About the author
Scott G Bruce is a historian and professor at Fordham University specializing in medieval history, known for editing a series of anthologies on the supernatural for Penguin Classics. The Penguin Book of Hell (2018) gathers three thousand years of visions of the underworld, from the Hebrew Bible's Sheol through Dante to modern accounts. The Penguin Book of Demons (2024) collects three millennia of writing about malevolent beings, from plague-bearers to figures of moral corruption. The Penguin Book of the Undead assembles fifteen centuries of accounts of ghosts and the restless dead, tracing how supernatural visitation narratives developed over time. Across these volumes, Bruce works as an editor and compiler, drawing together primary sources from a wide historical and geographic range rather than writing original narrative. His anthologies are aimed at readers interested in the historical record of supernatural belief, presented with the editorial apparatus typical of the Penguin Classics series.
📖 Where to start with Scott G Bruce
💬 What our editors say about Scott G Bruce's books
“Scott G. Bruce curates a compelling journey through three thousand years of demonic encounters, offering a rigorous yet engaging look at global malevolent spirits. The anthology succeeds in highlighting the universal human…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The Penguin Book of Demons
“Scott G. Bruce curates a fascinating collection that distinguishes itself from modern zombie fiction by focusing on theological and historical accounts rather than gore. The anthology successfully maps the shifting cultural…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The Penguin Book of the Undead: Fifteen Hundred Years of Supernatural Encounters
“While this anthology provides a sweeping overview of hellish imagery across three millennia, it may disappoint readers seeking original philosophical critique or modern literary fiction. It is strictly a curated collection of…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The Penguin Book of Hell
📋 Editions by Scott G Bruce in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Penguin Book of Demons | 2024 | Penguin Classics | 368 | 9780143137863 |
| The Penguin Book of the Undead: Fifteen Hundred Years of Superna | — | Penguin Classics | 320 | 9780143107682 |
| The Penguin Book of Hell | 2018 | Penguin Classics | 304 | 9780143131625 |
