The Evil Eye, Thanatology, and Other Essays by Roswell Park

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The Evil Eye, Thanatology, and Other Essays by Roswell Park

(6 User reviews) 1107

By Matilda Marino Posted on Mar 30, 2026

In Category - Healthy Recipes

Authors: Park, Roswell, 1852-1914 Published By : Park, Roswell, 1852-1914

Book Language: English

Ever get that feeling someone's staring at you with bad intentions? Or wonder why we're so fascinated by death? This book is like finding your great-grandfather's secret journal, filled with his wildest thoughts. It's not a novel—it's a collection of essays from 1912 by a surgeon named Roswell Park who clearly had too much free time and an insatiable curiosity. He tackles the creepy idea of the 'evil eye,' ponders what death actually is (from a doctor's perspective, which is somehow both clinical and spooky), and dives into other random historical and medical oddities. The main mystery isn't in a plot, but in the author's own mind: How did a respected medical professional end up writing about curses and superstitions alongside science? It's weird, it's old-fashioned, and it’s strangely compelling. If you like peeking into the brain of someone from over a century ago and seeing how they wrestled with the same strange fears we have today, give this a look. It's a short, fascinating trip back in time.

File: The Evil Eye, Thanatology, and Other Essays by Roswell Park

This isn't your typical book with a beginning, middle, and end. 'The Evil Eye, Thanatology, and Other Essays' is exactly what the title says: a bunch of essays Roswell Park, a surgeon and professor, put together in 1912. Think of it as a blog from the early 1900s.

The Story

There's no plot. Instead, Park takes us on a tour of his eclectic interests. The title essay tries to trace the belief in the 'evil eye'—the idea that a malicious glare can cause harm—across different cultures and history. His 'Thanatology' essay (a fancy word for the study of death) asks blunt medical and philosophical questions about what constitutes the moment of dying. The 'other essays' are a mixed bag: one argues that the real 'discovery' of America happened long before Columbus, another looks at the history of perfume, and there's even a piece on the importance of public statues. It's a cabinet of curiosities in book form.

Why You Should Read It

I loved this book for its voice. Park writes with the confidence of a man of science, but he's clearly fascinated by the irrational and the historical. Reading him grapple with the 'evil eye' is a treat; he doesn't fully dismiss it, instead looking for logical explanations people might have used. You get the sense of a sharp mind trying to bridge the gap between old superstitions and new science. It's also a snapshot of its time—the language is formal but clear, and his perspectives are firmly rooted in the early 20th century, which is fascinating in itself. It's like having a conversation with a very smart, slightly eccentric relative from the past.

Final Verdict

Perfect for history buffs who enjoy primary sources, or anyone with a curiosity for the odd corners of medical and social history. It's not for readers looking for a narrative or a light read. But if you've ever browsed Wikipedia articles on strange topics at 2 a.m., this book is your kindred spirit. It's a short, intellectual adventure that reminds us that people have always been weird and wonderful, trying to make sense of a mysterious world.