A Season of Madness

"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy."- William Blake

"A Season of Madness is a fantastic carnival of a book.Equal parts irreverent and erudite, it lovingly captures the depth, complexity,and subversive nature of the carnival, from its ancient roots to modernexpression. Gorgeously illustrated, intellectually hefty, and also fun, itis a seductive introduction to the material cultures, legends, and history ofthis perennially fascinating and slippery subject."—Joanna Ebenstein, Founder and Creative Director of MorbidAnatomy

Al Ridenour, creator and host of the popular podcast Boneand Sickle and author of The Krampus and the Old, DarkChristmas extends his study of Winter folk celebrations to the Spring,exploring the Old-World Carnival in A Season of Madness.

Sumptuously illustrated with over one hundred historical andmodern images, Ridenour ushers readers into cultural hinterlands wherecelebrations still echo the cruel realities of the old, agricultural world, andmedieval Christianity intertwines with pagan practice.

From ancient Rome to modern Bulgaria, readersencounter a holiday at once beautiful, strange, and savage. Spring is welcomedby clowns waving inflated pig bladders. Stalking sheepskin monsters brandishclubs bristling with hedgehog spines, and plows are dragged over cobblestonestreets by celebrants wearing masks painted with cow’s blood. Folk horror fanstake heart as the Old World welcomes Spring!

Ridenour’s first book, Krampus and the Old, DarkChristmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil (2018) isconsidered by critics the definitive authority on pagan winter celebrations.Aside from his books and podcast, Ridenour is a sought-after expert andlecturer.

"Sumptuously illustrated and written with clarity, eloquence,and wry humor, A Season of Madness is one of those rare books thatcan pass muster as an academic study yet also provide a good read. AlRidenour's meticulous research exposes the subtleties and outrageous quirks ofa topic you didn't know you wanted to learn about until you picked up his book.Under his direction, the madness once again reigns, as the neglected history ofEuropean Carnival is placed center stage before the reader, in all its seedy,wild, and triumphant glory." —Dr. Paul Koudounaris, author and photographerof: Faithful unto Death, Heavenly Bodies, and numerous otherexquisitely beautiful books about death.

Al Ridenour’s passion for the horror genre is genuine, as is his eagerness to explore and seriously analyze its relationshipwith the folkloric realm. Throughout his life, Ridenour has eagerly embracedthe weird and macabre, exploring his obsessions through various creativemodes and undertakings.

Since the 1990s, Ridenour has worked as a journalist,author, artist, animator, arts impresario, and small-time cultural agitator (thelast with the Cacophony Society under the nom de guerre, “Rev. Al”).  Mostrecently, with the enthusiastic reception of his 2016 book The Krampus and the Old, Dark, Christmas he has made a name for himself as thepreeminent English-language expert on the folklore of the Krampus.

Now in its second printing, Ridenour’s Dangerous Minds’ Christopher Bickel described the Krampus as "the definitive work on Krampus" and a “must read,” while LA Times book critic Elizabeth Hand found the book “gleefully erudite,” remarking thatit  "deserves to be a classic."

Ridenour’s research on the Krampus began in 2012,followed the next year by travels to Europe to observe traditional activitiesfirsthand. Shortly after that, along with long-time friend Al Guerrero, hefounded Los Angeles's annual and ongoing Krampusfest and Krampuslauf, engaging both local andEuropean performers for these annual events.

He has translated, produced and directed adaptations oftraditional European Krampus plays, lectured on the Krampus at theInternational Goethe-Institut, The San Diego Art Institute, and the NewAmericans Museum.  He also crafts and sells Krampus masks and teachesworkshops for those interested in making their own. In 2018, he was recruitedby Geek Nation Tours as onboard consultant for tours of Austria and Germanyfocusing on Krampus events and traditions.