Dragons: A Natural History

Dragons: A Natural History dives into how these beasts have been depicted and used in iconography throughout history, as well as including some famous dragon-centric legends told around the world (Maud & the Wyvern, Fafnir, St. George Vs the Dragon, and more). I got this book thinking 'history' meant more describing the various species of dragon and chronicling the cultural appearances of the general creature itself, but this book seems to have more re-tellings of old legends than documenting the creature's history itself. Although 'Natural History' is in the title, I suppose I was expecting something a little differently. There are few pages that go into detail concerning dragon's histories outside of the telling of legends.That aside, show more this book is a fine addition to any dragon lover's library. show less

This book gets excellent reviews, but the information is unfortunately not accurate. For example, an item in the Weltmuseum Wien, the famous early sixteenth-century Aztec ceremonial feather mosaic shield (catalog number MVM Inv. Nr. 43,380) is pictured in detail (p.82-83] stating "Aztekenkönige tragen feierliche Schutzschilde, die mit Motiven - häufig Drachen aus Federn wie etwa dieser - geschmückt waren". [Aztec kings carried ceremonial protective shields - which depicted motives, often dragons made of feathers, like this one]. Unfortunately this represents a cayote not a dragon and has absolutely nothing to do with Qzetzalcoatl (the title of the chapter where it is found). For the picture credits, only the Werner Forman Archive is show more listed for this object, not the museum where it resides. I can only assume that the rest of the book is full of similar mistakes. For infomation on Dragons it is better to look up the individual "entries" in Wikipedia! show less

The book is well illustrated and discusses dragons with a cryptozoology slant. The mythology information is a bit rough round the edges. A few things are downright wrong. It's an enjoyable book, but don't rely on it heavily for research work.

As the author of this book, which is internationally renowned as a sumptuously illustrated volume containing full-colour paintings by some of the world's greatest artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, Fuseli, Uccello, and Arthur Rackham to mention but a few, I am amazed by a previous reviewer's extraordinaey claim that this book's illustrations are poor! How anyone can rate as poor the works of art by such geniuses as those noted above is incomprehensible, and I felt it necessary to correct what I consider to be an outrageous slur on my book without further delay. Dr Karl P.N. Shuker

Book Description: Riverside, New Jersey, U.S.A.: Simon & Schuster, 1995. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Presumed First Edition First printing

Love dragons