Originally published: London: A. R. Mowbray, 1978.

Everything you need to know about casting spells, mixing up elixirs, andmaking...

Magical phenomenon, pagan worship, sorcery, and religion have all at one time been thought of as witchcraft. Witches, were labeled magical wizards, or sorcerers who had powers to conjure ill feeling or will toward non-magical people. These ideas predate the Anglo-Saxon period. This engaging and meticulously illustrated atlas reveals cultural ideas, from a global perspective, about witches and witchcraft, their place in their society, and the sometimes cruel punishments they were subjected to. Sidebars and boxes highlight interesting facts, glossary, an index, and resources for further study conclude this fascinating book.

The author of Magic and Masculinity explores the history and development of magic and witchcraft in Western society. Broomsticks, cauldrons, familiars, and spells—magic and witchcraft conjure a vivid picture in our modern-day imagination. While much of our understanding is rooted in superstition and myth, the history of magic and witchcraft offers a window into the past. It illuminates the lives of ordinary people in the past and elucidates the fascinating pop culture of the premodern world. Blowing away folkloric cobwebs, this enlightening new history dispels many misconceptions surrounding witchcraft and magic that we still hold today. From Ancient Greece and Rome to the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Era, historian Frances Timbers details the impact of Christianity and popular culture in the construction of the figure of the “witch.” The development of demonology and ceremonial magic is combined with the West’s troubled past with magic and witchcraft to chart the birth of modern Wiccan and Neopagan movements in England and North America. Witchcraft is a metaphor for oppression in an age in which persecution is an everyday occurrence somewhere in the world. Fanaticism, intolerance, prejudice, authoritarianism, and religious and political ideologies are never attractive. Beware the witch hunter!

Ancient traditions and mystical beliefs have long been a subject of fascination for humanity, and none more so than witchcraft. In this comprehensive guide, readers will embark on a journey through the fascinating history of witchcraft and its modern-day iteration, Wicca. From the earliest documented cases of witchcraft persecution to the emergence of the Wiccan religion in the 20th century, this book delves deep into the origins, practices, and beliefs of witches throughout the ages. With a focus on the ethical guidelines of Wicca, readers will learn about the Wiccan Rede and how it is used to promote harmony and balance in the world. Through compelling stories and insightful analysis, this book provides a detailed notes about the history and culture of witchcraft and Wicca. This book has been prepared to shed light on very critical cornerstones of “The History of Witchcraft and Wicca”. It does not contain very detailed information on the subject headings.

First Published in 2005. While many previous books on Pynchon allude to his fictional engagement with historical events and figures, this book explores Pynchon as a historical novelist and, by extension, historical thinker. The book interprets Pynchon's four major novels V., Gravity's Rainbow, Vineland, and Mason & Dixon through the prism of historical interpretation and representation. In doing so, it argues that Pynchon's innovative narrative techniques express his philosophy of history and historical representation through the form of his texts.

A bewitching and authoritative historical overview of magic in the British Isles, from the ancient peoples of Britain to the rich and cosmopolitan landscape of contemporary paganism. “An absolute must for anyone interested in the development of paganism in the modern world. I cannot recommend this book enough.”—Janet Farrar, coauthor of A Witches’ Bible “At last, we have a history of British Paganism written from the inside, by somebody who not only has a good knowledge of the sources, but explicitly understands how Pagans and magicians think.”—Ronald Hutton, author of The Triumph of the Moon and The Witch What do we mean by “paganism”—druids, witches, and occult rituals? Healing charms and forbidden knowledge? Miracles of Our Own Making is a historical overview of pagan magic in the British Isles, from the ancient peoples of Britain to the rich and cosmopolitan landscape of contemporary paganism. Exploring the beliefs of the druids, Anglo-Saxons, and Vikings, as well as Elizabethan Court alchemy and witch trials, we encounter grimoires, ceremonial magic, and the Romantic revival of arcane deities. The influential and well-known—the Golden Dawn, Wicca, and figures such as Aleister Crowley—are considered alongside the everyday “cunning folk” who formed the magical fabric of previous centuries. Ranging widely across literature, art, science, and beyond, Liz Williams debunks many of the prevailing myths surrounding magical practice, past and present, while offering a rigorously researched and highly accessible account of what it means to be a pagan today.

The author is a simple traveler in time, like the rest of us, that has a message to give to all, who can understand. Who the author is, and what universities he attend, is not important, only the message that he has delivered is. The content of this book is beyond just passing on knowledge and information to the reader. Within the pages of this book, the reader will obtain, alone with knowledge and information, understanding and wisdom. The understanding of the message being given, and the wisdom to know, how and when to apply it to your everyday life. The author is you, me, and the rest of us. All of us, who is searching for a message that can help us in our relationships, in today's world. What's important is the message that's being given and if it's being received and understood. Then, the knowledge can be reviewed to see, if it's applicable to apply in our lives, in today's society. All understanding and wisdom comes from a higher source then ourselves. The messenger or author is only a conduit, that is unattached to the source of the understanding and wisdom being given, and is there only to pass the message alone. Alone to all, who may find the message helpful in their lives and relationships with each other, in the world we live in today. Remember, the messenger is not important, it's the sender who is.