The Bathhouse at Midnight: An Historical Survey of Magic and Divination in Russia (Magic in History Series) [Paperback]

W. F. Ryan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0271019670 | ISBN-13: 978-0271019673 | Publication Date: September 1, 1999

The title of this book refers to the classic time and place for magic, witchcraft, and divination in Russia. The Bathhouse at Midnight, by one of the world's foremost experts on the subject, surveys all forms of magic, both learned and popular, in Russia from the fifth to the eighteenth century. While no book on the subject could be exhaustive, The Bathhouse at Midnight does describe and assess all the literary sources of magic, witchcraft, astrology, alchemy, and divination from Kiev Rus and Imperial Russia, and to some extent Ukraine and Belorussia. Where possible, Ryan identifies the sources of the texts (usually Greek, Arabic, or West European) and makes parallels to other cultures, ranging from classical antiquity to Finnic. He finds that Russia shares most of its magic and divination with the rest of Europe.Subjects covered include the Evil Eye, the Number of the Beast, omens, dreams, talismans and amulets, plants, gemstones, and other materials thought to possess magic properties. The first chapter gives a historical overview, and the final chapter summarizes the political, religious, and legal aspects of the history of magic in Russia. The author also provides translations of some key texts.The Bathhouse at Midnight will be invaluable for anyone--student, teacher, or general reader--with an interest in Russia, magic, or the occult. It is unique in its field and is set to become the definitive study of Russian magic.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A work of encyclopedic proportions, The Bathhouse at Midnight is sure to be the standard reference on Russian magic for years to come. For being essentially a catalogue, the book reads very smoothly. . . . Thus, this book can be read from cover to cover or, with the detailed table of contents and the index, it can be used to look up a particular phenomenon or beliefs. It will make a fine textbook, and for mature scholars, this is not only a valuable reference tool, but piece of scholarship very much worth emulating. --Natalie Kononenko, Russian Review

William Ryan's ambitious volume attempts a comprehensive survey of manifestations of magic throughout Russian history. . . . The result is a veritable encyclopedia of magical phenomena and beliefs, drawn from an extensive range of sources, but particularly from medieval texts and ethnographic data collected in the nineteenth century. . . . Ryan's book is a tour de force. It is likely to remain the fundamental reference work on magic in Russia for generations to come. --Eve Levin, Slavic Review

The Bathhouse at Midnight is an excellent study and source book of Russian supernatural and magical beliefs that should be read by anyone working with Russian supernatural belief, with the comparative study of belief whether Slavic, European, or Indo-European or with Christian folk religion --David E. Gay, Journal of Folklore Research

About the Author

W. F. Ryan is academic librarian of the Warburg Institute at the University of London, School of Advanced Studies. He has published widely on the subject of magic in Russia and is co-author of the Penguin Russian Dictionary (1995) and co-editor of numerous scholarly books, including Anglo-Russian Relations in the Age of Peter the Great (1998).

Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: Pennsylvania State Univ Pr (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0271019670
• ISBN-13: 978-0271019673
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #199,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for Slavic Magic, April 27, 2006

By 

Elizaveta K. Ivanova "Liza Karlovna" (MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bathhouse at Midnight: An Historical Survey of Magic and Divination in Russia (Magic in History Series) (Paperback)

This is THE book of Slavic magic.
I just used this book as the main source for my thesis on magic and folk custom in Russia. Out of all the books I researched this one has, by far, the most information in a very well laid out format. Most of Ryan's sources are primary texts and are well recorded if you ever want to do further study.
It's also a great source for anyone who just wants to learn more about the magical side of Slavic culture. And I found it very easy to read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic in Russia, May 30, 2007

By 

Eric S. Kim (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bathhouse at Midnight: An Historical Survey of Magic and Divination in Russia (Magic in History Series) (Paperback)

Reading Russian non-fiction hasn't been this entertaining. This book by W.F. Ryan is ultimate choice for learning about Slavic magic. It has almost everything: origin of magic, Western European influence (both in and out), photos of Slavic ornaments, descriptions of divinatory ways of life, and cited sources. The only flaws I can find are repeated words throughout. Examples: ". . . sleeping like like a lion . . ." or ". . . there would would have been . . ." though many are not really distractive. All in all, this is the ultimate non-fiction book about Slavic (mainly Russian) magic. A-

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book!, February 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Bathhouse at Midnight: An Historical Survey of Magic and Divination in Russia (Magic in History Series) (Paperback)

O.k. I know the title of this review looks like I'm shilling for the author/Publishing house...But this is one of the best books on the subject of Slavic Paganism and Magick I have seen yet. If this is a branch of study you are interested in, this book is a MUST have! Any Pagan, whether they are interested in Slavic studies or not can learn something of interest from this book.