"Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924) was a prolific writer, priest, and an eclectic scholar. He considered collecting folk songs and lore to be among his greatest achievements. His studies of folklore led him to delve into the study of werewolves and why superstitions about lycanthropy persisted over the ages in so many cultures. In addition to providing a history of the subject in this book he also recounts in detail the story of the Maréchal de Retz, who was executed in 1440 for the serial murders of children but was also suspected of being a werewolf. This work is one of the most frequently cited studies on the subject. Bound in the original red publisher's cloth with ornate gilt title to spine and gilt ornament with figure of a wolf on the front cover." -- description from The Kelmscott Bookshop, bookseller.