A History of Magic and Witchcraft: Sabbats, Satan and Superstitions in the West

Broomsticks and cauldrons, familiars and spells: magic and witchcraft conjures 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 shines a light on the fascinating pop culture of the premodern world.

Blowing away folkloric cobwebs, this enlightening new history dispels many of the misconceptions surround...