The Book of Weird [Paperback]

Barbara N. Byfield (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1994

Read The Book of Weird and enter into the mysterious netherworld of the fantastical. Ever since its original publication over a quarter of a century ago, this book has delighted fans of arcana and the occult. Now, a new package will draw still another generation to its mysterious charms. With the help of this playful sourcebook, you can decide which sounds like the more attractive occupation--witch or sorceress (or warlock or wizard). Using the table of ancient remedies you can learn how to cure common afflictions--from epilepsy to warts--that have plagued human history from the dawn of time. And by reading this book, you will finally know the proper time for matins and vespers, and when to celebrate Candlemas, Beltane, and Michaelmas. The Book of Weird will take you through each of the deadly sins, and for good measure, each of the splendid virtues. You will learn how to avoid werewolves and vampires, and what to do to get rid of ghosts. It will teach you how to distinguish an incubus from a succubus in order to determine which you'd rather be visited by in the dark of night. Whether you are faced with gnome or dwarf, troll or ogre, elf or fairy, you will know the difference after browsing through this fun-filled, informative treasure chest of hidden knowledge.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This unusual dictionary-type volume offers humorous definitions of words often found in folk and fairy tales and in the fantasy genre. Listings include everything from alchemists to wizards. The book may have limited reference value, but LJ's reviewer nevertheless found it "lots of fun" (LJ 3/1/67).
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Read The Book Of Weird and enter into the mysterious netherworld of the fantastical. Ever since its original publication over a quarter of a century ago, this book has delighted fans of arcana and the occult. Now, a new package will draw still another generation to its mysterious charms. With the help of this playful sourcebook, you can decide which sounds like the more attractive occupation--witch or sorceress (or warlock or wizard). Using the table of ancient remedies you can learn how to cure common afflictions--from epilepsy to warts--that have plagued human history from the dawn of time. And by reading this book, you will finally know the proper time for matins and vespers, and when to celebrate Candlemas, Beltane, and Michaelmas. The Book Of Weird will take you through each of the deadly sins, and for good measure, each of the splendid virtues. You will learn how to avoid werewolves and vampires, and what to do to get rid of ghosts. It will teach you how to distinguish an incubus from a succubus in order to determine which you'd rather be visited by in the dark of night. Whether you are faced with gnome or dwarf, troll or ogre, elf or fairy, you will know the difference after browsing through this fun-filled, informative treasure chest of hidden knowledge.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Main Street Books (September 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385065914
• ISBN-13: 978-0385065917
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #908,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book, May 27, 1999

By 

Garth Nix (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Weird (Paperback)

After reading a brief description of THE GLASS HARMONICA (as this book was originally known) back in the 1970s, I searched for it off and on for 20 years. When I finally found it in the 1990s, you might expect the wait to have created an expectation the book could never meet. But it did. THE BOOK OF WEIRD is an absolute delight for anyone who enjoys fantasy, history and myths and legends, spiced with a playful sense of humour. It is also surprisingly useful, particularly if you are a writer of fantasy. One of my absolute favourites.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like finding buried treasure, except maybe better, July 31, 2002

By 

loce_the_wizard "loce_the_wizard" (Lilburn, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Book of Weird (Paperback)

So you don't know the differences between giants, trolls, and ogres? How about oafs, churls, and louts? Did your liberal arts education not cover which part of a castle wall is properly called a merlon or a crenel? Or perhaps your science background failed to equip you with the knowledge needed to distinguish fat from tallow or parchment from vellum? Are you unsure if a particular wizard is trustworthy?

Then you clearly need a copy of the splendid reference by called the Book of Weird, a venerable stockpile of arcane knowledge. The author, Barbara Ninde Byfield, has termed her work, with both modesty and accuracy, as "Being a most Desirable Lexicon of the Fantastical. . ."

The often tongue-in-cheek entries are truly both informative and often hilarious. For instance, we learn not only that are churls "ill bred, and very likely low born" but also are provided with the insight that "If they serve beer, they slop it: if they drink beer, they belch."

Byfield even provides an appendix of sorts of "Useful Information" wherein you can learn about weights and measures (of course, you may already know that a firkin = 56 pounds and that an ell spans 4 feet), a list of legal holidays (including various Sabbats), and some medicinal advice that may not be for the squeamish.

This is the sort of book that will improve one's spirits. It's clever, smart, and fun. My only regret is that my large format copy of the 1973 edition finally fell apart because of continued use. Still, this smaller format version is worth finding and hanging onto. Also, you might find an even earlier edition published under the somewhat confusing and less descriptive title The Glass Harmonica.

Gotta go perform some rites. . .

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tongue-in-cheek manual of medieval fantasy, January 16, 2004

By 

Chris Jarocha-Ernst (Marlboro, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Weird (Paperback)

The thing to remember about THE BOOK OF WEIRD/THE GLASS HARMONICA is it's a collection of cliches, and intentionally so. Byfield boils down fairy tales, fiction, and popular belief into a tongue-in-cheek categorization of the medieval fantasy world, spelling out the precise difference between Giants, Ogres, and Trolls, and stating exactly what a self-respecting Hero should and should not do when setting out on a Quest. This book should appeal to kids, role-playing gamers, writers who want to know what to avoid, and anyone who enjoys fantasy, fairy tales, or a good chuckle. I had the paperback WEIRD first and, like another reviewer, wore it out until I was lucky enough to find a hardcover HARMONICA. This deserves to be a classic reference.