Witchcraft / Witches Books

Book Synopsistake a chance, for each morning is a new beginning.the creators behind the believe in your own magic oracle deck, bestselling author amanda lovelace & illustrator janaina medeiros, bring you cozy witch tarot, a deck that goes perfectly with your comfiest sweater, a lit candle, & a steaming mug of tea. inspired by the traditional rider-waite-smith deck, cozy witch tarot is ideal for beginners & suitable for practitioners at every skill level. contains: compact box 78 full-color cards 128-page illustrated guidebook that includes card meanings, card spreads, tarot basics, & more

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Book SynopsisThe Complete Grimoire is a magickal beginner’s guide to witchcraft practices and knowledge, written by Lidia Pradas, the creator of the beloved Instagram handle Wiccan Tips. A grimoire is a witch’s handbook filled with all the magickal information, rituals, and practices that a witch uses during their lifetime—a key tool of their craft. Elegantly designed, featuring a gold foil–embossed cover and beautiful illustrations, and written in Wiccan Tips’ trademark concise and practical style, The Complete Grimoire presents the key pillars of witchcraft, including: Procuring the proper tools and setting up an altar Harnessing your spells and magick Sabbats and the Wheel of the Year How to safely work with deities and spirits You’ll also learn fundamental spells and rituals, such as casting a circle, creating a sigil, and making moon water. Lidia is a reassuring and trusted guide on your witchcraft journey, addressing key questions and debunking common misconceptions. The Complete Grimoire is an informative, accurate resource the newly initiated and experienced witch alike can use in their daily craft.Trade Review“This concise but well-rounded guide is packed with excellent information and advice for the beginning and more experienced Witch alike. From core energy concepts to correspondences to working with crystals and herbs, Lidia Pradas blends the need-to-know basics with unique insights rooted in years of experience. I particularly love the ‘Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me’ sections at the end of each chapter. Readers are in good hands with this grimoire!” * Lisa Chamberlain, author of Runes for Beginners *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 Witchcraft FAQs Chapter 2 First Steps Chapter 3 Altar and Tools Chapter 4 The Wheel of the Year Chapter 5 Crystals Chapter 6 Herbs Chapter 7 Divination Chapter 8 Working with Spirits and Deities Chapter 9 Correspondences, Rituals, and Spells Acknowledgments Disclaimer About the Author Index

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Book SynopsisAnd the Wheel turns! Yule reminds us of warmth, happiness, and a time to be thankful for all that we have. For centuries ancient healers have celebrated the restorative energy of the Yuletide festival, the traditional harsh winters reminding us of our impressive ability to weather tough storms and find support and comfort with loved ones. In Seasons of the Witch: Yule Oracle you'll discover 44 healing messages to align you with the divine wisdom of the year's darkest night and the joyful celebration associated with the winter holidays. This oracle is your path to deep reflection and tranquility and is a promise of the brighter days to come.

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Book SynopsisFrom Kim Krans, undisputed star of the new tarot movement, comes her hit tarot deck and guidebook—together in a beautifully designed, pocket-sized tin—perfect as a gift for any occasion.For its legion of fans, The Wild Unknown is more than a tarot deck;

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Book SynopsisDiscover a grimoire of over 150 spells from leading witch Fiona HorneLost for many years, this collection draws together over 30 years of spells old and new created by Fiona Horne for everything from traditional topics such as love and relationships, self-care and wellbeing, and money and work, to up-to-the-minute issues such as social media challenges, environmental concerns and mental health in our busy modern world. Fiona Horne guides you through how to spellcast as well as different kinds of natural magick such as working with the energy of the moon and sun, and shares the secret of crafting a magickal life: stop asking for things just for you and start helping others instead. A treasure trove of magickal advice and know-how, this spell book will show you how to charm away a cold or flu, how to make your in-laws to like you, spells to find new love or add spice to your relationship, magick yourself into a new job and much more. Whether you''re an experienced practitioner or just starting on your magickal life, this book is for you.

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Book SynopsisInteract with magical fairy folk and incorporate them into your own witchcraft practice with this detailed account of the ancient wisdom and traditions of fairies and witchcraft.Fairies have long been a part of witchcraft traditions, especially Celtic and Norse witchcraft, paganism, and other traditions deeply tied to the earth. But these fairies aren’t the harmless creatures you’ve read about in children’s tales: they are magical creatures with their own culture and rules that you need to know before venturing into their territory. Now you can explore the world of the fairies and how their magic relates to your own witchcraft practice with The Modern Witchcraft Book of Fairies. This book provides you with all the information you need to know about the different types of fae folk and how you can safely interact with them to make the most of your witchcraft practice.Trade Review“Sure to reawaken you to the enchantments of nature and magick and full of the information every witch should know.” —Bust“Packed with information… broad and balanced… well-organized, concise, and powerful.” —Grove and Grotto

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Book SynopsisFrom the Modern Witchcraft series comes a complete guide to all of the sacred days and holidays of the Wiccan calendar—with spells, rituals, and other tips to celebrate.In The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year, you’ll learn about the most celebrated days in the Wheel of the Year—Samhain, the end of the harvest season; Yule, the celebration of the New Year; Imbolc, the celebration of rebirth; Ostara, the arrival of Spring; Beltane, the celebration of Earth’s fertility; Litha, the song of the summer; Lughnasad, the halfway point between Summer and Autumn; and Mabon, the festival of home and harvest. For each of these special days, there will be information about the history and its meaning, and the ways you can fully celebrate. Each chapter describes the celestial events associated with the sabbat, astrological influences during that time, meditation rituals, and charms to perform. It also includes a practical craft, such as candle making, that you can create to celebrate each day. The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year is your complete guide to everything you need to know to celebrate the Wheel of the Year and the Wiccan sabbats, from Yule to Samhain, as part of your own spiritual practice.Trade Review"A great addition to any Wiccan library." * Confessions of a Modern Witch *"This book is wonderful primer to those who are new to the Wheel of the Year but also a fun read and resource even for those more familiar with the Wiccan holidays … You don’t have to follow Wicca to treasure in this book. All you need is a curiosity and desire to align yourself more with the natural rhythms of the earth." * Luna Luna Magazine *"Each chapter focuses on a season that corresponds to a pagan holiday. There are spells, rituals, crafts and other suggestions for celebrating each season. This book would be helpful to anyone wanting to learn about the Wheel of the Year, and serves as a reference to return to again and again." * Pagan Pages *"How do you measure a year? In witch holidays, of course. The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year is a fascinating tour through the witch calendar, from Yule, the celebration of the New Year, to Samhain, the end-of-the-harvest festival, and every occasion in between, with suggestions for crafts and rituals to celebrate. Use it as a historical resource, or get together with your coven and start planning a killer Lughnasad party." * Bustle.com *

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Book SynopsisA standard-size edition of spiritual pioneer Phyllis Curott’s empowering interpretation of the Tarot, which blends the divine magic of nature with modern Witchcraft to awaken the witch within. The Witches' Wisdom Tarot brings you into the heart of what it means to be a Witch, a wise one who lives with reverence for the land, for life, and for the divine magic that connects us all. And you don't have to be a Witch to benefit from its wisdom. This ground-breaking Tarot speaks to seekers of any spirituality, age, race, or gender identity with culturally diverse imagery and universal wisdom. Helping you to see and create the future you long for, The Witches' Wisdom Tarot is magic in action. American Wiccan Priestess and best-selling author Phyllis Curott and British Hedgewitch and artist Danielle Barlow undertook a year-long quest involving almost 200 shamanic journeys to create this empowering new interpretation of the Tarot. It leaves behind the Devil, Hierophant, Judgment, and other patriarchal imagery and reverses the direction of the Major Arcana, offering a path to self-awareness and fulfillment that takes you into the natural world rather than away from it. The cards of the Minor Arcana share empowering teachings from the living forces of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth and reveal the wild, wise, and divine magic of nature and human nature, and the love of Mother Earth. The enchanting guidebook text includes vision-provoking Wisdom, the practical advice of Counsel, the quick insights of Essence, and techniques and spells for manifesting Magic. Also included are card spreads, including the unique Compass Rose, for both readings and spellworking, and practices to deepen engagement with the deck's wisdom and magic, and your own.Follow the guidance of this healing, inspiring, and empowering Tarot deck, and let it awaken the magic within you!This is a standard-size edition of The Witches' Wisdom Tarot (Deluxe Keepsake Edition) (ISBN: 9781788173216). The storage box contains 78 cards at the same size (5 x 3.5 in) as the deluxe edition, together with a compact guidebook.

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Book SynopsisIn the West we tend to think of witches in terms of the witch trials, when fear, ignorance and religious fervour brought the poor to heel, and fostered suspicion of those who dared to be different, or knowledgeable, or independent of mind. Witches and wizards are often associated with pre-Christian societies, Celtic in particular, (and therefore popular in tales of fantasy), but the nature of their wisdom can be found in so many fascinating cultures across the world. Ancient societies, particularly where natural religions with many gods abound, often highlight the power of an elder, or a seer, a healer or a wise friend. Tales of wizards and witches reach across traditions as folk try to explain natural phenomena and engage with the world around them. Those who understood the properties of healing in plants, or could make a prediction of weather events to rescue crops, became worshipped as elders, as keepers of knowledge. In tribal African societies, Polynesian cultures and East Asian traditions there are tales of those with great knowledge who are often described as witches or wizards. The Baba Yaga of Eastern Europe, Bokwewa, the humpback magician of the Chippewa, Merlin and Morgana la Faye of Arthurian Legend and the fox witches of Japan are but a few of the many examples. Some work for good, others with ill-intent, but all become the focus of folkloric legend, collected here in this new book of myths and tales.

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Book SynopsisEvery Witch’s story begins with a step into the unknown - but you don’t have to do it alone. Leah Middleton, known online as The Redheaded Witch, is here to guide you down the Witch’s path. With gentle encouragement and advice through each twist and turn in the road, she will equip you with all of the knowledge and skills you’ll need to craft your own personalised practice rooted in traditional witchcraft. Discover answers to all your curiosities, from how to consecrate your tools to the best times of year for a heart-healing ritual. You’ll also discover how to connect with the flora, fauna, and ancestral spirits around you and incorporate them into your practice. Featuring over 30 spells and rituals spanning plant magic, folk- craft, kitchen witchery and more, you’ll find new ways to harness your inner power and reimagine your craft. Let this handbook be your lantern as you enter the dark woods, and embark on your magickal journey.

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Book SynopsisReconnect with the healing wisdom of Mother Earth and to yourself with this diverse, brightly illustrated oracle deck from the author of Witchery and Plant Witchery.The Earthcraft Oracle is a tool to help you reconnect to Mother Earth and to your highest self. Each card message is an invitation to listen to Mother Earth''s guidance; each spell, ritual, or invocation an opportunity to bring these lessons off the pages and into your daily practice; and each illustration a reminder that we are part of nature, not outside of it. With bodies of every shape, size, skin-tone, and hair texture represented, this deck affirms we are all Mother Earth''s children.Mother Earth is our sacred home. We rely on her for everything from the air we breathe and the water we drink. She gives us so much and yet we take her magic for granted. We squander her gifts and ignore the results. But it is not too late. We have stopped listening, but she has not stopped comm

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Book Synopsis'These stories of witchcraft, true and vividly told, demonstrate the potent reality of belief in evil and how in any era or place fear can be weaponised and marginal people, mostly women, labelled as wicked and dangerous. Together they comprise not just a history of witchcraft but a cautionary tale’ Malcolm Gaskill, author of The Ruin of All Witches   The world of witch-hunts and witch trials sounds archaic and fanciful, these terms relics of an unenlightened, brutal age. However, we often hear ‘witch-hunt’ in today’s media, and the misogyny that shaped witch trials is all too familiar. Three women were prosecuted under a version of the 1735 Witchcraft Act as recently as 2018. In Witchcraft – a stunning hardback with 16 pages of beautiful illustrations – Professor Marion Gibson uses thirteen significant trials to tell theTrade Review'These stories of witchcraft, true and vividly told, demonstrate the potent reality of belief in evil and how in any era or place fear can be weaponised and marginal people, mostly women, labelled as wicked and dangerous. Together they comprise not just a history of witchcraft but a cautionary tale of the uncomfortably human habits of paranoia and persecution' -- Malcolm Gaskill, author of The Ruin of All Witches'It is wonderful to come across a book that breathes such fresh life and energy into a well-worked subject, covering a huge range of time and space with a unified, passionate and convincing message. Any expert is going to learn something new from it, any newcomer to be enthralled and motivated' -- Ronald Hutton, author of The Witch'Thought-provoking and timely... Searing' -- Jessie Childs * The Times *'A vital and vivid study on the history of witch trials. Fantastic’ -- Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardo’Thirteen witch trials are brought vividly to life in Gibson’s wide-ranging book’ * Daily Mail *'Inventive and compelling... A work of restitution and historical reparation, an attempt to give voice to those who have been silenced over the centuries' -- Laura Kounine * Times Literary Supplement *'The trials of the accused people in Witchcraft return to us, in detail, lives about which we might otherwise know nothing' * New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisAn indispensable companion to Sacred Actions that offers neopagans and Earth-based spiritual practitioners prompts for reflecting on sacred actions in the eightfold wheel of the year through writing, meditation, and creation.

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Book SynopsisOne of Neil Gaiman's favourite scary stories for children.Set within a world of sorcery and wizardry, much like an 18th Century Harry Potter, Krabat tells the story of a 14-year-old beggar boy lured to a mysterious mill by a series of frightening dreams and apparitions.He becomes an apprentice to the master of the watermill where he joins the eleven other young journeymen who work there. Much to his surprise Krabat soon discovers that the mill is actually a school of black magic and he is expected to learn much more than just a normal miller's trade.Krabat studies hard and becomes the master's star pupil, but when he falls for a local village girl the depth of the masters evil and the darker secrets of the mill begin to reveal themselves. One by one his fellow classmates perish from mysterious, unexplained accidents and Krabat realises he must use all of the dark magic skills he has learned to secure his escape.Now a major motion picture starring David Kross (The Reader, War Horse).

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved, essential classics.Come along, Toto, she said. We will go to the Emerald City and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again.'Swept away from her home in Kansas by a tornado, Dorothy and her dog Toto find themselves stranded in the fantastical Land of Oz. As instructed by the Good Witch of the North and the Munchkins, Dorothy sets off on the yellow brick road to try and find her way to the Emerald City and the Wizard of Oz, who can help her get home.With her companions the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy experiences an adventure full of friendship, magic and danger. A much-loved children's classic, The Wizard of Oz continues to delight readers young and old with its enchanting tale of witches, flying monkeys and silver shoes.

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Book SynopsisNew York Times Bestseller The long-awaited next book from actress and New York Times bestselling author of The Rural Diaries, Hilarie Burton Morgan. Through memoir essays and magical practices, Grimoire Girl connects us to the enchantment that exists inside us all.Since childhood, Hilarie Burton Morgan has felt the call to record, keep, and catalogue life in all its strange wonder. It was a whimsical habit, with no clear goal. And then, when she became a mother, the importance of all that collecting snapped into focus. In an effort to patchwork together an anthology of traditions, curiosity, and magical thinking that she could pass down, Burton Morgan realized she was crafting a grimoire. In her most intimate book yet, Burton Morgan shares how she’s creating an inheritance of mischief and magic that will outlive her. What’s more, she shows readers how they too can look at the elements of their lives and collect the pieces into a tangible collection of a lifetime of learning. Because in its purest form, a grimoire was a guide to keep you alive.Like the grimoires of old, full of life-saving wisdom, these pages record the people, places, ideas and habits that have kept Burton Morgan alive, in her signature voice that is at once honest, witty, and charming. Accompanied by whimsical two-color illustrations by Olivia Faust, the book also includes Simple Spells, which are ways to bring magic into your daily life: create an altar that delights and inspires, practice candle magic and poetry spells, make an oracle deck, or channel your inner kitchen witch with recipes and potions.So begin creating your own inheritance, take a long look inward and decide...What wisdom will be written on the pages of your Grimoire?Trade Review“There’s a new reason to know and love Hilarie Burton Morgan, as she’s just written a lovely, thoughtful, and tad weird book called Grimoire Girl, full of sweet, funny, Burton-esque anecdotes and stories.” — Scary Mommy

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Book SynopsisThe Tarot Spellbook provides 78 magickal spells based on each individual tarot card’s theme. Each spell incorporates different magickal practices and spell work, such as candle magick, ritual bathes, spell jars, and more!Trade Review“Tarot and magic come together in this enchanting manual by tarot reader Magdaleno...vibrantly updates the designs of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck for a new generation." * Publishers Weekly *"Each nicely illustrated tarot card is paired with an informative commentary, instructions for a particular spell, and helpfully personal Journal Questions. The result is a complete course of instruction in the art of tarot inspired spells. Simply stated, The Tarot Spellbook is a welcome and recommended addition." * Midwest Book Review *"Readers will find The Tarot Spellbook an intriguing way to expand their knowledge about creating sacred spaces, magick rituals, herbalism, and other practices." * Portland Book Review *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTIONHOW TO USE THIS BOOKPART ONE: MAKING MAGICK Setting Up for Spellwork Magickal Timing Sigil Magick Making Magick Yours The Most Important Ingredient in Any SpellPART TWO: SPELLSMAJOR ARCANA The Fool: Gather the Courage to Start Something New The Magician: Manifest Your Desires The High Priestess: Strengthen Your Intuition The Empress: Enhance Your Beauty The Emperor: Protect Your Home The Hierophant: Connect with Your Ancestors The Lovers: Ignite Passion in Your Relationship The Chariot: Iron Away Doubts Before a Job Interview Strength: Gain More Self-Discipline The Hermit: Quiet Your Mind Wheel of Fortune: Change Your Luck Justice: Reveal the Truth The Hanged Man: Surrender to the Universe Death: Say Goodbye to the Old You Temperance: Balance Your Energy The Devil: Banish Self-Sabotage The Tower: Embrace Change During Chaotic Times The Star: Find Your Purpose The Moon: Clear Confusion Around a Decision The Sun: Increase Self-Confidence Judgment: Overcome Self-Doubt The World: Manifest SuccessTHE MINOR ARCANA CUPS Ace of Cups: Attract New Love Two of Cups: Strengthen Your Relationship Three of Cups: Make New Friends Four of Cups: Renew Inspiration Five of Cups: Cope with Grief Six of Cups: Heal Your Inner Child Seven of Cups: Break Free from Analysis Paralysis Eight of Cups: Cut Emotional Ties Nine of Cups: Make Your Wish Come True Ten of Cups: Bring Peace to Your Home Page of Cups: Inspire Bright Ideas Knight of Cups: Manifest Your Dream Partner Queen of Cups: Deepen Your Self-Love King of Cups: Scrub Away Stress WANDS Ace of Wands: Begin a New Project Two of Wands: Get a New Job Three of Wands: Clear the Road Ahead Four of Wands: Bring Happiness to Your Home Five of Wands: Repair a Friendship Six of Wands: Get Noticed at Work Seven of Wands: Knock Out the Competition Eight of Wands: Speed Things Up Nine of Wands: Protect Yourself from Bad Vibes Ten of Wands: Call on Strength from the Universe Page of Wands: Communicate Clearly Knight of Wands: Be Bold and Courageous Queen of Wands: Relieve Social Anxiety King of Wands: Gain Control of a Situation SWORDS Ace of Swords: Have Your Breakthrough Moment Two of Swords: Make the Right Choice Three of Swords: Mend Your Broken Heart Four of Swords: Slow Things Down Five of Swords: Let Go of a Grudge Six of Swords: Release Emotional Baggage Seven of Swords: Smash Away Imposter Syndrome Eight of Swords: Free Yourself from Your Shadow Nine of Swords: Ease Your Anxiety Ten of Swords: Rise from the Ashes Page of Swords: Do Well on a Test Knight of Swords: Achieve Your Goal Queen of Swords: Strengthen Personal Protection King of Swords: Get Your Question Answered PENTACLES Ace of Pentacles: Become a Money Magnet Two of Pentacles: Stabilize Your Finances Three of Pentacles: Increase Workplace Harmony Four of Pentacles: Release Money Insecurity Five of Pentacles: Mend Your Broken Spirit Six of Pentacles: Recover Money Owed Seven of Pentacles: Grow Your Business Eight of Pentacles: Develop Your Skills Nine of Pentacles: Empower Yourself Ten of Pentacles: Build Lasting Financial Stability Page of Pentacles: Bless Your New Business Knight of Pentacles: Have a Productive Week Queen of Pentacles: Always Have Cash in Your Pocket King of Pentacles: Protect Your MoneyLIST OF SPELLS BY SUBJECTACKNOWLEDGMENTSBIBLIOGRAPHYABOUT THE AUTHORABOUT THE ILLUSTRATORINDEX

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Book SynopsisFor any serious scholar of Russian and Ukrainian witchcraft and magic, this volume is a 'must read.'... Scholars of folklore and popular culture also will find much of value. âFolklorica This sourcebook provides the first systematic overview of witchcraft laws and trials in Russia and Ukraine from medieval times to the late nineteenth century.Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine, 10001900 weaves scholarly commentary with never-before-published primary source materials translated from Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian. These sources include the earliest references to witchcraft and sorcery, secular and religious laws regarding witchcraft and possession, full trial transcripts, and a wealth of magical spells. The documents present a rich panorama of daily life and reveal the extraordinary power of magical words. Editors Valerie A. Kivelson and Christine D. Worobec present new analyses of the workings and evolution of legal systems, the interplay and tensions between church and state, and the prosaic concerns of the women and men involved in witchcraft proceedings. The extended documentary commentaries also explore the shifting boundaries and fraught political relations between Russia and Ukraine.Trade ReviewThis substantial volume by two leading scholars in the field is a major contribution to the study of witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine and to the study of witchcraft in general, which often omits these regions. Overall, this is a tremendously useful book for students of witchcraft history, especially non-Slavists, and all historians of Russian and Ukrainian culture would do well to have it on their bookshelves. * Russian Review *[This book] allows us to see dozens of examples[,] each presented in English translation with extensive coverage that provides a great introduction to the topic, even for a person unfamiliar with the subject. [This] is an extremely important and well-made sourcebook that should be read not only by religion and history scholars studying witch trials, but also by a wide range of historians studying the medieval, early modern, and modern ages in general. * Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft *For any serious scholar of Russian and Ukrainian witchcraft and magic, this volume is a 'must read.'... Scholars of folklore and popular culture also will find much of value. * Folklorica *Valerie Kivelson and Christine Worobec number among the leading scholars who study the history of witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine. Scholars of witchcraft outside the area of Russian and Ukrainian studies can use this volume as an entrée into that milieu. * Folklorica *Kivelson and Christine Worobec have succeeded in editing a similarly impressive broad collection of documents that spans nine centuries related to witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine.Kivelson and Worobec have put together a truly astounding piece of scholarship that will be of great service to scholars and students throughout the world wishing to know more about the prevalence and special characteristics of witchcraft in the Eastern Slavic realms of Russia and Ukraine.Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine is an essential work for specialists in many fields of the cultural and social history of Russia and Ukraine since 1000. * Slavonic and East European Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: HISTORICAL EVOLUTION, LAW, AND PROSECUTION 1. Early Accounts of Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Magic in Medieval Rus 1.1. Pagan Soothsayers and Magicians in the Primary Chronicle 1.2. "Maybe, but God Knows": Sorcery in the Novgorodian Chronicle (1227) 1.3. Bishop Serapion of Vladimir Condemns Belief in Witchcraft (1274) 1.4. St. Alimpii and the Leper Who Consulted Magicians (Kyivan Patericon) 2. Witchcraft and Politics in Muscovy and the Hetmanate 2.1. The Death of Maria of Tver, Ivan III's First Wife, by Witchcraft (1467) 2.2. Witchcraft Accusations against Grand Princess Sofia Paleologue (1497) 2.3. Witchcraft Accusations against Grand Princess Solomonia Saburova (1525) 2.4. Trials of Maksim the Greek for Treason, Heresy, and Sorcery (1525 & 1531) 2.5. The Great Moscow Fire and the Sprinkling of Human Hearts by the Tsar's Grandmother, Anna Glinskaia (1547) 2.6. Ivan Peresvetov's 1549 Tale about Sorcery at Court in the Final Days of the Byzantine Empire (Excerpts from the "Greater Petition") 2.7. Jerome Horsey on Witchcraft at the Court of Ivan IV (the Terrible) 2.8. The Vicious Sorcerer Eleazar Bomelius Described in a Russian Chronicle 2.9. Sorcery Allegations from Ivan the Terrible's Correspondence with Prince Kurbskii and Kurbskii's History of the Grand Prince of Moscow 2.10. Loyalty Oaths 2.11. Grigorii Kotoshikhin and Samuel Collins on the Alleged Poisoning or Bewitchment of Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich's First Betrothed, and on Bewitchment at Weddings (1647) 2.12. Hetman Ivan Briukhovetskii's Burning of Witches (1666) 2.13. Political Sorcery against the Prussian King (1760) 3. Laws and Guidelines concerning the Prosecution of Witchcraft, Late Twelfth Century to 1885 3.1. Byzantine Church Law and Its Echoes in Russia Kormchaia kniga, 1653 Excerpt from a court case from the late 1660s containing a fragment of the Kormchaia Church Statute of Iaroslav the Wise (late twelfth/early thirteenth century) Russian Orthodox penitential listings involving sorcery and magic (fourteenth—early nineteenth centuries) The Domostroi: A household handbook of the mid-sixteenth century 3.2. Excerpts from Charles V's 1532 Constitutio Criminalis Carolina and the 1559 Polish Version 3.3. Procedures for the Courts and Affairs of Towns under Magdeburg Law under the Polish Crown (1559) 3.4. Questions and Answers from the Moscow Church Council (Stoglav) of 1551 3.5. Ivan IV's 1552 Law on Witchcraft 3.6. 1589 Law on the Honor of Witches 3.7. 1648 Decree against Devilish Conduct 3.8. Sobornoe ulozhenie: The Conciliar Law Code of 1649 3.9. Aleksei Mikhailovich's Decree Prohibiting Witchcraft and Activities Repellent to God (1653) 3.10. "Newly Established Articles on Robbery, Brigandage, and Murder" (1669) 3.11. Grigorii Kotoshikhin on Muscovite Judicial Process, Torture, and Execution (1660s) 3.12. Peter I's 1715 Decree against Shriekers (the Demonically Possessed) 3.13. Peter I's 1716 Military Statute and Suggested Revisions to Its Religious Articles (1725) 3.14. Excerpts from the Spiritual Regulation (1721) 3.15. Holy Synod's Decree against the Swimming of Individuals (1721) 3.16. Empress Anna Ioannovna's Decree against Wizardry (1731) 3.17. Catherine II's 1767 Instructions to the Legislative Commission and the Holy Synod's Response 3.18. Senate's Ruling Admonishing Judges (1770) 3.19. Catherine II's Decrees (1775 and 1782) 3.20. Excerpts from the Criminal Laws: 1842, 1845, and 1885 editions 4. Witchcraft Trials' Processes (Charges and Countercharges) and Extralegal Prosecution of Witchcraft: Complete Records A: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (PLC) and The Hetmanate 4.1. Andrei Kurbskii's Sorcery Allegations against His Wife, Marina Andreevna Golshanskaia, in Divorce Proceedings (1578) 4.2. False Accusation of Witchcraft against Siemionowa Pauciutina, a Cossack Woman (1634) 4.3. Swimming of Witches in Podillia (1711) 4.4. Witchcraft and Infanticide (1753) B: Muscovy and Imperial Russia 4.5. The Trial of the Old Peasant Woman Baba Daritsa and Others (1647) 4.6. A Case of Suspicious Roots: Rogataia Baba and the Use of Torture (1647–48) 4.7. A Mass Outbreak of Possession in the Town of Lukh (1656–60) 4.8. The 1758 Trial of Chamberlain Petr Vasilevich Saltykov 4.9. The 1764–65 Case against the Peasant Ekaterina Ivanova for Dabbling in Witchcraft 4.10. An Epidemic of Demonic Possession in a Urals Foundry Town (1839–40) 4.11. The 1853 Case against the Serf Gerasim Fedotov for Witchcraft 4.12. The Mob Murder of Agrafena Dmitrievna Chindiaikina, a Suspected Witch (1880) 4.13. A Woman Accused of Sorcery Has Her Day in Court (Early 1900s) Part II: MAGICAL PRACTICES, EVERYDAY MATTERS,AND THE POWER OF WORDS: TRIAL EXCERPTS 5. Healing and Harming 5.1. Consultation with the Doctors of the Apothecary Chancellery (1628) 5.2. A Case of Enchanted Brew (1653) 5.3. Healing or Cursing? Mysterious Ingredients Raise Suspicion (1658) 5.4. The Bewitchment of Priest David and His Family by Their Domestic Workers (1676) 5.5. Witchcraft Suspected as the Cause of a Child's Death (PLC, 1732) 5.6. A Case of Milk Magic: Borrowed Pots and Bewitched Cows (PLC, 1728–31) 5.7. An Alleged Murder by Way of Witchcraft (1844–45) 5.8. No Place Is Safe from This Witch: The Case against Agafia Poliarpova (1848–49) 6. Sex/Love/Anti-Love Magic 6.1. A Case of Peasant Women's Love Magic and Vengeance, Shatsk (1647) 6.2. Bewitchment at Weddings (1648) 6.3. Iatsykha Polyveichykha Seeks to Bewitch her Husband's Lover (Hetmanate, 1675) 6.4. A Case of Rape and Spells to Inflame Desire (Semen Aigustov, Borovsk, 1689) 6.5. A Wife Suspected of Witchcraft: The Case of Anna Grekowiczewa (PLC, 1717) 6.6. Seeking a Witch or Sorcerer to Kill a Husband? (PLC, 1742) 7. Power Relations and Hierarchy 7.1. "Making My Master and All Women Bend to My Will": A Case of Subversive Spells (1648) 7.2. The Serf Woman Onuitka Avenges Ill-Treatment by the Estate Bailiff (1658) 7.3. The Servant Motruna Perysta Accused of Bewitching Her Master's Family (PLC, 1730) 7.4. How to Make All Authorities Subservient: The Magical Notebooks of Defrocked Priest Petr Osipov (1732) 7.5. A Matter of a Love Potion and Sexual Pursuit of a Menial by His Mistress, Lady Ruszkowska (PLC, 1749) 7.6. "So His Master Would Treat Him Well": The Peasant Grigorii Shilin's Ritual Use of Roots and Wax (1762) 7.7. Securing Patronage: A Spell in the Hands of Ivan Sokolov, A Highly Ranked Officer and Nobleman (1774) 7.8. Controlling a Master's Will: Divination and Enchanted Wax (1840) 8. Possession 8.1. Bewitchment at a Communal Banquet: The Petition of Ivan Shenin (1611) 8.2. Testimony of the Bewitched from the Possession Outbreak in Lukh (1656–58) 8.3. A Healer Accused of Dabbling in Witchcraft and Exorcising Demons (PLC, 1710) 8.4. An Epidemic of Shrieking and Writhing in a Village Destabilized by Manumission (1833) 8.5. Fits of Hiccuping (1833) 9. Satanic Pacts/Diabolism 9.1. "I Swear Allegiance to Satan": A Satanic Pact in the Seventeenth Century (1663–64) 9.2. "My Father Satan": Spells, Possession, and Fraternal Rivalry (1672) 9.3. A Case of Satanic Love Magic (Avdotia Borisova, 1733) 9.4. A Pact with the Dark-Visaged Master of the Hellish Abyss and His Servant Demons (Hetmanate, 1749) 9.5. The Priest Makarii Ivanov and Others Are Charged in 1753 with Possessing Booklets about Sorcery: A Demonic Incantation for Lust 9.6. God-renouncing Letters (1751): Perdun 9.7. Case of the Soldier Semen Popov, Who Renounced God and Gave His Soul to the Devil (1759) 10. Orality/Literacy 10.1. Case of the Siberian Trapper Found Carrying Spells (1652) 10.2. A Theological Defense of Herbal Healing: Petition of Ivan Ivanov, Priest of the Church of the Nativity in Komersk District, to Simon, Archbishop of Vologda and Belozersk (1679–80) 10.3. A Hegumen's Possession of Magical and Fortune-telling Texts (1720) 10.4. Transcription of an Offensive Note by a Noble Architectural Journeyman, Aleksei Petrovich Evlashev (1731) 10.5. An Incriminating Notebook of Incantations and Spells (1737) 11. Specialists in Magic 11.1. Specialists in Plants and Roots: Poisoning and Healing in Consultation with a Professional Herbalist (1692) 11.2. Spoiling a Harvest by Means of Witchcraft: Knotted Grain Stalks— a Reluctant Specialist (Hetmanate, 1765) 11.3. Case against a Fourteen-Year-Old Boy for Fraudulent Divination (Russian Ukraine, 1839)

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive guide to connecting with the magic of each of the four elements: Water, Earth, Air, and Fire• Details hands-on techniques, spells, and rituals paired with personal stories from the author’s decades of magical practice • Presents teachings on working with each element in different ways--such as divination, communication, healing, protection, manifestation, and enchantment • Explores elemental altars, scrying and reading the bones, undines and fairies, working with runes and crystals, ancestral healing, weather sensing, fire gazing, candle magic, sex magic, and communicating with the Otherworld A Book of Shadows is a witch’s sacred journal, filled with personal experiences and the intimate working of spells. In this practical guide to elemental witchcraft, Salicrow invites you into her personal Book of Shadows, detailing hands-on techniques, spells, and rituals to work with the magic of the four elements--Water, Earth, Air, and Fire. She presents teachings on each element through the lens of different schools of magic, such as divination, healing, protection, manifestation, and enchantment. Within each of these elemental teachings is a series of progressive lessons, including a personal story from the author’s lifetime of magical practice paired with a technique for you to explore. For the Water witch, she explores scrying, engaging with undines, weather protection, fairy glamour, and healing with kitchen spells. For the Earth witch, she describes reading the bones, animal messengers, listening to plants, crystal grids, and shadow work. For the Air witch, she looks at communicating with sylphs and crows, divination through clouds and wind, sonic magic and healing, spell accelerants, and smudging. For the Fire witch, she examines the Djinn, the magical hearth, fire divination, candle work, and sex magic. For all the elements, she explores how to build elemental altars and customize the ceremonies and rituals. Sharing intimate examples and practices to help you progressively develop the skills of witchcraft, Salicrow invites you to create your own personal Book of Shadows as you forge a magical relationship with the natural world.Trade Review“The Path of Elemental Witchcraft is much more than a book, it is an intimate invitation into the sacred workings of the world. Through personal stories and guided practice you can’t help but be enveloped in the unique vision of Salicrow, whose writing crystallizes the precious usefulness of elemental magic. This Book of Shadows makes a tantalizing subject accessible and beneficial to all.” * Stephanie Rose Bird, author of 365 Days of Hoodoo and Sticks, Stones, Roots, and Bones *“The Path of Elemental Witchcraft is abundantly filled with wisdom, heart, and deep teachings. Salicrow’s writing is authentic, passionate, and inspiring. In this wonder-full book she shares stories of her personal journey that illustrate who and what the elementals are, and she teaches us how to engage and relate with the elementals in safe and respectful ways. Each section is filled with a rich mix of practices, rituals, suggestions, and guidance for deepening our understanding and our relationship with Nature and the visible and invisible worlds around us. Each elemental section explores communication, divination, healing, protection, and magic with the beings of water, fire, air, and earth. Doing the practices will take you deep into your own experience of knowing. This book is a treasure trove that you’ll want to delve into over and over again.” * Kathy Warner, cofounder of Heaven and Earth, LLC *“In The Path of Elemental Witchcraft, Salicrow takes readers into her cave of interconnectedness and sacred communication with a wealth of information and offerings that enable practitioners of any level to develop a richer relationship with the elements and elemental beings from many different origins. Salicrow does not simply tell you how to walk through the shadow, she teaches you how to see within the veil of its profuse darkness.” * Jenn LeBlanc, elemental enchantress *"The Path of Elemental Witchcraft is part memoir and travelogue, part ritual handbook, part metaphysical ethnography of the many types of elemental spirit beings Salicrow meets in the hidden realms. This book strikes me as a generous gift, like a gigantic buffet table onto which Salicrow has piled as many of her observations and insights as the table will hold. Reading The Path of Elemental Witchcraft feels like it might feel sitting with Salicrow over a cup of tea or a bowl of soup.This book is a magnum opus. It is a trip around the worlds." * Sara R. Diamond, FacingNorth.net *Table of ContentsFOREWORD THE ELEMENTS OF MAGICby Anne-Marie Keppel PREFACE WELCOME, SEEKER WATER WITCH COMMUNICATIONUndinesWater AltarsSacred Water from the EarthThe Purple MistConnecting with WilloughbyTransmission through Seclusion DIVINATIONMirrors and TeacupsBath BombsRipples in the WaterMirror, Mirror on the WallMoonlit ReflectionThe Drowning PoolHEALINGHealing in the Soup PotAwakeningWater BlessingSonic WavesHealing Community and Country PROTECTIONReflective MagicAnointed ProtectionHall of MirrorsIrish Piss PotProtective SprayWeather Protection GLAMOUR Fairy GlamourAccentuating the PositiveMisty CamouflageLove Come to MeBecoming the PriestessLaps of ManifestationJump Girl EARTH WITCH COMMUNICATION Gnomes and TrollsEarth AltarsThe Art of ListeningEntering the Fairy WoodThe Troll CaveDevas in the GardenDIVINATION The Wisdom of TreesRoots and BonesWorking with RunesAnimal MessengersEveryday DivinationGEOMANCYConnected LinesStonehengeNeedleBalancing EnergyGreen Heart FarmNagini, the Stone SnakeAttuned to the EarthHEALING Entering the CaveVerdant GnosisThe NestGraveyard DirtThe Wisdom of TreesSlieve GullionPROTECTION Sacred GrovesMagical PermacultureFairy MoundsBoobie-StonesStone GuardiansEarth in My Pocket AIR WITCH COMMUNICATION SylphsAir AltarsTake CautionSpirit Chimes InFae ContactCrow’s Calling DIVINATIONWeather SensingCloud AuguryThe Voice of RemembranceVoices on the WindSmoke on the BreezeThe Way of Birds ASTRAL NAVIGATION The Astral PlaneJourneying through VoiceI Am AwakeStorm WeavingAs the Crow FliesA Voice for the Otherworld HEALINGPurification through SmokeActivating the OlfactoryWhistling and BlowingA Healing VoiceEchoes in the MountainAttuned to Air ENCHANTMENTBubbles to the MoonCatching the WindThe Wyrding WayVoices on the WindEcholocationTime Traveling in the TorFIRE WITCHCOMMUNICATIONSalamandersFire AltarsThe Cleverness of JinnHonoring Fire in the HomeFaces in the FireFire-Breathing Dragons DIVINATION Visions in FlamesAshes to AshesMelted WaxFlaming RunesSamhain FiresCampfire Divination HEALING Light a CandleBonfire of the VanitiesBurning Bridges and Cutting CordsAttuned to FireInternal FlameLocalizing Trauma with Fire TRANSFORMATIONFire ContainmentChange from the HearthCoaxing EmbersPhoenix from the FireBonfire and BeesI Have Walked on Fire, Ho!SEX MAGICSacred SexualitySteamy Offerings Object of DesireAwakening the Snake Fantasy Lover Desired by the Gods AFTERWORD CONTINUING THE JOURNEY INDEX

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Book SynopsisWith this beautifully designed and accessible guide, learn the basics of Wicca and how to use it to manifest positive opportunities and events that enrich your life—includes a frameable poster. Connecting intimately with the cycles of nature, Wicca calls on a rich pantheon of ancient and modern deities, including the transcendent Triple Goddess, and its powerful rituals and spells allow you to channel their energy into your own. This book will show you, by working with the elements and focusing inward, how to create a more magical, powerful way of life, increasing your chances of discovering peace, creating abundance, making friends, and even finding love. Along the way, you’ll discover: the history of witchcraft different kinds of witches, their symbols, and tools how to work with the elements and observe the vital turning points of the year the power of candles and the moon how oils, incense, and herbs harness intentions the basics of spellcasting Included is an 18 × 24–inch wall poster covering the basics of wiccan magic such as altar arrangement, using candles, and the Wiccan Rede. Combining elegance and expertise, this is your essential modern guide to an ancient tradition. The In Focus series applies a modern approach to teaching the classic body, mind, and spirit subjects. Authored by experts in their respective fields, these beginner’s guides feature smartly designed visual material that clearly illustrates key topics within each subject. As a bonus, each book includes reference cards or a poster, held in an envelope inside the back cover, that give you a quick, go-to guide containing the most important information on the subject. Trade Review"A complete DIY study guide and 'how to manual' that will have a very special appeal to students and practitioners with an interest with Metaphysics in general, and Wicca Runic Divination in particular." * Midwest Book Review *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTIONCHAPTER ONE Witchcraft, Wicca, and ConfusionCHAPTER TWO DeitiesCHAPTER THREE Wiccan SymbolsCHAPTER FOUR Witches’ ToolsCHAPTER FIVE Setting Up a Sacred SpaceCHAPTER SIX The Wheel of the YearCHAPTER SEVEN Moon Magic and a Little AstrologyCHAPTER EIGHT Working with the ElementsCHAPTER NINE Colors and Candle MagicCHAPTER TEN Herbs, Oils, and IncenseCHAPTER ELEVEN Spells Casting & a Selection of SpellsCHAPTER TWELVE DivinationCONCLUSIONABOUT THE AUTHORINDEXIMAGE CREDITS

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Book SynopsisFrom 1563 to 1736 Scotland put thousands of women to death for witchcraft. Their supposed crimes have much to tell us about attitudes to women in the past, and in the present day. This book introduces sixteen women who lost their lives or lived in the long shadow of the persecutions.'Witches' who, like MARGARET AITKEN, confessed, implicated others, even aided the hunters before they were burned.Nonconforming women like MARY MACLEOD, who saw their reputations tarnished when they did not bend to society's expectations.Creatures of the imagination, like Robert Burns's NANNY, who embody deep-seated associations between womanhood and the occult.Weaving fiction with the facts where these are known, We Are All Witches invites the reader to explore the forces at work in one of the darkest episodes of Scotland's history and consider their echoes in the present day.Trade ReviewSpringing directly from the pioneering Witches of Scotland campaign, Kidd has imagined lively and convincing voices from the past to commemorate the lost lives of Scotland's witches, reminiscent of Jenni Fagan's Hex. * Sara Sheridan, author of The Fair Botanists *We Are All Witches is a compelling, moving book that invites the reader to consider not only the background to the Scottish witch trials and the mythology surrounding witches, but also the lives of those affected. * Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women *

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Book SynopsisThere is magick in things that grow, and this guide is the perfect companion to cultivate your own green witchcraft practice and harness the magical power of plants. Within these pages, you'll discover spells for cleansing, protection, healing, and banishment, while also deepening your relationship with the natural world. You'll learn the language of lavender, chamomile, and cedar, uncover old secrets, and reconnect with that which is wild and beautiful.Whether drawing in a new relationship by sweetly whispering your romantic desires to your basil plant each day, writing a wish on a bay leaf, or working to lift your spirits by harvesting calendula under a bright, midday sky, the abundant wisdom of herbs guides our growth and unearths deep understanding of the inherent magick in all of nature.From understanding intention and magickal preparation, to a practical collection of spells and accompanying herbal compendium, The Green Witch's Guide to Herbal Magick empowers you to live the magickal life you've always wanted.

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Book SynopsisCelebrate the strength of traditional tarot with this joyful, inclusive, and vibrant tarot deck and guidebook perfect for spiritual readers, inspiration-seekers, and modern mystics. Created by and for people of the LGBTQ+ community who want to see their experiences, bodies, and lifestyles in tarot, Tarot for You and Me offers the queer, genderqueer, and non-binary audience and their allies a tarot deck that is as inclusive and emboldened as it is fun and full of joy. The deck is designed to infuse your life with greater awareness and higher insight, allowing you to manifest visible, truth-based happiness. Tarot for You and Me follows the tenets of the traditional tarot, but reimagines the core elements to replace gendered, heteronormative language with inclusivity and reimagine the symbols that represent modern ideals. In the deck, cards of the Major Arcana that are historically gendered or use language rooted in imperialism are reimagined for today

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Book SynopsisA companion journal to the popular 'Wiccapedia'.

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Book SynopsisWales had a rich gallery of magical specialists (prophets, cunning-men, physicians etc), including many who were suspected of harmful witchcraft. Richard Suggett examines all types of magical specialists, including those regarded as beneficial as well as harmful. Popular belief in witchcraft in Wales did not decline with the abolition of the Witchcraft Act in 1736. Indeed belief in witchcraft beliefs became darker in form and was transformed into a novel form of cursing the use of cursing wells, many of which are still in existence in Wales.

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Book SynopsisBeginning in January 1692, Salem Village in colonial Massachusetts witnessed the largest and most lethal outbreak of witchcraft in early America. Villagers--mainly young women--suffered from unseen torments that caused them to writhe, shriek, and contort their bodies, complaining of pins stuck into their flesh and of being haunted by specters. Believing that they suffered from assaults by an invisible spirit, the community began a hunt to track down those responsible for the demonic work. The resulting Salem Witch Trials, culminating in the execution of 19 villagers, persists as one of the most mysterious and fascinating events in American history. Historians have speculated on a web of possible causes for the witchcraft that stated in Salem and spread across the region-religious crisis, ergot poisoning, an encephalitis outbreak, frontier war hysteria--but most agree that there was no single factor. Rather, as Emerson Baker illustrates in this seminal new work, Salem was a perfect storm: a unique convergence of conditions and events that produced something extraordinary throughout New England in 1692 and the following years, and which has haunted us ever since.Baker shows how a range of factors in the Bay colony in the 1690s, including a new charter and government, a lethal frontier war, and religious and political conflicts, set the stage for the dramatic events in Salem. Engaging a range of perspectives, he looks at the key players in the outbreak--the accused witches and the people they allegedly bewitched, as well as the judges and government officials who prosecuted them--and wrestles with questions about why the Salem tragedy unfolded as it did, and why it has become an enduring legacy.Salem in 1692 was a critical moment for the fading Puritan government of Massachusetts Bay, whose attempts to suppress the story of the trials and erase them from memory only fueled the popular imagination. Baker argues that the trials marked a turning point in colonial history from Puritan communalism to Yankee independence, from faith in collective conscience to skepticism toward moral governance. A brilliantly told tale, A Storm of Witchcraft also puts Salem''s storm into its broader context as a part of the ongoing narrative of American history and the history of the Atlantic World.Trade ReviewHis rock solid historical work and lively, engaging prose made this book both an indispensable contribution to scholarship and a delight to read. I suspect that this is the book on Salem witchcraft for this generation." * Scott D. Seay, Christian Theological Seminary *...[A] cogent, readable, and comprehensive analysis of the literature on the Salem witch trials.... His emphasis on the choices made by individuals - to take action or remain passive - makes this work a welcome addition to our attempts to understand the significance of the Salem events of 1692. * Journal of American History *Of many books about the Salem witch-trials, only a few really matter. This is one of them. Combining deep learning and clear-sighted good sense, A Storm of Witchcraft retells a story that has long managed to be familiar yet puzzling and misunderstood. Emerson Baker's masterly dissection of events is both genuinely original and utterly persuasive, not least because the importance of political circumstance, legal expediency and personal relationships seems obvious once it is pointed out. Baker reminds us that witchcraft was above all a religious crime, which took on terrifying significance at a time of extreme danger in New England's history. But his analysis of Salem's causal roots and painfully enduring ramifications does more than just demystify the trials: it illustrates universal truths about human emotions and their place in modern society. * Malcolm Gaskill, author of Witchfinders: a Seventeenth Century English Tragedy *Baker, professor of history at Salem State College, places the trials in the larger context of American and English history, examining not only their prominent place in our collective memory, but also what made them so different from other witch trials of the era. Baker convincingly demonstrates that the trials were a pivotal point in American history and presents the mass hysteria surrounding them in very poignant terms. * Publisher's Weekly *This extraordinarily researched, expertly written, and convincing study is suitable for and will appeal to a wide audience. * Library Journal *By almost any measure, Emerson W. Baker's new history, A Storm of Witchcraft, is a masterpiece. Few volumes pass the exacting standards needed to be described as such. Baker's does.... Anyone interested in the Salem witch trials and the shaping of the nation should treat themselves to this book. * Maine Sunday Telegram *an excellent survey of the state of knowledge and opinion concerning the Salem witch trials and their implications. * Clive Holmes, English Historical Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction: An Old Valuables Chest Chapter One: Satan's Storm Chapter Two: The City upon a Hill Chapter Three: Drawing Battle Lines in Salem Village Chapter Four: The Afflicted Chapter Five: The Accused Chapter Six: The Judges Chapter Seven: An Inextinguishable Flame Chapter Eight: Salem End Chapter Nine: Witch City?

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Book Synopsis''a brilliant history'' The Sunday Times ''makes for riveting reading'' The IndependentModern pagan witchcraft is arguably the only fully-formed religion England has given the world, and has now spread across four continents.This second edition of The Triumph of the Moon extensively revises the first full-scale scholarly study of modern pagan witchcraft. Ronald Hutton examines the nature and development of this religion, and offers a history of attitudes to witchcraft, paganism and magic in British society since 1800. Its pages reveal village cunning folk, Victorian ritual magicians, classicists and archaeologists, leaders of woodcraft and scouting movements, Freemasons, and members of rural secret societies. We also find some of the leading figures of English literature, from the Romantic poets to W. B. Yeats, D. H. Lawrence and Robert Graves, as well as the main personalities who have represented pagan witchcraft to the public world since 1950. Thriller writers like Dennis Wheatley, and films and television programmes, get similar coverage, as does tabloid journalism. The material is by its nature often sensational, and care is taken throughout to distinguish fact from fantasy, in a manner not previously applied to most of the stories involved. Meticulously researched, The Triumph of the Moon presents an authoritative insight into an aspect of modern cultural history which has attracted sensational publicity but has hitherto been little understood. This edition incorporates new research carried out by the author as well as research by others who have been inspired by this book over the twenty years since its first publication.Trade ReviewHutton's book is a must-read not only for anyone interested in modern Paganism, or the occult, but it also embodies a deep insight into the development of British society and culture. * Pavel Horák, Czech Academy of Sciences, Religious Studies Review *It is to the credit of Ronald Hutton that he has documented its history so clearly and recognises its spiritual value to so many people. * Paula Dempsey, Fortean Times *Review from previous edition this work ... makes for excellent reading. Hutton's extensive scholarship allows him to make and clarify connections between people and movements in recent centuries. * Northern Earth, No.83 *spirited, amusing and immensely informative ... Hutton's exceptional work is by far the most scholarly, comprehensive and judicious analysis of the subject yet published. It will remain the standard for many years to come. * Publishers Weekly *A remarkable book ... passionate yet written with calm and clarity ... a passionate, important and consistently fascinating book. * Journal of Ecclesiastical History *The Triumph of the Moon, which is densely argued and heavily annotated, leaves little doubt that the history which modern occultism has constructed for itself is bunk ... It all makes for riveting reading and, despite Hutton's demolition of the supposed lineage of witchcraft, I am tempted after reading his book to become a witch myself. * Robert Irwin, The Independent *Hutton's book is excellent ... Hutton uses his historical skills to tease apart some of the themes in this popular rural romanticism, and to locate their purely modern origin. * T. M. Luhrmann, Times Literary Supplement *Hutton's professional expertise shows paganism in a new light * Katrina Dixon, The Scotsman *An excellent study of the only religion England gave the world: pagan witchcraft. Scholarly and incisive, writing with verve and passion, Hutton exposes the Victorian fascination with the pagan ... Hutton writes a brilliant history of a faith that draws on ancient texts yet speaks to present concerns. * Kevin Sharpe, The Sunday Times *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Macrocosm 1: Finding a Language 2: Finding a Goddess 3: Finding a God 4: Finding a Structure 5: Finding a High Magic 6: Finding a Low Magic 7: Finding a Folklore 8: Finding a Witchcraft 9: Matrix 10: God (and Goddess) Parents Microcosm 11: Gerald Gardner 12: Gerald's People 13: The Wider Context: Hostility 14: The Wider Context: Reinforcement 15: Old Craft, New Craft 16: The Man in Black 17: Royalty from the North 18: Uncle Sam and the Goddess 19: Coming of Age 20: Grandchildren of the Shadows Notes Index

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Book SynopsisThe stark immediacy of what happened in 1692 has obscured the complex web of human passion which had been growing for more than a generation before building toward the climactic witch trials. Salem Possessed explores the lives of the men and women who helped spin that web and who in the end found themselves entangled in it.Trade ReviewAn illuminating and imaginative interpretation…of the social and moral state of Salem village in 1692. Provides an admirable illustration of the general rule that, in Old and New England alike, much of the best sociological history of the twentieth century has only been made possible by the antiquarian and genealogical interests of the nineteenth… This sensitive, intelligent, and well-written book will certainly revive interest in the terrible happenings at Salem. -- Keith Thomas * New York Review of Books *A provocative book. Drawing upon an impressive range of unpublished local sources, Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum provide a challenging new interpretation of the outbreak of witchcraft in Salem Village. They argue that previous historians erroneously divorced the tragic events of 1692 from the long-term development of the village and therefore failed to realize that the witch trials were simply one particularly violent chapter in a series of local controversies dating back to the 1660s. In their reconstruction of the socio-economic conditions that contributed to the intense factionalism in Salem Village, Boyer and Nissenbaum have made a major contribution to the social history of colonial New England… [They] have provided us with a first-rate discussion of factionalism in a seventeenth-century New England community. Their handling of economic, familial, and spatial relationships within Salem Village is both sophisticated and imaginative. -- T. H. Breen * William and Mary Quarterly *This is an ‘inner history’ of Salem Village that aims to raise the events of 1692 from melodrama to tragedy… It is a large achievement. This book is progressive history at its best, with brilliant insights, well-organized evidence, maps, and footnotes at the bottom of the page. -- Cedric B. Cowing * American Historical Review *The authors’ whole approach to the Salem disaster is canny, rewarding, and sure to fascinate readers interested in that aberrant affair. * The Atlantic *This short book is a solid contribution to the understanding of the 1692 witch trials. The authors use impressively rich demographic detail to support the thesis that the witch trials are best explained as symptoms of typical social tensions in provincial towns at the time. According to Boyer and Nissenbaum, Salem villagers played roles determined by economic, geographic, and status interests. -- Richard Ekman * Canadian Historical Review *An important, imaginative book that brings new insights to the study of the 1692 witchcraft outbreak in Massachusetts. Building on Charles Upham’s Salem Witchcraft (1867), Boyer and Nissenbaum explore decades of community tension and conflict in order to explain why Salem was the focus of this episode. The authors reveal a complex set of relationships between persons allied with the growing mercantile interests of Salem Town and those linked to the subsistence-based economy of outlying Salem Village. -- Carol Karlsen * Journal of Women in Culture and Society *Table of ContentsPreface Salem Village in the Seventeenth Century: A Chronology Abbreviations Used in the Notes Prologue: What Happened in 1692 1. 1692: Some New Perspectives 2. In Quest of Community, 1639-1687 3. Afflicted Village, 1688-1697 4. Salem Town and Salem Village: The Dynamics

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