The Afterlife of Frankenstein: A Century of Mad Science, Automata, and Monsters Inspired by Mary Shelley, 1818-1918

Fear of age and death often creeps coldly into my heart; and the more I live, the more I dread death, even while I abhor life. Such an enigma is manborn to perishwhen he wars, as I do, against the established laws of his nature. Mary Shelley, The Mortal Immortal

Dr. Frankensteins monster is one of the most iconic figures in English literature, popularized through decades of writing, film, and comedy. But even before the invention of film, Mary Shelleys Frankenstein profoundly impacted scores of writers, gathering force for the genre that would ultimately become what we know as science fiction.

In this anthology, scholar of the fantastic David Sandner explores the first hundred years of Frankensteins influence. This collection of short stories and excerpts from work published between 1818 to 1918 demonstrates what a pioneering myth Frankenstein has always beenfrom the very day when lightning first struck and it opened its eyes on the world.