Philippe Charlier – författare

This exquisitely produced volume with a silk cover, colored edges, Swiss and Japanese tube binding, and ribbon ties explores Japan’s most haunting monsters through the eyes of its greatest printmakers. Japanese folklore teems with strange and spectral beings— yōkai that slither from wells, creep through forests, or inhabit forgotten household objects. These creatures have long reflected deep cultural anxieties and obsessions. Their influence endures today, pulsing through manga, anime, and horror cinema like walking nightmares haunting our daily lives. In follow up to his bestselling Yōkai Ghosts, Charlier examines these beings through their myths, habitats, and behaviors, uncovering the human fears and desires they embody.With the voice of a storyteller and the insight of a scholar, he traces how these spirits emerged from a world lit only by lanterns, when shadow and silence gave rise to the imagination’s most haunting macabre inventions. Organized thematically, the book’s chapters focus on particular types of yōkai—animal spirits, haunted objects, female demons, and more placing them in their cultural and historical context while revealing their continued relevance. More than a hundred woodblock prints by artists such as Hokusai, Kuniyoshi, Yoshitoshi, Kunisada, and Yoshimori bring these monsters vividly to life.Their dramatic and often humorous depictions helped shape how yōkai were seen and understood in the nineteenth century—and laid the foundation for visual traditions that continue today. Beautifully produced, this volume will appeal to readers fascinated by Japanese folklore, printmaking, horror, and the art of the uncanny.

"Well written and hard to put down. For anyone with an interest in forensic science, this book is a must-read."--Nigel McCrery, author of Silent Witnesses: The Often Gruesome but Always Fascinating History of Forensic Science"This compilation is a fascinating read for the nonspecialist and will further serve as an inspirational set of recommended readings for the next generation of forensic scientists."--Tim D. White, coauthor of The Human Bone Manual

Did Richard the Lionheart really die from a simple crossbow wound, or was there foul play? Who are the two infants buried in Tutankhamun''s tomb? Could a skull found in a tax collector''s attic be the long-lost head of Henri IV? In When Science Sheds Light on History, Philippe Charlier, the "Indiana Jones of the graveyards," travels the globe to unravel these and other unsolved mysteries of human history.

To get answers, Charlier looks for clues in medical records, fingerprints, and bloodstains. He reconstructs the face of Robespierre from masks molded from his body after death and analyzes charred bones to see if they really are Joan of Arc''s. He discovers lethal levels of gold in the hair and bones of King Henry II''s mistress Diane de Poitiers, who used gold salts to "preserve her eternal youth."

Charlier also pieces together the stories of people whose names and lives have long been forgotten. He investigates Stone Age graves, medieval necropolises, and museum collections. Playing the role of both crime-scene investigator and forensic anthropologist, Charlier diagnoses a mummy with malaria, an ancient Greek child with Down syndrome, and a stately Roman with encephalitis. He also delves into ancient miracles and anomalies: a mute boy able to speak after making sacrifices to the gods, a woman pregnant for five years, and a serpent that cured a broken toe with its tongue.

Exploring how our ancestors lived and how they died, the forty cases in this book seek to answer some of history''s most enduring questions and illustrate the power of science to reveal the secrets of the past.