Description: The only comprehensive, single-volume survey of magic available, this compelling book traces the history of magic and superstition in Europe from antiquity to the present. Focusing mainly on the medieval and early modern era, Michael Bailey also explores the ancient Near East, ...
Brief description: Michael D. Bailey is Professor of History at Iowa State University, USA. He is the founding co-editor of the journal Magic, Ritual and Witchcraft and is the author of several books, including Magic: The Basics (2017), Magic and Superstition in Europe: A Concise History from Antiquity to the Present (2006) and Fearful Spirits, Reasoned Follies: The Boundaries of Superstition in Late Medieval Europe (2017). He is also the editor of the multi-volume collection, Magic and Witchcraft: Critical Concepts in Historical Studies (2014).
Review Quotes: Michael Bailey has written a sweeping, broadly accessible account of magic, religion, and 'superstition' over the past two thousand years. He has not only read deeply but also pondered the way in which our traditions have stigmatized especially those beliefs and practices that seem most closely threatening to us. This book deserves to be widely read.