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E-book
Author Waters, Thomas E., 1983- author.

Title Cursed Britain : a history of witchcraft and black magic in modern times / Thomas Waters
Published New Haven : Yale University Press, [2019]
©2019

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Description 1 online resource (viii, 350 pages, 16 unnumbered leaves of plates) : illustrations (some color), maps
Contents The British Isles -- The British Empire -- One. Black magic in modern times -- Two. Blood the witch, swim the wizard: 1800-30 -- Three. Tough superstitions: 1830-60 -- Four. Secret beliefs: 1860-1900 -- Five. Healing black magic: the unwitchers of late Victorian Britain -- Six. Occultists study dark arts: 1850s-1900 -- Seven. Gone native: witchcraft in the British Empire and beyond -- Eight. Witchcraft's decline: 1900-60s -- Nine. Multicultural magic: 1970-2015 -- Ten. Conclusion: witchcraft's decline and return
Summary The definitive history of how witchcraft and black magic have survived, through the modern era and into the present dayCursed Britain unveils the enduring power of witchcraft, curses and black magic in modern times. Few topics are so secretive or controversial. Yet, whether in the 1800s or the early 2000s, when disasters struck or personal misfortunes mounted, many Britons found themselves believing in things they had previously dismissed - dark supernatural forces. Historian Thomas Waters here explores the lives of cursed or bewitched people, along with the witches and witch-busters who helped and harmed them. Waters takes us on a fascinating journey from Scottish islands to the folklore-rich West Country, from the immense territories of the British Empire to metropolitan London. We learn why magic caters to deep-seated human needs but see how it can also be abused, and discover how witchcraft survives by evolving and changing. Along the way, we examine an array of remarkable beliefs and rituals, from traditional folk magic to diverse spiritualities originating in Africa and Asia. This is a tale of cynical quacks and sincere magical healers, depressed people and furious vigilantes, innocent victims and rogues who claimed to possess evil abilities. Their spellbinding stories raise important questions about the state's role in regulating radical spiritualities, the fragility of secularism and the true nature of magic
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Online resource; title from PDF title page (JSTOR, viewed November 26, 2019)
Subject Witchcraft -- Great Britain -- History
Magic -- Great Britain -- History
HISTORY -- Modern -- 18th Century.
Magic.
Witchcraft.
Great Britain.
Genre/Form History.
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9780300249453
0300249454