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Podcast: New Books in Literary Studies
Episode: Vaughn Scribner, "Merpeople: A Human History" (Reaktion Books, 2020)
Description: Vaughn Scribner joins Jana Byars on the occasion of the paperback edition of Merpeople: A Human History (Reaktion, 2024) People have been fascinated by merpeople and merfolk since ancient times. From the sirens of Homerâs Odyssey to Hans Christian Andersenâs The Little Mermaid and the film Splash, myths, stories, and legends of half-human, half-fish creatures abound. In modern times âmermaidingâ has gained popularity among cosplayers throughout the world. In Merpeople: A Human History, Vaughn Scribner traces the long history of mermaids and mermen, taking in a wide variety of sources and using 117 striking images. From film to philosophy, church halls...