These are some of the books I have written or published. 

Our Pets and Us: The Evolution of a Relationship. T. E. Creus. Montreal: Contrarium, 2020.

A view of our relationship with pets, from prehistoric times to modern days. We take a look at the sacred cats in Egypt, the of popularity of dogs (and lampreys!) as pets in Rome, the fate of pedigree dogs during the French Revolution, the story the first pets in space, and much more. Currently available in print or ebook format at the Barnes & Noble online store (but they don’t ship to the European Union, unfortunately, due to some legal GDRP issue) and in our own shop (soon maybe also in other outlets).

Why did I write this book, if I am not a specialist in biology, history, or anything else? Well, at the time the subject interested me. I always liked reading about history, in particular about lesser known facts, such as the lives of people in other periods. So researching and writing about pets in certain specific periods seemed an interesting idea for a book. It wasn’t a best seller, but I think those who read it liked it. At the time, I was interviewed by Publishers Weekly and they also published a good review of the book. 

 

A Blue Book. August Strindberg. Montreal: Contrarium, 2020.

A new edition of August Strindberg’s great book of meditations, previously published only in part in English in 1913 as “Zones of The Spirit: A Book of Thoughts”. This much more complete edition is a real treat. A dialog between a teacher and a pupil discussing religion, philosophy, telepathic transmission and Hell according to Swedenborg. This edition is richly illustrated with Strindberg’s own paintings and “celestographs” as well as some drawings by Edward Munch. A must-have for all who have interest in understanding the mysteries of life! Available in print at Barnes & Noble or in ebook format in our online shop.

This one, I read some fragments which had been translated to English in another version, and I found it really interesting. That Strindberg was a curious fellow. I liked some of his plays that I read, and I also visited the Strindberg Museum in Stockholm. But this book wasn’t available in English. So I decided to publish it through my imprint. So far, no full translation of the book is available — it’s not surprising, as Strindberg wrote it as some sort of journal, comprising four volumes, and lots of it is about alchemy, chemistry, the visions of Swedenborg and other obscure subjects.   

 

The Snow Queen: With 32 Illustrations. Hans Christian Andersen. Montreal: Contrarium, 2021.

Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale in a new edition with 32 classic illustrations by 13 different artists from different parts of the world. A full-colour book illustrated. A wonderful book for adults and children starting at 8 years old. Available at Barnes and Noble or in our shop.

Educação Para Todos, conforme a vocação e a competência de cada um. G. J. Creus. Montreal: Contrarium, 2021.

An important book (Portuguese edition) about education, discussing examples of successful elementary education, the question of intelligence and IQ, and the current situation of universities, both in Brazil and abroad. A great book for teachers, students, or anyone interested in education. Available at Barnes and Noble or in our shop.

         

Cautionary Tales for Children. Hilaire Belloc. Contrarium: Montreal, 2022.

The classic book by Hilaire Belloc of hilarious poems with dubious moral lessons. Remember, do not lie, do not play with dangerous toys, do not let go of your nurse — or the results could be disastrous. Soon to be available in Barnes and Noble and in our shop.

 

Dark Fairy Tales. Andersen, Grimm, Basile, Perrault. Montreal: Contrarium, 2021.

A collection of seven darker and lesser known fairy tales by famous authors in classic English translations. A full-colour book illustrated with colourized still images from old German expressionist movies. A wonderful book for adults and children starting at 8 years old. (Currently unavailable).

 

The Hyptalmic Stain and other stories / La Mancha Hiptálmica y otras historias. Horacio Quiroga. Contrarium: Montreal, 2023.

A selection of short stories by the Latin American master Horacio Quiroga, who some call “the Latin American Poe”, although, to be fair, he doesn’t dwell only with horror or the fantastic; some of his tales are pretty humorous, while others simply depict the harsh life in the Misiones region. Many of the stories in this collection have never been translated into English before. (Currently unavailable)

The Path to Rome. Hilaire Belloc. Contrarium: Montreal, 2023.

A walking journey from Toul, France, to Rome, Italy, with lots of digressions on the way. A very enjoyable book and another classic in its own right. (Currently unavailable)

Bachelors’ Buttons. Edward Burke.  Contrarium: Montreal, 2023.

A bachelor moves to the countryside to do gardening, and finds romance and confusion instead. A hilarious novel originally published in 1914 by Edmund Burke, a pseudonym of the female writer Winifred Boggs. (Currently unavailable)