Eaters of the Dead: Myths and Realities of Cannibal Monsters

Spanning myth, history, and contemporary culture, a terrifying and illuminating excavation of the meaning of cannibalism.

Every culture has monsters that eat us, and every culture repels in horror when we eat ourselves. From Grendel to medieval Scottish cannibal Sawney Bean, and from the Ghuls of ancient Persia to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, tales of being consumed are both universal and universally terrifying. In this book, Kevin J. Wetmore Jr. explores the full range of monsters that eat the dead: ghouls, cannibals, wendigos, and other beings that feast on human flesh. Moving from myth through history to contemporary popular culture, Wetmore considers everything from ancient Greek myths of feeding humans to the gods, through sky burial in Tibet and Zoroastrianism, to actual cases of cannibalism in modern societies. By examining these seemingly inhuman acts, Eaters of the Dead reveals that those who consume corpses can teach us a great deal about human nature--and our deepest human fears.

Author: Kevin J. Wetmore Jr
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Published: 08/19/2025
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.20w x 0.60d
ISBN13: 9781836391609
ISBN10: 1836391609
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Folklore & Mythology
- History | General

About the Author
Kevin J. Wetmore Jr. is professor at Loyola Marymount University. He is the author or editor of many books, including Post-9/11 Horror in American Cinema and Uncovering "Stranger Things." He lives in Los Angeles.