Cover Image courtesy of Oxford University Press
Horror: A Very Short Introduction by Darryl Jones, is part of a lengthy series of academic books that ranges through seemingly endless topics from science to history, philosophy, religion and entertainment. Type a word in your search engine, add very short introduction, and you’re more than likely to find a book from this series. These books are designed to give you a taste, an overview of the topic of choice, along with some initial insight into why and where to research further. And that's exactly what this particular book on horror does.
It's a short read that breaks down the fundamental subgenres of horror, from monsters to body dysphoria to madness to fear of the uncommon or unknown. It touches on the origins of these subgenres, why they exist and the underlying meaning driving these kinds of stories. It's a fine book for a beginning researcher looking to understand the merits of the genre, maybe. I categorize myself as more than a novice when it comes to horror, so much of the book was a refresher as opposed to a presentation of a new outlook.
But the book proposes to be a very short introduction, and that's what it is. A fine starter for a beginning horror writer, aficionado or the horror curious.
Find a link to buy it here. HORROR: a very short intro
