tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.comments2023-08-14T11:17:51.973+01:00The Eclectarium of Doctor ShukerDr Karl Shukerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-68039340464322720972023-08-09T16:04:00.274+01:002023-08-09T16:04:00.274+01:00Obtain permission from the various copyright holde...Obtain permission from the various copyright holders, but there seem to be so many (especially illustrators) that I fear it would be horrendously complex to do so.Dr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-74144324408941746292023-08-09T08:56:27.053+01:002023-08-09T08:56:27.053+01:00HOW can we get this republished???!HOW can we get this republished???!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-87036441261431202522023-06-22T20:48:38.039+01:002023-06-22T20:48:38.039+01:00Wow, my three elder sisters and myself had a copy ...Wow, my three elder sisters and myself had a copy of this book in the early 70’s and read it till it fell to prices. By the time I got to read it there was no front cover so could never remember whether it was called “Stranger than people” or “Strangers and people”. Could never find anything on the internet whenever I thought about it over the years until tonight when I googled “Klumpok”! <br />Good to finally see it again and interesting websight.👍<br />JonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-73624037175792941262022-06-30T18:55:24.667+01:002022-06-30T18:55:24.667+01:00Hi Steph, Thanks very much for your email and for ...Hi Steph, Thanks very much for your email and for identifying the artist involved here - great to know this at long last. Yes, the illustrations for They Change By Night' gave me many a sleepless night too as a child! Ditto the zombie ones - but this is the book that first brought such entities to my attention, so it occupies a special place in my acquisition of knowledge re the unexplained etc. All the best, KarlDr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-62642279177813981022022-06-30T13:55:45.611+01:002022-06-30T13:55:45.611+01:00Hi Dr Karl. I was enchanted by Stranger Than Peopl...Hi Dr Karl. I was enchanted by Stranger Than People as a kid, my old copy has been loved to pieces over the last 50 years or so! Was fascinated to find your blog - it made me very happy.<br />Regarding "The yellow monster of Sundra Strait", you mention in your intro to it above that the artist is uncredited, but the artworks in the story are actually signed "Donnison" - and this would be Selby Donnison, as described over at bookpalace.com:<br />https://bookpalace.com/acatalog/ArtistsBiographies.html#BIOGD<br />... where there are a couple of examples of his other work, and the style is unmistakeable! The good Mr. Donnison's work is on nearly every page of Stranger Than People, and of course it's mostly thanks to his talent that the book had such an impact on me. The illustrations for "They change by night" gave me particular chills! <br />Cheers and thanks again for your blog.<br />Steph (stephmcd@yahoo.com)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-55030559876463893242022-02-25T11:36:20.446+00:002022-02-25T11:36:20.446+00:00Odd; I thought I commented when this article was n...Odd; I thought I commented when this article was new. I do recall being very muddle-headed at the time. Terrible ventilation problem in my home; I should have moved out years ago. I will be moving soon.<br /><br />As much as I'd like to speculate on every aspect of the story, I think I'd better confine myself a little. I have experience with food-related fears; not phobias in that they're not pathologically overwhelming, but still a deep reluctance to eat. These fears followed bouts of food poisoning. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the children, alone in the woods and struggling to find things to eat, had a similar experience and ended up only eating beans. Perhaps they ate peas; I'm thinking of them splitting the (presumably green) stalks rather than the pods.<br /><br />I'm not sure about their language. Surely, Sir Richard de Calne would have known more than just the local dialect, and if not he, then some of the monks or their abbots who no-doubt discussed the matter as well as chronicling it. The 12th century was a very religious era. I think it was in this century that the Church came to own more than half the land in Britain, but I might be a little off. (Only a couple of centuries. ;) I don't have the knowledge necessary to estimate the likelihood of any of them knowing Flemish.<br /><br />I think the children were real and their former home could be the English woodlands which sometimes fully merit the poetic appellation, "cathedral of green." I once experienced such a place near Cissbury Ring. It was a small area where green leaves dimmed and tinted all the sun's light to produce an effect both beautiful and moving! I can imagine the same effect over a larger area in less disturbed woodland. However, there are 2 problems with this:<br />— It's not possible without broadleaf trees, which raises the question of what happened in winter. Was it cloudy and/or foggy all the time? There may have been a lot of fog near a river. Did the children stay inside on sunny days? As you know, sunny winter days in this country can be extra-cold, dry air having come from the polar regions. It helps that the children would have experienced relatively few winters. (I keep wanting to spell winter with a capital W in the context of this story. :) If I remember my climate cycles correctly, 12th century Britain was fairly warm, so in winter, fog and rain may have been prevalant.<br />— In England, as much land was farmed in the 12th century as in the 20th century at its peak, so perhaps disturbance reduced the prevalance of such "cathedrals of green". However, I'm sure the farmed land supported fewer people, so perhaps they disturbed the woods less. Or perhaps people died off in the hard times and the woodlands regrew.<br /><br />I have speculated some more, (because of course I have,) but these days I think it better to save deep speculation for writing fiction. :) I could accept the idea of spirit involvement in perhaps rescuing the children, but I've found it to be a very bad idea to speculate on spirit involvement in particular. Rather, I trust in God, try to live by Bible standards, and try to "let scripture interpret scripture"; to not let my beliefs be tainted by contrary philosophies. <a href="https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/history/" rel="nofollow">The Bible's preservation is remarkable</a>, perhaps miraculous, and I see other people finding happiness by living in the same way. It also offers a hope for the future, including a <a href="https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/what-is-the-resurrection/" rel="nofollow">resurrection of the dead</a>. One day, the boy -along with everyone else who has died- will have a chance at a better life, and perhaps we'll be able to learn what really happened. Perhaps also some humans, as caretakers of the Earth, will maintain the area they take care of in the beautiful "cathedral of green" effect. :)Ethan Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04477704222423568933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-88007415069489966262021-12-15T04:40:57.984+00:002021-12-15T04:40:57.984+00:00This post was a welcome find. I periodically sear...This post was a welcome find. I periodically search for a copy of <i>Stranger than People</i> and was doing so today when I came across this site.<br /><br />What nobody has mentioned so far is the smell of the pages. I don't know what paper they used, but I got a copy of STP from the Bodleian a few years (interlibrary loan) and the smell was still there... It brought back all the memories of this book and 'Klumpok', the first SF story I ever read. D J Routhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00802905609591083938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-52498334996362916672021-10-31T06:53:27.586+00:002021-10-31T06:53:27.586+00:00To your first point regarding Angels not being abl...To your first point regarding Angels not being able to procreate, I ask how you come to this conclusion as it seems to me to be presumptuous, in that the scripture indicates more definitively that they "do not" procreate, as opposed to "cannot".Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01957564290671344797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-54735948526296028472020-11-29T17:26:47.121+00:002020-11-29T17:26:47.121+00:00I'd forgotten the one about the leprechaun!
I...I'd forgotten the one about the leprechaun!<br /><br />I liked the descriptions in Devil Tiger. The writer knew his stuff. The Prince with a Lang revolver, the accurate description of the percussion rifle, the perfect description of the bullet mould and the procedure for casting the golden bullet from the ancient ring.<br /><br />Admittedly, as I kid, I didn't know that there was no way that gold would melt over a ordinary campfire, nor that, in order to make a bullet for a big-game rifle, it would have needed to be a very big ring. I suppose he could bulked it out with lead, but that would have ruined the appearance of the bullet, thereby (even more importantly) ruining the final line of this tale! That is what artistic licence is all about!<br /><br />Great stuff, and thanks for the information. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05347264787782462994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-2200432773997563722020-11-28T10:42:27.420+00:002020-11-28T10:42:27.420+00:00As far as I am aware, it was an original story wri...As far as I am aware, it was an original story written specifically for Stranger Than People, as were 'Klumpok' and 'The Yellow Monster of Sundra Strait', plus various others in this book. Another interesting one is all about a magical vintage motor car in Ireland that has a life of its own, and turns out to be a leprechaun!Dr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-90925592339334090852020-11-27T19:26:12.780+00:002020-11-27T19:26:12.780+00:00I had this fine book as a kid, but have no idea wh...I had this fine book as a kid, but have no idea what happened to it.My favourite story was "Devil Tiger". Does anyone happen to know who wrote this tale? Was it originally a short story or a shortened version of a longer one, like the version of "Moby Dick" also in this book?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05347264787782462994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-73413716114375828712020-08-12T01:19:19.951+01:002020-08-12T01:19:19.951+01:00Scriptural Facts:
1. Heavenly or Fallen Angels c...Scriptural Facts:<br /><br /> 1. Heavenly or Fallen Angels can not procreate according to biblical scripture. (Matt. 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:34)<br /><br />2. There is no evidence from the dead sea scrolls on gen.6:4 that the Nephilium(giants) were the offspring of the sons of God and daughters of men.<br /><br />3. The Nephilium were present before and after the sons of God and daughters of man had intercourse.<br /><br />4. Sons of God could mean holy Angels or holy men according to scripture. (Job 1:6; 2:1), (Psalm 82:6, Hos. 1:10; John 10:34-38, Matt. 5:9; Luke 3:38; Rom. 8:14)<br /><br /> *******************************************************************************************<br /><br />Knowing these facts; we can rule out that the sons of God are angels in gen 6:4 because they procreate.<br /><br />Therefore, they must be men that had God's favor(Seth's lineage). The daughters of man would be women without God's favor(Cain's lineage). Their offspring would be human.<br /><br /> <br /><br />What are these giants or Nephilium?<br /><br />Well, they can't be the offspring of the sons of God and daughters of man according to the facts stated above; because the nephilium were present when the sons of God lusted(married) the daughters of man. How can the Nephilium be offspring before a woman is pregnant?<br /><br /> The interpretation from a root word naphil of Nephilium means fallen ones.<br /><br />Look at the similarities of seraphim and cherubim. Now look at Nephilium.<br /><br />Seraphim and Cherubim are Holy Angels.<br /><br />Doesn't it make since that the Nephilium would be Fallen angels?<br /><br /> The men of renown is another way of referring to famous men...Was Adam, Abel and Seth famous? Of course they were! <br /><br />The reason the Nephilium were mentioned in scripture was because they lured these renown sons of God to LUST those women just as Satan tempted eve in the garden of Eden.<br /><br />Elijahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07977023376662827447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-68000335866540700372019-12-05T01:10:31.710+00:002019-12-05T01:10:31.710+00:00Indeed they do, and how!!Indeed they do, and how!!Dr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-55829880738150298422019-12-04T21:28:31.083+00:002019-12-04T21:28:31.083+00:00I was really annoyed that they turned Smaug into a...I was really annoyed that they turned Smaug into a wyvern. It ruined the film.<br />Richard Freemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17142154646917043849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-90700091068469417352019-12-04T21:27:43.410+00:002019-12-04T21:27:43.410+00:00Shadmocks whistle.Shadmocks whistle.Richard Freemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17142154646917043849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-41016241036769349492018-11-03T16:30:07.683+00:002018-11-03T16:30:07.683+00:00I'd love to do so as it's just so fascinat...I'd love to do so as it's just so fascinating a book, but there may well be copyright issues if I did, so I'd better not.<br />Dr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-34864078399716219882018-11-03T16:28:48.867+00:002018-11-03T16:28:48.867+00:00Excerpts not exerpts - just spotted that typing er...Excerpts not exerpts - just spotted that typing error, only 6 years later, lol.<br />Dr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-62828327024427183962018-11-03T16:26:03.094+00:002018-11-03T16:26:03.094+00:00Hi Serena, My pleasure - very glad to hear that my...Hi Serena, My pleasure - very glad to hear that my above post was of such help and interest to you. Re Bill Bryson's book: I'm actually based in the UK, not in the USA, so I'm not sure whether his book will have the same title here as it does in Australia, but I'll definitely check it out. All the best, KarlDr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-21814853045796602022018-07-23T18:23:33.053+01:002018-07-23T18:23:33.053+01:00Just passing by and read your last post above, Dr ...Just passing by and read your last post above, Dr Karl. Firstly, without you, I may never have found my (our !) precious Stranger Than People, so I thank you for the help this very interesting web page provided. Secondly, I don't know if your tastes run to unusual ghost stories as part of the supernatural, but I bought a pretty old book from the UK which has some extraordinary stuff in it. If I can find it (we're renovating !) I'll post you the book details: I wondered if it might just be of interest to you. Also, if you do have a yen to know more of Australia's oddities, and enjoy a most amusing read, I'd highly recommend you treat yourself to a copy of author Bill Bryson's fabulous book on Australia. It was released here under the title of 'Down Under' (not sure if it would have the same title in the USA). Ciao and thanks again.Serenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13793195015936136781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-3766772076404509092017-12-17T17:53:53.613+00:002017-12-17T17:53:53.613+00:00I wonder what's down there I'm going to fi...I wonder what's down there I'm going to find out some dayAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11427711929185928498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-4948100700970895912017-11-05T13:42:17.232+00:002017-11-05T13:42:17.232+00:00Scan the whole thing! Please Karl!Scan the whole thing! Please Karl!Simon Woolleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17664625331367226006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-2892526552121781862017-11-03T23:47:09.200+00:002017-11-03T23:47:09.200+00:00Thanks very much for your comments, and I'm de...Thanks very much for your comments, and I'm delighted to learn that you like this poem so much. When I bought the book containing it, I was with my dear mother, enjoying a very happy afternoon browsing around the shops in a high street not far from where we lived. Sadly, Mom passed away over 4 years ago now, but I still have the book, and it, together in particular with this specific poem, always reminds me of that lovely afternoon that we spent together, back in the good old days.Dr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-80784905069896693682017-11-03T21:48:49.734+00:002017-11-03T21:48:49.734+00:00Yes indeed, that confused me too initially as a ch...Yes indeed, that confused me too initially as a child, until I finally realised that some were just stories, like Klumpok, etc. How innocent and trusting we all were as children back then, lol, not like today's streetwise kids. Dr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-78854249423025203762017-11-03T21:46:28.372+00:002017-11-03T21:46:28.372+00:00Very glad to hear that you have now refound some c...Very glad to hear that you have now refound some copies of Stranger Than People, excellent! And thanks also for the info re John Pinkney - I knew of the Hawkesbury River monster, but there are so many other fascinating yet little-known monsters and mystery beasts of Australia that I've probably only read about and written about a small fraction of them.Dr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788904336507460933.post-24229669474987171762017-07-20T19:50:09.569+01:002017-07-20T19:50:09.569+01:00Thanks Dr Karl, never heard of Giant Rat of Sumatr...Thanks Dr Karl, never heard of Giant Rat of Sumatra but I'll check out its story. There's also some pretty intriguing <a href="https://www.essaytopics.com/tag/the-speckled-band-essay/" title="The Speckled Band Essay" rel="nofollow">The Speckled Band essays</a> that I wanted to share if that was okay :)Brookehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17373806334521903091noreply@blogger.com