250 entries of werewolves and other shapeshifters. Some entries cover real-life encounters, others folklore, and there’s a touch of mythology in there for good measure. I was a bit surprised to find serial killers (like Fritz Haarman), who eat victims included. I guess you never know how the wolf will manifest, eh?
Anyway, Steiger’s book can fill your werewolf knowledge gaps. It’s well written and edited with sources listed. I liked that pictures and drawings appear every few pages.
©2011 Brad Steiger | Visible Ink Press
Leave a Reply