Magic A Very Short Introduction
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Magic A Very Short Introduction
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Author : Owen Davies
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2012-01-26
Magic A Very Short Introduction written by Owen Davies and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-01-26 with History categories.
A wide-ranging overview of how magic has been defined, understood and practiced over the millennia introduces it in today's world as a real force that helps people overcome misfortune, poverty and illness. By the author of Grimoires: A History of Magic Books. Original.
Witchcraft A Very Short Introduction
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Author : Malcolm Gaskill
language : en
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Release Date : 2010-03-25
Witchcraft A Very Short Introduction written by Malcolm Gaskill and has been published by OUP Oxford this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2010-03-25 with Body, Mind & Spirit categories.
Witchcraft is a subject that fascinates us all, and everyone knows what a witch is - or do they? From childhood most of us develop a sense of the mysterious, malign person, usually an old woman. Historically, too, we recognize witch-hunting as a feature of pre-modern societies. But why do witches still feature so heavily in our cultures and consciousness? From Halloween to superstitions, and literary references such as Faust and even Harry Potter, witches still feature heavily in our society. In this Very Short Introduction Malcolm Gaskill challenges all of this, and argues that what we think we know is, in fact, wrong. Taking a historical perspective from the ancient world to contemporary paganism, Gaskill reveals how witchcraft has meant different things to different people and that in every age it has raised questions about the distinction between fantasy and reality, faith and proof. Telling stories, delving into court records, and challenging myths, Gaskill examines the witch-hunts of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and explores the reinvention of witchcraft - as history, religion, fiction, and metaphor. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The Oxford History Of Witchcraft And Magic
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Author : Owen Davies
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2023-01-24
The Oxford History Of Witchcraft And Magic written by Owen Davies and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2023-01-24 with History categories.
Histories you can trust. This history provides a readable and fresh approach to the extensive and complex story of witchcraft and magic. Telling the story from the dawn of writing in the ancient world to the globally successful Harry Potter films, the authors explore a wide range of magical beliefs and practices, the rise of the witch trials, and the depiction of the Devil-worshipping witch. The book also focuses on the more recent history of witchcraft and magic, from the Enlightenment to the present, exploring the rise of modern magic, the anthropology of magic around the globe, and finally the cinematic portrayal of witches and magicians, from The Wizard of Oz to Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Paganism A Very Short Introduction
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Author : Owen Davies
language : en
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Release Date : 2011-05-26
Paganism A Very Short Introduction written by Owen Davies and has been published by OUP Oxford this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2011-05-26 with Religion categories.
'Paganism' is an evocative word that, even today, conjures up deep-seated emotions and prejudices. Until recently, it was primarily a derogatory term used by Christians to describe the non-Christian cultures confronted and vanquished by their Churches. For some it evokes images of sacrifice and barbaric behaviour, while for others it symbolises a peace-loving, nature-worshipping spiritual relationship with the earth. This Very Short Introduction explores the meaning of paganism - through a chronological overview of the attitudes towards its practices and beliefs - from the ancient world through to the present day. Owen Davies largely looks at paganism through the eyes of the Christian world, and how, over the centuries, notions and representations of its nature were shaped by religious conflict, power struggles, colonialism, and scholarship. Despite the expansion of Christianity and Islam, Pagan cultures continue to exist around the world, whilst in the West new formations of paganism constitute one of the fastest-growing religions. Focussing on paganism in Europe, but exploring the nature of paganism globally, Davies looks at how Europeans discovered new cultures through colonial expansion, missionary work, and anthropological study. Contemporary social paganism can be a liberating and social force, and the idea of a global Pagan theology is now on the religious map. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Magic A Very Short Introduction
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Author : Owen Davies
language : en
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Release Date : 2012-01-26
Magic A Very Short Introduction written by Owen Davies and has been published by OUP Oxford this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-01-26 with Religion categories.
Defining 'magic' is a maddening task. Over the last century numerous philosophers, anthropologists, historians, and theologians have attempted to pin down its essential meaning, sometimes analysing it in such complex and abstruse depth that it all but loses its sense altogether. For this reason, many people often shy away from providing a detailed definition, assuming it is generally understood as the human control of supernatural forces. 'Magic' continues to pervade the popular imagination and idiom. People feel comfortable with its contemporary multiple meanings, unaware of the controversy, conflict, and debate its definition has caused over two and a half millennia. In common usage today 'magic' is uttered in reference to the supernatural, superstition, illusion, trickery, religious miracles, fantasies, and as a simple superlative. The literary confection known as 'magical realism' has considerable appeal and many modern scientists have ironically incorporated the word into their vocabulary, with their 'magic acid', 'magic bullets' and 'magic angles'. Since the so-called European Enlightenment magic has often been seen as a marker of primitivism, of a benighted earlier stage of human development. Yet across the modern globalized world hundreds of millions continue to resort to magic - and also to fear it. Magic provides explanations and remedies for those living in extreme poverty and without access to alternatives. In the industrial West, with its state welfare systems, religious fundamentalists decry the continued moral threat posed by magic. Under the guise of neo-Paganism, its practice has become a religion in itself. Magic continues to be a truly global issue. This Very Short Introduction does not attempt to provide a concluding definition of magic: it is beyond simple definition. Instead it explores the many ways in which magic, as an idea and a practice, has been understood and employed over the millennia. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Fairy Tale
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Author : Marina Warner
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2018
Fairy Tale written by Marina Warner and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2018 with Fairy tales categories.
Marina Warner guides us through the rich world of fairy tale, from Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel to Snow White and Pan's Labyrinth. Exploring pervasive themes of folklore, myth, the supernatural, imagination, and fantasy, Warner highlights the impact of the genre on human understanding, history, and culture.
Branding
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Author : Robert Jones
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2017
Branding written by Robert Jones and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017 with BUSINESS & ECONOMICS categories.
Branding is possibly the most powerful commercial and cultural force on the planet. Robert Jones discusses the vast variety of brands, and why we still fall for them even as we are becoming more brand-aware. Looking at the philosophy and story behind brands, he considers how they work their magic, and what the future for brands might be.
Free Will A Very Short Introduction
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Author : Thomas Pink
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2004-06-24
Free Will A Very Short Introduction written by Thomas Pink and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2004-06-24 with Philosophy categories.
Every day we seem to make and act upon all kinds of free choices - but are these choices really free? Or are we compelled to act the way we do by factors beyond our control? This book looks at free will.
Bacteria A Very Short Introduction
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Author : Sebastian G. B. Amyes
language : en
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Release Date : 2013-05-30
Bacteria A Very Short Introduction written by Sebastian G. B. Amyes and has been published by OUP Oxford this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2013-05-30 with Medical categories.
Bacteria form a fundamental branch of life. They are the oldest forms of life as we know it, and they are still the most prolific living organisms. They inhabit every part of the Earth's surface, its ocean depths, and even terrains such as boiling hot springs. They are most familiar as agents of disease, but benign bacteria are critical to the recycling of elements and all ecology, as well as to human health. In this Very Short Introduction, Sebastian Amyes explores the nature of bacteria, their origin and evolution, bacteria in the environment, and bacteria and disease. In looking at our efforts to manage co-evolving bacteria, he also considers the challenges of resistance to antibiotics. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The Devil A Very Short Introduction
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Author : Darren Oldridge
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2012-05-31
The Devil A Very Short Introduction written by Darren Oldridge and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-05-31 with Religion categories.
The Devil has fascinated writers and theologians since the time of the New Testament, and inspired many dramatic and haunting works of art. Today he remains a potent image in popular culture. The Devil: A Very Short Introduction presents an introduction to the Christian Devil through the history of ideas and the lives of real people.