Poison and the Popular Imagination

This collection is truly a wicked pleasure for any reader interested in the fascinating strands of poison’s cultural history. From the alluring aesthetics of fairy-tale poison to the political intricacies of toxic consumption throughout film, videogames, literature and more, these essays throw light on the most insidious and elusive of substances. * Monica Germanà, Reader in Gothic and Contemporary Studies, University of Westminster, UK * Poison may be deadly if consumed but as subject matter for cultural enquiry it is delicious: this book is an intoxicating mix of approaches to the fascinating world of poisons laced throughout popular culture and history. * Kirstin Mills, Senior Lecturer of Graduate Research, Macquarie University, Australia * This wonderful edition potently mixes poison's diverse cultural constructions, media reimaginings, and physical realities. Spanning the poisonous ""femme fatales"" of Ancient Greek myth to those of Roald Dahl's short stories and American film noir, the materialities of poison from developing celluloid to creating clothes, the pleasures of poisoning our enemies in role-playing and video games, considering famous ""poison"" figures from Cleopatra to Poison Ivy, and poisonous tropes in the Potter-verse, One Piece, and New Korean cinema, Poison and the Popular Imagination has something for every reader - pick your poison. * Lynn Kozak, Associate Professor of History and Classical Studies, McGill University, Canada *