Frankenstein

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) was born in London, the daughter of social theorist William Godwin and writer Mary Wollstonecraft. Her mother died shortly after her birth, and Mary was raised by servants, her stepmother, and within her father’s intellectual circle. In 1814, she met Percy Bysshe Shelley, and they moved to the Continent. Following the death of Shelley’s wife, the poet and Mary married.

In 1816, during a story-writing competition with the Shelleys and Lord Byron in Switzerland, Mary began writing Frankenstein, her first and most famous novel. Published in 1818, it was followed by other works, including Valperga (1823), The Last Man (1826), and Falkner (1837). After her husband’s death in 1822, she dedicated herself to raising their son and securing his inheritance.

Douglas Clegg is an award-winning author of over twenty-five books, including Neverland, Isis, and The Vampyricon trilogy. His work spans gothic, suspense, fantasy, and horror genres. A pioneer in e-books, he launched the internet’s first e-serial novel, Naomi, in 1999.

Harold Bloom, a leading literary critic, is Sterling Professor of the Humanities and English at Yale University. He has received numerous awards, including the Gold Medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His notable books include The Anatomy of Influence: Literature as a Way of Life and How to Read and Why.