Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein, the classic gothic horror story of a scientist who creates a grotesque creature, has received some creative treatment of its own in a new edition of the novel. This iteration of the medical-overreach cautionary tale is the pick of the Wellesley Free Library and Mass Bay Community College for their 2018 Community read.

The new version, titled Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus : Annotated for Scientists, Engineers, and Creators of all Kinds, gives Mary Shelley author credit and is edited by David H. Guston, Ed Finn, and Jason Scott Roberpairs. In it, the original 1818 version is paired with annotations and essays exploring the social and ethical aspects of scientific creativity raised by this remarkable story.

The result is a unique and accessible edition of one of the most thought-provoking and influential novels ever written.  Two hundred years after it was first published, scholars are using Shelley’s timeless tale to engage the public around issues in science, technology, and creative responsibility.  Read this new edition over the summer and watch for fall program announcements, including a presentation by editor David Guston.