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A review by mayphoenix7992
A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics and Pagans by Brooks Alexander, Jeffrey B. Russell
informative
slow-paced
4.5
4,5⭐️
Very interesting book. I was a bit wary that it might be one of those witchy, esoteric, strange books that are borderline cultist but the fact that it was displayed on a Waterstones Piccadilly table drew my curiosity.
It was a very sensible and thorough history of witchcraft with definitions and explanations on the differences between heresy, witchcraft, sorcery, wicca and other related topics.
I'm impressed by the thorough research based on the historical and social aspects of witchcraft throughout history, from the causes to the consequences of witch-craze but also the reasons for its rises and falls.
I was less interested in the second part on modern witchcraft but it was still interesting to realise that so many concepts and clichés we associate with witchcraft are very recent in history (1960s Britain) and totally invented.
Very interesting book. I was a bit wary that it might be one of those witchy, esoteric, strange books that are borderline cultist but the fact that it was displayed on a Waterstones Piccadilly table drew my curiosity.
It was a very sensible and thorough history of witchcraft with definitions and explanations on the differences between heresy, witchcraft, sorcery, wicca and other related topics.
I'm impressed by the thorough research based on the historical and social aspects of witchcraft throughout history, from the causes to the consequences of witch-craze but also the reasons for its rises and falls.
I was less interested in the second part on modern witchcraft but it was still interesting to realise that so many concepts and clichés we associate with witchcraft are very recent in history (1960s Britain) and totally invented.