Free delivery on all orders above $30
Get 10% off all year round! Join Thryft Club
Get 10% off all year round and $10 off your next order! Join Thryft Club

Your cart

Your cart is empty

Check out these collections!

Bestselling Fiction
Bestselling Nonfiction
Bestselling Books for Children
Vintage and Rare Books
Vinyl Records
Women's Clothing
Men's Clothing

Stay in touch and win free books

Keep up with our latest sales and events, and receive
recommendations direct to your inbox. We'll only send the good stuff, promise!

By completing this form, you are signing up to receive our emails and can unsubscribe at any time

On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears

by Stephen T. Asma
Compare to estimated retail price: S$31.28  

The item you've got your eye on is secondhand. You probably already know that, but just in case!

The estimated retail price shown next to any listed item represents the first-hand prices we've seen elsewhere, or the estimated original retail price of a comparable item of the same quality, construction and material offered elsewhere in new condition.

On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears
On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears

Evolving fears encapsulated in monsters' history.

"On Monsters" is a fascinating read that delves into the heart of our collective nightmares. It's not just a casual walkthrough of mythical creatures; Stephen Asma invites you on a scholarly yet accessible journey exploring why these creatures continue to haunt us. By connecting historical fears to modern anxieties, the book offers a profound look at humanity's need to personify its deepest uncertainties. Whether you're a history buff, a lover of the macabre, or just intrigued by the psychology of fear, this book lays bare the monstrous side of human nature and the creatures it spawns.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears

by Stephen T. Asma
Compare to estimated retail price: S$31.28  

The item you've got your eye on is secondhand. You probably already know that, but just in case!

The estimated retail price shown next to any listed item represents the first-hand prices we've seen elsewhere, or the estimated original retail price of a comparable item of the same quality, construction and material offered elsewhere in new condition.

Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

Find out more about our process here.

Special Offer

Buy 3, Get 1 Free On All Items Under S$10

Add 4 items under S$10 to your cart — the cheapest one is on us.

ISBN: 9780199798094
Authors: Stephen T. Asma
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date of Publication: 2011-09-01
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: History, Science, Philosophy, Religion
Related Topics: Anthropology, Psychology, History
Goodreads rating: 3.67
(rated by 965 readers)

Description

Hailed as "a feast" (Washington Post) and "a modern-day bestiary" (The New Yorker), Stephen Asma's On Monsters is a wide-ranging cultural and conceptual history of monsters--how they have evolved over time, what functions they have served for us, and what shapes they are likely to take in the future. Beginning at the time of Alexander the Great, the monsters come fast and furious--Behemoth and Leviathan, Gog and Magog, Satan and his demons, Grendel and Frankenstein, circus freaks and headless children, right up to the serial killers and terrorists of today and the post-human cyborgs of tomorrow. Monsters embody our deepest anxieties and vulnerabilities, Asma argues, but they also symbolize the mysterious and incoherent territory beyond the safe enclosures of rational thought. Exploring sources as diverse as philosophical treatises, scientific notebooks, and novels, Asma unravels traditional monster stories for the clues they offer about the inner logic of an era's fears and fascinations. In doing so, he illuminates the many ways monsters have become repositories for those human qualities that must be repudiated, externalized, and defeated.
 

Evolving fears encapsulated in monsters' history.

"On Monsters" is a fascinating read that delves into the heart of our collective nightmares. It's not just a casual walkthrough of mythical creatures; Stephen Asma invites you on a scholarly yet accessible journey exploring why these creatures continue to haunt us. By connecting historical fears to modern anxieties, the book offers a profound look at humanity's need to personify its deepest uncertainties. Whether you're a history buff, a lover of the macabre, or just intrigued by the psychology of fear, this book lays bare the monstrous side of human nature and the creatures it spawns.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.