Varla Ventura 
Among the Mermaids 
Facts, Myths, and Enchantments from the Sirens of the Sea

From Homer’s Odyssey to Pirates of the Caribbean, Mermaids have fascinated popular culture for centuries. AMONG THE MERMAIDS is an enchanting collection of classic stories, facts and tales of mermaids from around the world that will thrill every lover of this romanticised mythological creature. Compiled by Book of the Bizarre author and Magical Creature devotee, Varla Ventura, AMONG THE MERMAIDS includes turn of the century tales of merfolk from Bret Harte, T. Crofton Croker and W.B. Yeats, along with fun facts about mermaids in popular culture. Fun facts about the fluid and the fair: Many people believe today that early explorer sightings of mermaids were manatees. (Scurvy + many days away from your lady = a blubbery creature looking supple and bodacious) Blackbeard, the fierce and terrible pirate, was afraid of his crew being lured into a watery grave by mermaids, so he ordered his ships to avoid certain areas reputed to have a high number of mermaid sightings. Since 2009, the town of Kiryat Yam, Israel has offered a prize of $1 million dollars to anyone who can prove the mermaid off their coast is real. The prize still remains unclaimed.