Owen (Reader in History, University of Hertfordshire) Davies
"Paganism" is an evocative word that even today conjures up deep-seated emotions and prejudices. Until recently, it was primarily a derogatory term used by Christians to describe the non-Christian cultures vanquished by their churches. For some it evokes images of sacrifice and barbaric behavior, while for others it symbolizes a peace-loving, nature-worshipping spiritual relationship with the earth. Written in a concise and lively style, this Very Short Introduction explores the meaning of the words "pagan" and "paganism"--through a chronological overview of the attitudes towards its...
"Paganism" is an evocative word that even today conjures up deep-seated emotions and prejudices. Until recently, it was primarily a derogatory term us...
Owen (Professor of Social History, University of Hertfordshire) Davies
Magic is a much-used term with a complex and controversial history. As a concept and a practice, it has attracted the attention of theologians, anthropologists, psychologists, sociologists, artists, and historians over the centuries. This Very Short Introduction explains why. Magic has been defined in terms of the false religions of others, as an evolutionary stage in human thought, a universal state of mind, and a liberating expression of the imagination. For hundreds of millions of people today, no matter their religious persuasion, magic is a real force that helps them to overcome...
Magic is a much-used term with a complex and controversial history. As a concept and a practice, it has attracted the attention of theologians, anthro...
Owen (Department of Humanities, University of Hertfordshire) Davies
No books have been more feared than grimoires, and no books have been more valued and revered. In Grimoires: A History of Magic Books, Owen Davies illuminates the many fascinating forms these recondite books have taken and exactly what these books held. At their most benign, these repositories of forbidden knowledge revealed how to make powerful talismans and protective amulets, and provided charms and conjurations for healing illness, finding love, and warding off evil. But other books promised the power to control innocent victims, even to call up the devil. Davies traces the history of...
No books have been more feared than grimoires, and no books have been more valued and revered. In Grimoires: A History of Magic Books, Owen Davies ill...
In 1856, William Dove poisoned his wife, was tried and executed. Believing a fortune teller's prediction that he would remarry a more attractive and richer woman, he made a pact with the devil, hired men to perform magic, and then murdered his wife. This book is a study on nineteenth century magic, murder and madness.
In 1856, William Dove poisoned his wife, was tried and executed. Believing a fortune teller's prediction that he would remarry a more attractive and r...
Cunning-folk were local practitioners of magic, providing small-scale but valued service to the community. They were far more representative of magical practice than the arcane delvings of astrologers and necromancers. Mostly unsensational in their approach, cunning-folk helped people with everyday problems: how to find lost objects; how to escape from bad luck or a suspected spell; and how to attract a lover or keep the love of a husband or wife. While cunning-folk sometimes fell foul of the authorities, both church and state often turned a blind eye to their existence and...
Cunning-folk were local practitioners of magic, providing small-scale but valued service to the community. They were far more representative of ...
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This five-volume set focuses on the key published debates that emerged in each century, and illustrates the range of literary formats that reported or discussed ghosts.
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This f...
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This five-volume set focuses on the key published debates that emerged in each century, and illustrates the range of literary formats that reported or discussed ghosts.
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This f...
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This five-volume set focuses on the key published debates that emerged in each century, and illustrates the range of literary formats that reported or discussed ghosts.
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This f...
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This five-volume set focuses on the key published debates that emerged in each century, and illustrates the range of literary formats that reported or discussed ghosts.
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This f...
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This five-volume set focuses on the key published debates that emerged in each century, and illustrates the range of literary formats that reported or discussed ghosts.
Reveals changing perceptions of ghosts at different social levels from the Reformation through to the twentieth century in Britain and America. This f...
