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Product Identifiers

PublisherBloomsbury Publishing USA

ISBN-101472933737

ISBN-139781472933737

eBay Product ID (ePID)237420472

Product Key Features

Book TitleMaking the Monster : the Science Behind Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Number of Pages304 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2018

TopicScience Fiction & Fantasy, Life Sciences / Human Anatomy & Physiology, General, History, European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Subjects & Themes / General

IllustratorYes

GenreLiterary Criticism, Science

AuthorKathryn Harkup

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height1.2 in

Item Weight15.2 Oz

Item Length8.8 in

Item Width5.6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2017-492179

Dewey Edition23

Reviews"Harkup's fun potpourri of science and history should prove satisfying to both science readers and literary aficionados." - Publishers Weekly "A lucid and entertaining book." - Kirkus, "Harkup's fun potpourri of science and history should prove satisfying to both science readers and literary aficionados." - Publishers Weekly "A lucid and entertaining book." - Kirkus ". . . fascinating for those interested in the development of science fiction and in the difficult life of one of the genre's first authors." - Library Journal, Making the Monster reassembles the intellectual toolkit Shelley had at her disposal ... everything she could have known about alchemy, spontaneous generation, phlogiston, physical decomposition, anatomy, transplant surgery, galvanism and human reanimation, digested for the 21st-century reader., Lucidly illuminates Shelley's investment in the rapidly expanding knowledge of chemistry, biology and electricity of her times, and reminds us of how Frankenstein helped inspire technological developments, such as the pacemaker., 'Lucidly illuminates Shelley's investment in the rapidly expanding knowledge of chemistry, biology and electricity of her times, and reminds us of how Frankenstein helped inspire technological developments, such as the pacemaker., ' Lucidly illuminates Shelley's investment in the rapidly expanding knowledge of chemistry, biology and electricity of her times, and reminds us of how Frankenstein helped inspire technological developments, such as the pacemaker., An engaging account of the facts and fears of the 19th century that lay behind the composition of Mark Shelley's Frankenstein. A telling reminder that although science has moved on, fears about what it might soon do have scarcely changed., A fascinating and educational journey through the shadowy twists and turns of medical history. The odours of the dissection rooms and the sounds of the public executions are brought to life just as vividly as the monster himself., "Harkup's fun potpourri of science and history should prove satisfying to both science readers and literary aficionados." - Publishers Weekly "A lucid and entertaining book." - Kirkus ". . . fascinating for those interested in the development of science fiction and in the difficult life of one of the genre's first authors." - Library Journal ". . . lucidly illuminates Shelley's investment in the rapidly expanding knowledge of chemistry, biology, and electricity of her times, and reminds us of how "Frankenstein" helped inspire technological developments, such as the pacemaker." - Wall Street Journal

Dewey Decimal823/.7

Edition DescriptionDigital original

Table Of ContentPreface PART 1: CONCEPTION Chapter 1: EnlightenmentChapter 2: DevelopmentChapter 3: ElopementChapter 4: Nascent PART 2: CREATION Chapter 5: EducationChapter 6: InspirationChapter 7: CollectionChapter 8: PreservationChapter 9: ConstructionChapter 10: ElectrificationChapter 11: Reanimation PART 3: BIRTH Chapter 12: LifeChapter 13: Death EpilogueAppendix: Timeline of EventsBibliographyAcknowledgementsIndex

SynopsisThe year 1818 saw the publication of one of the most influential science-fiction stories of all time. Frankenstein: Or, Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley had a huge impact on gothic horror and science fiction genres. The name Frankenstein has become part of our everyday language, often used in derogatory terms to describe scientists who have overstepped a perceived moral line. But how did a 19-year-old woman with no formal education come up with the idea for an extraordinary novel such as Frankenstein ? The period of 1790-1820 saw huge advances in our understanding of electricity and physiology. Sensational science demonstrations caught the imagination of the general public, and newspapers were full of tales of murderers and resurrectionists. It is unlikely that Frankenstein would have been successful in his attempts to create life back in 1818. However, advances in medical science mean we have overcome many of the stumbling blocks that would have thwarted his ambition. We can resuscitate people using defibrillators, save lives using blood transfusions, and prolong life through organ transplants--these procedures are nowadays considered almost routine. Many of these modern achievements are a direct result of 19th century scientists conducting their gruesome experiments on the dead. Making the Monster explores the science behind Shelley's book. From tales of reanimated zombie kittens to electrical experiments on human cadavers, Kathryn Harkup examines the science and scientists that influenced Mary Shelley and inspired her most famous creation, Victor Frankenstein. While, thankfully, we are still far from being able to recreate Victor's creature, scientists have tried to create the building blocks of life, and the dream of creating life-forms from scratch is now tantalizingly close., The year 1818 saw the publication of one of the most influential science-fiction stories of all time. Frankenstein: Or, Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley had a huge impact on gothic horror and science fiction genres. The name Frankenstein has become part of our everyday language, often used in derogatory terms to describe scientists who have overstepped a perceived moral line. But how did a 19-year-old woman with no formal education come up with the idea for an extraordinary novel such as Frankenstein ? The period of 1790-1820 saw huge advances in our understanding of electricity and physiology. Sensational science demonstrations caught the imagination of the general public, and newspapers were full of tales of murderers and resurrectionists. It is unlikely that Frankenstein would have been successful in his attempts to create life back in 1818. However, advances in medical science mean we have overcome many of the stumbling blocks that would have thwarted his ambition. We can resuscitate people using defibrillators, save lives using blood transfusions, and prolong life through organ transplants--these procedures are nowadays considered almost routine. Many of these modern achievements are a direct result of 19th century scientists conducting their gruesome experiments on the dead. Making the Monster explores the science behind Shelley's book. From tales of reanimated zombie kittens to electrical experiments on human cadavers, Kathryn Harkup examines the science and scientists that influenced Mary Shelley and inspired her most famous creation, Victor Frankenstein. While, thankfully, we are still far from being able to recreate Victor's "creature," scientists have tried to create the building blocks of life, and the dream of creating life-forms from scratch is now tantalizingly close., A thrilling and gruesome look at the science that influenced Mary Shelley's classic Gothic novel, Frankenstein.

LC Classification NumberPR5397.F73