Medieval authors placed fantastic creatures in the borders of manuscripts; since they mark the boundaries of our understanding. Tales throughout the world generally place fabulous beasts in marginal locations ndash; deserts; deep woods; remote islands; glaciers; ocean depths; mountain peaks; caves; swamps; heavenly bodies and alternate universes. According to apocalyptic visions of the Bible; they will also proliferate as we approach the end of time. Because they challenge our conceptual powers; fantastic creatures also seem to exist at the limits of language. Legends tell us that imaginary animals belong to a primordial time; before we had encompassed the world in names; categories and elaborate conceptual frameworks.This book shows how; despite their liminal role; grifï¬ns; dog-men; mermaids; dragons; unicorns; yetis and many other imaginary creatures are socially constructed through the same complex play of sensuality and imagination as lsquo;realrsquo; ones. It traces the history of imaginary animals from Palaeolithic art to the Harry Potter stories and robotic pets. These ï¬gures help us psychologically by giving form to our amorphous fears as lsquo;monstersrsquo;; as well as embodying our hopes as lsquo;wondersrsquo;. Nevertheless; their greatest service may be to continually challenge our imaginations; directing us beyond the limitations of our conventional beliefs and expectations.
#3799843 in eBooks 2013-12-14 2013-12-14File Name: B00FZ5SHCI
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A wealth of information...By R OhlsI worked for the railroad for 36 years and crossed the HPL thousands of times on the trains. The construction of the widening project started a couple of years prior to my retirement. This pictorial essay illustrated the complexites of the construction techniques as well as a look at Mojeski; Masters; and Chase the design engineers of this historic structure.I highly recommend this great book.