Customer Reviews

The Encyclopedia of Superstitions

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...that Shetland fishermen considered "persons deformed at birth" good luck because they were considered God's poor and that if they had good luck they gave the person some of their catch?

...Rubys prevent all evil?

...that if a burgular has coal in his pocket he'll be able to evade capture?


I have the version of this book that was published in 1949--found it in the giveaway pile at my local library. This book is fantastic for dipping, fun or for ghost stories. We had an electrical outing, and I read snippets by candlelight to my family. My little brother (who was 15) was terrified and made me stop.

At this price you can't say no to this book. It's fun and pretty scary at the same time.
Highly recommended.

This is a fascinating little book, it works like a dictionary, find the word you hope to look up and it will tell you of the the historical powers, magic and superstitions behind that object. All the ideas are reseached from ancient folklores around the globe but Europe in the main.
You wiil discover the luck, wisdom and power of objects as diverse as besoms (brooms), juniper berries or socks and stockings. Fun indeed, but the historical angle is quite spine shuddering at times.

This is a fun, rather small book (in respect to superstitions in general, this could have been a mammoth of a book) that includes various bizarre and funny superstitions both old and current. Some are given instances when the superstition held true. For example, apparently it is unlucky for a three cigarettes to be lit off the same match. Three men, after doing this, one remarked "One of us will die by the end of the year" in jest, and then died three days later of a monkey bite (that last line made me howl...a monkey bite, of all things). Also, if you're a horror writer there's plenty of material here to help you base a story around. Four stars only because I wish it were longer, but it's a bargain and if you're into this kind of thing highly recommended. Very easy and fun to read.

This book was originally published in 1949 and was revised and enlarged in 1961. There have been a great many reprints down the years, the most recent being this one.

It is arranged in encyclopedia fashion, with the object of the superstition being listed in alphabetical order. An example taken at random being Finger Nails, First Foot, Fish, Fleas, Flowers. You get the picture. It is quite comprehensive and it must have taken a huge amount of research to put together this eclectic collection of superstitions, some of which are very obscure and unlikely. eg who would know that cooking and eating a fox was thought to make the diner bold in many parts of Europe.

I have no idea how complete this collection of superstitions is, but it is certainly extensive. It just goes to show what a superstitious lot our ancestors were and is quite an eye opener in todays world. So well worth getting for a fascinating insight into how our forbears lived tiptoeing around their beliefs.

Unlike some of the larger tomes on American folk beliefs ("Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore," Vols. 6 & 7 and "Folklore From Adam's County Illinois") this book does not number it's beliefs and each section it contains reads like a good story or article, delving into other beliefs as it also goes about explaining many of those it presents. Because of this I'd say it rises above the average book on the topic, both for those with a casual interest and those wanting more detail and background. It ought to be mentioned also, this is a revised edition of this book. Christina Hole took the book written by Edwin and Mona Radford in 1949 and "revised and enlarged" it in 1961. Both books are quite good on the subject and as far as I can tell, both contain beliefs and superstitions which the other does not. This aside, they also read differently. For someone really looking to investigate folklore and superstitions I can recommend both.

This is an excellent, and a classic book on the topic of superstitions. Also, this was probably the first ever "encyclopedia"/"dictionary" of superstitions written -- before everyone and their brother created one. I own four "dictionaries" and three "encyclopedias" of superstitions, along with numerous other books on the topic and this one ranks near the top of the pile. Each entry has a few superstitions in italics along with more detail in an article below. What puts this book above most others is it's readability -- many beliefs are illustrated with stories, often personal ones. This book isn't as extensive as some available today, and the book was revised and expanded in 1961. (That version is good as well, and both seem to contain things which the other does not, this aside they both read differently and make for a different experience.) A classic for folklorists and recommended really for anyone interested in this topic as a top choice.