Customer Reviews

Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling

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I can't believe no one has reviewed this classic work of theosophy, anthropology, hypnotism, mediumship, psychology and occultism...
so let me make a few brief notes...
A learned 19th century work of european witchcraft, shamanism. spiritism and occultism...it belongs in the library of every serious student...
the core of the book is chapter xi on gypsy witchcraft where the author enters fully into a discussion of the "trance state" and the methodologies used by european "folk doctors" etc...for entering the "other world"...so to speak...
leland studied under those who knew and practiced the "old faith" and he combines this with the erudition of a fine scholar...
very valuable resource...and a great read !

ILLUSTRATED BY INCANTATIONS, SPECIMENS OF MEDICAL MAGIC, ANECDOTES, TALES

THIS work contains a collection of the customs,usages, and ceremonies current among gypsies, as regards fortune-telling, witchdoctoring,love-philtering, and other sorcery, illustrated by many anecdotes and instances, taken either from works as yet very little known to the English reader or from personal experiences. This book is a rare find with loads of information! (publisher)

This is one of those books that should go over to the fiction section as quickly as possible as it's little more than a make believe; a 'history' of Lelands concepts of Gypsy ritual and society.

This book does little to clarify the complexity of Gypsy (Romani, Sinti, Kalderash, etc...) society and culture, but rather plays up to an age old exoticism of and futher alienation of this group of people from society, and society from them.

Leland's "Gypsy Lore Society" was pretty much a group of middle to upper class white men (and women) who spent their days (mis)appropriating a culture they could barely understand. It's time this was debunked and demystified.

If you want a book of fanciful 'sorcery' and imagery, then sure, get a copy of this book, if you want to understand Gypsies and Travellers, don't look here.