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S'està carregant… Witchcraft and Secret Societies of Rural England: The Magic of Toadmen, Plough Witches, Mummers, and Bonesmende Nigel Pennick
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Apunta't a LibraryThing per saber si aquest llibre et pot agradar. No hi ha cap discussió a Converses sobre aquesta obra. This might be a great book full of interesting content, sadly the narration is terrible, I just can't keep focussed. ( ) This is a bit difficult to review. There was a ton of interesting historical information in this book, but there was almost nothing even tangentially related to witchcraft until the last few chapters. That comes as a disappointment given witchcraft is the first word in the title. I also think this would have benefited from a good editor. A lot of things were repeated almost verbatim several times, even in consecutive paragraphs in some cases. Other things were just briefly mentioned in passing and never explained. This made certain parts of the book feel like random facts strung together into paragraphs without any real connection. The pictures and illustrations were similarly disjointed from the text. The book ended very abruptly, with a postscript that was insightful and yet seemingly unrelated to anything else in the book - like an argument from another paper instead of closure for this particular work. Also, the author references himself a lot, which just feels a bit weird to me as someone who studied history. All that being said, I did learn a LOT. I studied this broad location/period for my degrees, and even lived in this part of England for a short time, and had never even heard of most of these concepts. This serves as a good introduction to subjects that I would like to read more on elsewhere. Sense ressenyes | afegeix-hi una ressenya
A comprehensive account of the rich folk culture preserved in the rural secret societies of the British Isles Centuries ago the remote, marshy plains of eastern England--the Fens--were drained to create agricultural land. The Fens remained isolated up until the nineteenth century, and it was this very isolation that helped preserve the ancient traditions of this area, traditions ruthlessly eradicated elsewhere in the British Isles. These magical folk traditions also owe their survival to secret rural societies, from craft guilds and trade unions to Morris dancers and village bands. Exploring the folk customs and magical traditions of guilds and rural fraternities such as the Shoemakers and Horsemen and the secrets guarded by the Free Gardeners, Witches, Toadmen, and Bonesmen, Nigel Pennick shows how the common working people of the Fens belonged to secret societies based on their specific trade. He details the hidden aspects of rural life that most historians ignore--the magical current that flowed through the lives of working people--and describes the secret rites, ceremonies, oaths, and initiation rituals of the guilds and fraternities to which the folk belonged. Drawing not only on scholarly research but also his personal contacts within these still living traditions, Pennick explains their use of masks, black face, and other disguises to avoid persecution and describes how wise woman healers and witches in rural villages were sought-after for their remedies. He shares the secrets of the toad-bone rite, which gave the Toadman control over animals and members of the opposite sex, and explores the guardian spirits thought to inhabit the Fens, including those of the Wild Hunt. Providing insight into a world that has largely disappeared, one whose magic still echoes in lore and legend, Pennick shows that the rites, customs, and ceremonies of guilds and rural fraternities connect individuals to a wider community and, through collective action, to the power of Nature and the Cosmos. No s'han trobat descripcions de biblioteca. |
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Google Books — S'està carregant… GèneresClassificació Decimal de Dewey (DDC)133.4Philosophy and Psychology Parapsychology And Occultism Specific Topics Witchcraft - SorceryLCC (Clas. Bibl. Congrés EUA)ValoracióMitjana:
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