How a Volcano Birthed a Monster

Inside the genesis of "Frankenstein," the eruption of Mount Tambora, and the complicated life of Mary Shelley.

Mary Shelley, Richard Rothwell ca. 1831-1840. Via Wikimedia Commons.

‘Twas a dark and rainy afternoon when a group of writers gathered in a holiday home nestled in the Swiss Alps. In a house along the shores of Lake Geneva, what was supposed to be a summer of care-free fun and outdoor excursions had proven miserable, with hardly a day in which the sun could be bothered to poke its crown through the obstinate clouds.

With nothing to do but lounge indoors, one member of the group proposed an idea: they would take inspiration from the inclement weather, and each write a ghost story.

Thus, Frankenstein was born.