The five best books on Witches and Witchcraft

[Nearly Sane]

As recommended by Diane Purkiss

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/witches-diane-purkiss/


Fascinating set, and really interesting article.

[SteveH]

https://www.discworldemporium.com/the-discworld-collector-s-library/436-the-witches-collection-discworld-collector-s-library

[jeremyp]

As recommended by Diane Purkiss

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/witches-diane-purkiss/


Fascinating set, and really interesting article.

The first one sounds really interesting. I'll put it on my "to read" list I think.

[Owlswing]

As recommended by Diane Purkiss

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/witches-diane-purkiss/


Fascinating set, and really interesting article.

Sorry for the lateness of this response, but, Hey-ho, better late than never!

I only have one problem with anything Craft that is proposed by Diane Purkiss, I cannot, for the moment, find the exact book or article from which it comes, but she dismisses the Burning Times (1430-1730 appox) as the modern witch's attempt to provide themselves with a Holocaust designed to create a faux-history and sympathy for their re-emergence from the darkness!

Most of this woman's output is political feminism and her dislike of and contemp for modern witches, particularly the militant American version, is blindingly obvious!

Note to self: As soon as lock-down has ended get your arse back to the British Library and re-create all the research that you did years ago and finish the project!

[SteveH]

https://www.earlymodernengland.com/2014/02/the-malleus-maleficarum-and-king-james-defining-witchcraft/

[Owlswing]

https://www.earlymodernengland.com/2014/02/the-malleus-maleficarum-and-king-james-defining-witchcraft/

And your point is?

The term 'The Burning Times' has no relevance whatsoever in England. Only one witch was ever burned in England and that post-mortem. The punishment for being a witch in England was hanging or drowning. Burning was the punishment in Catholic countries as the punishment for Heresy.

Kramer used the, manufactured by the Inquisition, agreement between the 'witch' and the Devil in exchange for receiving her powers to ensure that witchcraft was determined to be heresy, prior to the re-definition, witches had not been burned as it was not considered heresy before that time and thus the Iquisition was not allowed to prosecute (persecute?) witches until Pope Alexander confirmed, officially, Kramer and Spengler's (the writers of the Malleus) contention that it was so.

 Purkiss' book, referred to in my previous post, is "The Witch in History - Early Modern and Twentieth Century representations - Routledge London 1996   

[SteveH]

And your point is?

Sarcasm. Witchcraft is superstitious balderdash.

[Aruntraveller]

Sarcasm. Witchcraft is superstitious balderdash.

You do realise that is only going to invite accusations of the pot calling the kettle?

[Owlswing]

Sarcasm. Witchcraft is superstitious balderdash.

You are, of course, entitled to your opinion, just as I am entitled to mine.

Mine is that Christianity is based upon a book that contains four accounts by apostles that contradict each other, that records a flood that has no basis in fact etc etc.

I have told you before, but as usual you are totally deaf to anyone except youyrself and other believers in your bullshit religion because you insist that YOUR religion is Fact when, as with mine it is only a matter of faith not fact.

Substitute "Christianity" for "Witchcraft" in your statement above and I will agree wholeheartedly with it!