About the Author

Born and still living in the West Midlands, England, Karl P.N. Shuker graduated from the University of Leeds with a Bachelor of Science (Honors) degree in pure zoology, and from the University of Birmingham with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in zoology and comparative physiology. He now works full-time as a freelance zoological consultant to the media, and as a prolific published writer. Shuker is the author of numerous books and hundreds of articles, principally on animal-related subjects, with an especial interest in cryptozoology and animal mythology, on which he is an internationally recognized authority, but also including a poetry volume. In addition, he has acted as consultant for several major multi-contributor volumes as well as for the world-renowned Guinness Book of Records/Guinness World Records (he is currently its Senior Consultant for its Life Sciences section); and he has compiled questions for the BBC's long-running cerebral quiz Mastermind. He is also the editor of the Journal of Cryptozoology, the world's only existing peer-reviewed scientific journal devoted to mystery animals. Shuker has travelled the world in the course of his researches and writings, and has appeared regularly on television and radio. Aside from work, his diverse range of interests include motorbikes, the life and career of James Dean, collecting masquerade and carnival masks, quizzes, philately, poetry, travel, world mythology, and the history of animation. He is a Scientific Fellow of the prestigious Zoological Society of London, and a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. He is Cryptozoology Consultant to the Centre for Fortean Zoology, and is also a Member of the Society of Authors.

Reviews

"Karl Shuker is a highly reliable guide to all things cryptozoological... Mirabilis illustrates Shuker's talent for readable discussion and the analysis of recondite material unlikely to be familiar even to dedicated anomalists and cryptozoologists." - Henry Bauer, Journal of Scientific Exploration"In this gripping collection Shuker explores the farthest boundaries of natural history, which include some very wild areas indeed." - Peter Rogerson, Magonia"...the startlingly prolific and well-versed Shuker-who unlike most cryptozoologists, has a doctorate in zoology-expounds with insight on mysteries of the animal realm. Much of the material seems unfamiliar even to those of us who know something of cryptozoology...As always Shuker's breadth of arcane knowledge prompts an amazed and admiring shaking of the head." -Jerome Clark, Fortean Times "Mirabilis is not just a commentary on case upon case, and creature upon creature. Instead, we see Karl putting on his Sherlock Holmes-style cape and deer-stalker hat, and actually trying to figure out - detective-style - what the many and varied baffling beasts under his microscope actually are. And there are plenty of them...A masterful and magical study of some of the wildest, biggest, weirdest, and freakiest critters said to haunt the darker corners of our world ..." Nick Redfern, Mysterious Universe